Brick Fireplace Advice

[GabrielHill]

I lack quite a bit of knowledge of masonry, and I am trying to figure out the best way to go about this.

When I first purchased my home there was a wood stove. We removed it and the brick that it was sitting on, and ended up drywalling around the fireplace. Last winter caused my wife and I to reconsider. We have quite a bit of land, with plenty of wood available.

In our mind, we would love to have a wood fireplace insert with veneer covering the brick, but the brick is not layed out for a fireplaceinsert. We are hoping that it would be possible to knock out enough brick in the middle column to fit an fireplace insert into there, and have a chimney liner ran down. The steel pipe that connected the wood stove is a little bit higher than the picture goes, it goes straight into the brick. I was told that this would be possible, and that the brick can support itself, but I am not sure I fully understood what I was being told. I am not sure I understand how the middle of the fireplace can be removed safely.

Has anyone ever had any experience with this kind of fireplace remodel? Any thoughts? I am attaching a picture of the original fireplace. The only difference is the wood stove and brick it is sitting on is no longer there. Everything else is.

 

[billb3]

If that center column has a chimney behind it does it go to the basement and is supporting the chimney above it weight ?
That center column goes straight up and out through the roof ?

For all we know from that pic that center column is the only load bearing support and the rest of the structure is purely aesthetic with no load bearing capacity at all.

I have a chimney ( short at that ) with no load on one side (firebox opening ) and it has a steel reinforcement bar under the bottom horizontal row course of blocks. Without that reinforcement bar to stop the blocks from falling out I'd have to have built a curved arch to distribute the weight and lock the blocks in.

You're trying to have the hearth and stove occupy less space in the room ?

 

[begreen]

This doesn't look like a fireplace to me. It looks like a nice custom hearth with storage areas on the side. I see no fireplace opening or firebox. That doesn't mean that you couldn't put a nice looking stove there again. But this assembly may never be appropriate for a fireplace insert without great expense, especially if the flue is narrow. Have you called a mason for an estimate? Why the thought of an insert there?

What is the goal besides wood heat here? How large an area would be heated?

 

[GabrielHill]

If that center column has a chimney behind it does it go to the basement and is supporting the chimney above it weight ?
That center column goes straight up and out through the roof ?

For all we know from that pic that center column is the only load bearing support and the rest of the structure is purely aesthetic with no load bearing capacity at all.

I have a chimney ( short at that ) with no load on one side (firebox opening ) and it has a steel reinforcement bar under the bottom horizontal row course of blocks. Without that reinforcement bar to stop the blocks from falling out I'd have to have built a curved arch to distribute the weight and lock the blocks in.

Thank you for the reply. To me, it looks like the center has to be load bearing. It goes through my attic (the brick stops, and there are masonry blocks in going up through the attic, then out the roof.)

I had a reputable fireplace / mason contractor stop by my house, and he seemed to think it would be no big deal to open up an area in the center column so that a fireplace insert could be pushed towards the back, to get that fireplace look. (All he had to go by was the same picture). I was surprised by his answer, and he has actually given me a quote for the work.

The idea we had was to make this area look at like a stone fireplace. We did not want to use a free standing wood stove due to where this is actually at in our house.

 

[GabrielHill]

This doesn't look like a fireplace to me. It looks like a nice custom hearth with storage areas on the side. I see no fireplace opening or firebox. That doesn't mean that you couldn't put a nice looking stove there again. But this assembly may never be appropriate for a fireplace insert without great expense, especially if the flue is narrow. Why the thought of an insert there?

What is the goal besides wood heat here? How large an area would be heated?

I believe it is a 6in flue opening.

The area is around 1200 sqft. The insert is just what we are hoping to be able to do. Due to where this is located, placing a free standing wood stove there is not something we want to do.

 

[begreen]

It's going to be an odd location for a fireplace. This might have an effect on resale price if that is important. A freestanding stove could be angled into the room instead of parallel to the wall like the old installation. That would provide nicer heat and a better fire view and would look more visually intentional.

 

[billb3]

Thank you for the reply. To me, it looks like the center has to be load bearing. It goes through my attic (the brick stops, and there are masonry blocks in going up through the attic, then out the roof.)

I had a reputable fireplace / mason contractor stop by my house, and he seemed to think it would be no big deal to open up an area in the center column so that a fireplace insert could be pushed towards the back, to get that fireplace look. (All he had to go by was the same picture). I was surprised by his answer, and he has actually given me a quote for the work.

The idea we had was to make this area look at like a stone fireplace. We did not want to use a free standing wood stove due to where this is actually at in our house.

I've removed and repaired chimneys and done some brick, block and stone work.
I've removed a fireplace that was arched off a three flu chimney stack and I wouldn't characterize trying to build one after -the-fact as being as simple as 'removing a few blocks'.
The estimate has to be for a couple thousand and with room for amending the estimate sight seen.

I'd rather have an alcove and a fee standing wood stove than a fireplace myself but many people prefer the traditional fireplace look.

 

[GabrielHill]

I've removed and repaired chimneys and done some brick, block and stone work.
I've removed a fireplace that was arched off a three flu chimney stack and I wouldn't characterize trying to build one after -the-fact as being as simple as 'removing a few blocks'.
The estimate has to be for a couple thousand and with room for amending the estimate sight seen.

I'd rather have an alcove and a fee standing wood stove than a fireplace myself but many people prefer the traditional fireplace look.

From what I understood, he wasn't going to remove the whole chimney and rebuild it. He was some how going to remove enough brick at the bottom for a fireplace insert (add support to the existing structure).

Does that make sense? From somebody that has done this before, can you see how that could be done?

 

[Grisu]

I am doubtful that this can be done as easily as he says. An insert is supposed to go into a full masonry fireplace built to code; not just a wall cavity lined with brick. I would get a second opinion from a certified sweep; look here: http://www.csia.org/search or (broken link removed to http://nficertified.org/pages_consumers/consumers-1.cfm)

If the insert does not work and you want a fireplace look check out EPA-approved fireplaces. Some units to get a feel for that kind of install: Flame Monaco, Pacific Energy FP30, KozyHeat Z42. There are certainly many more. Those could be installed diagonally in the corner. However, those units will be more expensive than a stove or insert and it remains to be seen whether they can be worked in with your current chimney.