Photos! Rusted Majestic steel firebox removed - possibly wanting to put in a stove

[angrycrewcheif]

I've had a lot of water intrusion in a home I purchased that was covered up. I only noticed after starting renovation of the fireplace surround that turned into going down a rabbit hole of a rusted out firebox, separation of the surround, sagging floor, water intrusion, and crumbling mortar. I'm at a point now where I'm unsure of what to do but have a vision of getting a wood burning stove to place in the fireplace after rebuild. Does anyone have any inputs or direction of what to do? Attached are pictures for reference.

 

[1kzwoman]

Welcome to the site! You are in the right place and are a brave soul! Moderators will be here soon as well as other members.

 

[bholler]

I've had a lot of water intrusion in a home I purchased that was covered up. I only noticed after starting renovation of the fireplace surround that turned into going down a rabbit hole of a rusted out firebox, separation of the surround, sagging floor, water intrusion, and crumbling mortar. I'm at a point now where I'm unsure of what to do but have a vision of getting a wood burning stove to place in the fireplace after rebuild. Does anyone have any inputs or direction of what to do? Attached are pictures for reference.

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Well at this point you don't have enough masonry in the side walls to do much with that. You need to build it up to 8" this masonry if you use firebrick 10" with regular and rebuild a new face out of masonry

 

[stoveliker]

Or have a freestanding stove in the room with sufficient clearance to the back, and an insulated stainless liner in the chimney?

Note that the brick will facilitate a large heat loss to the outside.

 

[angrycrewcheif]

Well at this point you don't have enough masonry in the side walls to do much with that. You need to build it up to 8" this masonry if you use firebrick 10" with regular and rebuild a new face out of masonry

Possible to support the lintel rebuild one side at a time [blue] and line with regular brick [red] should give about 13" and provide sbout a 30" wide opening for the freestanding stove? After subfloor in front is repaired from water damage I can extend the hearth as required and than finish the surround. -- unless you have a better suggestion - stove i had my eye on is Green Mountain 40 - the lintel looks like it needs replacing as well [rusted out and way too flexible on the right side facing

 

[angrycrewcheif]

Or have a freestanding stove in the room with sufficient clearance to the back, and an insulated stainless liner in the chimney?

Note that the brick will facilitate a large heat loss to the outside.

I thought about this but feel it would eat up too much space in the already cramped living room.

 

[mellow]

I would have a sober mason come out and take a look at that to see what it would take make it safe.

 

[angrycrewcheif]

Welcome to the site! You are in the right place and are a brave soul! Moderators will be here soon as well as other members.

Thank you! This place is great! I didn't think I would get a response so quickly and was surprised. Lol I've always been pretty handy and unafraid of hard work [attached some tile flooring pictures i finished] especially when it saves me some cash and I know I'm not in over my head. This is actually the first forum I've ever posted in before. I have many other projects I'm doing but definitely needed some experts to bounce off of.

 

[1kzwoman]

I remember when I first posted, after lurking. You wait for that first reply like a kid at Christmas so wanted to welcome you.
Bholler is am amazing resource person for all things liner , stove the list goes on! The moderator and people with knowledge of anything and everything is just amazing.
So glad you shared all the photos they will help people help you!
I can almost feel your pain from what the fireplace looked like when you pulled the firebox. The remainder of the photos show why your willing to work on it.
I feel the work you put in is what makes a home yours.

 

[VintageGal]

A very ambitious project indeed! From all appearances, that chimney looks structurally unsound at this point in time. A lot of missing mortar even on the outside of the chimney. I'm not saying it can't be done, but this is labor intensive. I guess it all depends on your skill level but I would still want an inspection for structural soundness. If that inspection was okay, running an insulated liner up the chimney and being certain your clearance to combustibles was by the book --anything is possible. Good luck

 

[bholler]

Possible to support the lintel rebuild one side at a time [blue] and line with regular brick [red] should give about 13" and provide sbout a 30" wide opening for the freestanding stove? After subfloor in front is repaired from water damage I can extend the hearth as required and than finish the surround. -- unless you have a better suggestion - stove i had my eye on is Green Mountain 40 - the lintel looks like it needs replacing as well [rusted out and way too flexible on the right side facing

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Ok no you cannot rebuild the blue sections they are supporting your entire chimney. And there is absolutely no reason to do it anyway. The hearth extension should be done. Properly now buy removing subfloor and all framing, forming up with non-combustible forms, then pouring a slab that is anchored back to the main hearth slab.

You also should really consider an insert if the goal is to place the stove inside the firebox. Inserts are built to get heat out of that firebox stoves are not.

 

[angrycrewcheif]

So with consideration we've decided to go with a gas insert. Mainly because this will eventually be a rental in the future and I don't want to worry about how tenants maintain a fireplace. I also don't want to build up a foundation under the house subfloor if I don't have to for a hearth extension. Does anyone have recommendations on a direct vent gas fireplace insert? Points to something that is inexpensive but provides heat and a decent obieonce. Any recommendations towards how to build a surround around the current firebox would be appreciated. If I should make a new post please let me know as well.

 

[angrycrewcheif]

Ok no you cannot rebuild the blue sections they are supporting your entire chimney. And there is absolutely no reason to do it anyway. The hearth extension should be done. Properly now buy removing subfloor and all framing, forming up with non-combustible forms, then pouring a slab that is anchored back to the main hearth slab.

You also should really consider an insert if the goal is to place the stove inside the firebox. Inserts are built to get heat out of that firebox stoves are not.

Any recommendations? Or how to for my current situation

 

[1kzwoman]

Any recommendations? Or how to for my current situation

Might try reposting in the it’s a gas forum as well, so you can get replies from people who use gas instead of wood. I’d retitle and try to cut and paste everything there.

 

[begreen]

Definitely post a new thread in the It's a Gas forum and put a link to this thread in the new post so that people get the background info. There are some nice gas fireplaces on the market. Some are good heaters too.