Have a fireplace want a wood stove

[Sb1911]

Hi all,
I wanted to reach out everyone for your knowledge advice and feedback. I will try to keep this short. About 7 months ago my wife and I purchased our first home. It has a fireplace with an old blower type seystem in it that is non operational and pretty much burned out.

What I would like to do is have my hearth removed and fire box dropped down to the floor ( cement foundation ) so that I can have a free standing wood stove slightly recessed into the new larger space. Current fire place opening is 20" high x 33"wide, if even possible to do the removal of the hearth and expanding the current firebox would make it about 36" x 33". is removing the hearth and enlarging the opening possible? Is it more trouble than it's worth?

I hope the picture helps convey what I am trying to accomplish. Thank you for any direction it will be appreciated.

 

[rwhite]

If your removing the hearth and the floor is concrete I'd seriously consider a free standing wood stove

 

[Sb1911]

Yes freestanding would be my first choice. Just don't know if the changes I am considering are realistic.

 

[bholler]

Well anything can be done given enough time and money. In general it is not an easy task if it is done right there is a concrete slab under that first course of brick that runs under the entire structure. It would need to be cutaway in the sections to be removed. Making it look good after the fact is also going to be a little tricky

 

[rwhite]

Removing the hearth should be pretty straight forward. Depending on what beneath the fire box it may run into a headache trying to cut it down to floor level (but it can be done). I see a few options here once the hearth is removed;
1. Brick up the hole and go straight up with the chimney. Not sure what the exterior looks like so it might not look good with a stainless chimney next to a masonry one.

2. Cut the floor down and do as you mentioned running an insulated liner up the existing chimney. (not sure what the existing chimney is so I am assuming it's masonry)

3. Brick up the hole and install a thimble to connect the stove. Still would need an insulated liner.

4. Or what I would do is remove hearth. Have a steel face plate fabricated to cover the hole which would extend to the floor level (you could have it cut to include some design into it) . Not only would it cover the hole you could run the stove pipe through the face plate and it could be removable to allow access to a cleanout tee. Then run a fully insulated liner up the existing chimney.

As far as deciding if it would be worth it, IDK. How much do you want to spend? I would think (again assuming the existing chimney and all clearances checks out) that you could make it safe and functional for a $1k in parts + cost of stove. I have no idea what labor would be if you hired it out. To make it look good (new hearth, stone facade ect.) I would probably add a least another $1k. So depending on the stove you choose and not considering labor I'm guessing $3-$5k in materials.

 

[mol1jb]

That is a strange set up indeed. If I were removing that I would first take off the grates to get a better idea of how it was built. Removing brick by brick isn't incredible hard but will take some time. The base hearth may be the most trouble some depending on what it is built on/around. Whatever route you go for demo make sure you have that area tarped off so dust and cement/brick debris don't get everywhere in your living space.

 

[Sb1911]

Thank you everyone for the replies,I appreciate the thoughts and ideas from everyone. At this point I am thinking of taking down the hearth brick by brick and then gets an estimate from a mason on lowering the fire box. What are your thoughts on following that process?

 

[bholler]

Thank you everyone for the replies,I appreciate the thoughts and ideas from everyone. At this point I am thinking of taking down the hearth brick by brick and then gets an estimate from a mason on lowering the fire box. What are your thoughts on following that process?

The hearth is not all brick It should be concrete under that first course and that slab should run under the firebox as well. But it usually is just a mix of rubble fill and mortar. Usually a real pain to tear out but it can be done.

 

[Sb1911]

The hearth is not all brick It should be concrete under that first course and that slab should run under the firebox as well. But it usually is just a mix of rubble fill and mortar. Usually a real pain to tear out but it can be done.

What would be the best way / technique to remove the rubble fill and mortar?

 

[bholler]

What would be the best way / technique to remove the rubble fill and mortar?

An impact hammer or a jack hammer We would rent a jack hammer for one as high as yours. Shorter ones we would just use our impact hammer.

 

[Sb1911]

An impact hammer or a jack hammer We would rent a jack hammer for one as high as yours. Shorter ones we would just use our impact hammer.

Thank you for the direction. So there is no solid brick in the bottom of the fire box? In your opinion can I do this my self or is the structural integrity of the brick and mortar chimmany at stake?

 

[rwhite]

I just tore down part of one. I figured I'd need a impact chisel. If you have a good hammer and chisel and safety glasses I would see what you can accomplish before you rent/buy any equipment. May be easier than you think or it may be a PIA and you will need power tools.

 

[bholler]

Thank you for the direction. So there is no solid brick in the bottom of the fire box? In your opinion can I do this my self or is the structural integrity of the brick and mortar chimmany at stake?

I have no idea if you can do it or not. I also have no idea what you will find under there. I know what it should be and what was typically done but there are hundreds of other ways it could have been done. You need to decide if you understand the structure of it and are comfortable taking this on. I cant do that for you.

 

[bholler]

I just tore down part of one. I figured I'd need a impact chisel. If you have a good hammer and chisel and safety glasses I would see what you can accomplish before you rent/buy any equipment. May be easier than you think or it may be a PIA and you will need power tools.

To me it is not worth the wear and tear on my body it is well worth the cost of a tool rental.

 

[rwhite]

To me it is not worth the wear and tear on my body it is well worth the cost of a tool rental.

LOL I agree. I just started in on mine and it was full of poor mortar joints. Every joint I hit with a chisel busted. But if wouldn't have broke on the first hit I was ready to drag the air chisel and compressor to the basement.

 

[Blowingsmokeupyourchimney]

Is it possible to locate your new stove in a different location and just install a new flue pipe and just remove the old fireplace and structure later? You might get your new stove faster...

 

[jetsam]

You could also put an insert in the fireplace, if you can find one that goes into a 20" high hole. Some inserts are nice little woodstoves- though not quite as good at distributing heat as their freestanding cousins.

The up side would be that you don't have to do the demo on the old fireplace and that it'd take up no extra room.

 

[begreen]

Agreed. If the fireplace has decent depth I would put a good insert in there connected to a stainless steel liner. A tear out is not worth it unless you are planning on a serious remodel. At that point it would be good to verify this is the best location in the house for a stove before proceeding.

 

[Sb1911]

Thanks for the replies. I going to look at inserts today. The fire box does dropp down slightly insind the hearth now. I'm thinking if I do an insert I will take the top level of brick off the hearth and that would give me another 1 1/2" on the firebox opening for total close to 22" high x 33" wide, I cold then put tile over the top of the hearth where the brick was removed then my facade on the sides of the hearth and wall.

 

[begreen]

Decide on the insert first before going through the work of removing brick. It may not be necessary. Loose bricks or layers of cement board can be added to the fireplace inside to provide support for the insert.

 

[mass_burner]

Op, what are those side and top vents for? I wouldn't rip all that out. They make great inserts nowadays.

 

[Sb1911]

Op, what are those side and top vents for? I wouldn't rip all that out. They make great inserts nowadays.

There are pipes above the fire box that are now worn / burned out. There are two fans ono on the lower right and one on the lower left that would suck air blow it through the hot pipes and then send hot air out of the top great. Was probably a really nice seystem at one time but the pipes are now non functional.