Insert Install

[Kriss]

Im a fairly competent DIYer and Id like to have a go at installing my cast iron insert, hearth and surround. I just cannot for the life of my find a drawing, or pictures of how this goes in.

Is it simply a case of tidying up the brickwork... screeding the hearth down... floating concrete to the back of the hearth... then sliding the insert in? Do I need to backfill this insert and create a throat?

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

looks like the heat has taken it's toll over the years for sure. Looks as if there is some brick work to do at the least. Is the hearth floor concrete or stone pieces?
What kind of house do you have this fireplace in? and do you have any idea what the rest of the chimney looks like?

 

[Kriss]

This is on the ground floor of our 1910 property. The subhearth has floated concrete on top of brickwork that extends down to the foundation of the house. So Im going to break up the concrete to float a new bed for the granite hearth I have.

The actual chimney looks A1 condition. Its quite big and looks like its been cleaned/maintained before the gas fire was installed in the 60s.

I set a small fire in the area and it drew up the chimney beautifully.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

Is the hearth and fireplace on two different supporting sections? they both don't share the same do they?

 

[Kriss]

No, when you look under the floorboards the chimney stack/breast is one big structure. So its wide and deep to take up the subhearth footprint...

So i trust I can simply break up the old concrete that supported the previous raised hearth.... and float some new screed to set the new hearth in.

 

[Kriss]

Do I simply tidy all that brickwork up, so that I side the insert in snuggly and do a minimal backfill of vamiculite?

 

[Grisu]

What are the building codes in Scotland? We could tell you here something and as soon as a professional from your country takes a look at it he/she would tell you it is not up to local regulations. You may want to ask a pro in your area or at least try to get your hands on some building fire safety regulations.

 

[bsruther]

I don't know what's required where you live, but I recently did something similar.
I filled the sub level with concrete and laid two layers of bricks on top of that, to bring it up to hearth level.
My hearth was brought up to meet that level with one layer of bricks between two pieces of concrete board.
All of that will be covered with stone veneer.

Man, that wall looks gnarly. I'd shore all of that up with mortar and bricks. Be sure to install a lintel to support the bricks over the opening.