Fitting a solid fuel stove/need to make fireplace bigger

tom thum

hi. i have a solid fuel open fire. now i want to install an 8kw stove. it is bigger than thefire ope. will it be much hassle to make the fire ope bigger? thanks

paddy147

tom thum wrote: »

hi. i have a solid fuel open fire. now i want to install an 8kw stove. it is bigger than thefire ope. will it be much hassle to make the fire ope bigger? thanks

Hammer drill/chisel,new steel lintel to suit larger opening and some new bricks and motar,job done.

Simples.:)

Kashkai

Er, not quite :eek:

What holds the chimney stack up while he takes out the existing lintel? He'll have to put in braces to support the chimney while he manouvers the new steel/concrete lintel in place. Not a job for a DIY'er, especially if you have to ask how to do it. Get a specialist chimney crowd in.

paddy147

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Er, not quite :eek:

What holds the chimney stack up while he takes out the existing lintel? He'll have to put in braces to support the chimney while he manouvers the new steel/concrete lintel in place. Not a job for a DIY'er, especially if you have to ask how to do it. Get a specialist chimney crowd in.

Small adjustable scaffold bar and board works a treat too.:)

gsxr1

i would be careful. My concrete fire back hold up the the clay chimney liners.
If its removed there is nothing to hold up the pot or the back fill. All the back fill would end up in a heap on my living room.

At least get advise from a pro.

indie armada

i did this to my fireplce to fit a stove in. it braced the front of the brest above where i was working and built a block pier to the nesecery height next to the section that i had to knock, then knocked the existing section down and slid in a lentel and some extra angle irons for support. then continued the block work to the ceiling and faced the whole lot in brick.

Carlow52

gsxr1 wrote: »

i would be careful. My concrete fire back hold up the the clay chimney liners.
If its removed there is nothing to hold up the pot or the back fill. All the back fill would end up in a heap on my living room.

At least get advise from a pro.

The advice I got was to drill through the chimney breast and liner and across the other side and leave the 1/2" drill bit in while doing the work.

I did this and it worked a treat

ps, no hammer action when drilling liner

gsxr1

Carlow52 wrote: »

The advice I got was to drill through the chimney breast and liner and across the other side and leave the 1/2" drill bit in while doing the work.

I did this and it worked a treat

ps, no hammer action when drilling liner

Thats brilliant. I never thought of that. I have to get my stove back also but was putting it off because of the support work needed.

thanks

demanufactured

gsxr1 wrote: »

i would be careful. My concrete fire back hold up the the clay chimney liners.
If its removed there is nothing to hold up the pot or the back fill. All the back fill would end up in a heap on my living room.

At least get advise from a pro.

Your fireback doesnt hold up your liner,,,the flue gather does that along with all the packing around it , how do you think we remove firebacks when they need replacing?

gsxr1

demanufactured wrote: »

Your fireback doesnt hold up your liner,,,the flue gather does that along with all the packing around it , how do you think we remove firebacks when they need replacing?

i was not there when the mine was being built. But it certainly looks like its holding everything up.
Im not a brick layer , so Im not sure. Hence advising to let a pro have a look.

What supports the gather ? It fits so perfectly onto the fireback.

I had to make a hole in my fire back to get clearence for a flu and the back fill started pouring out.

Is it all sitting on a block?

Barrell

I too am looking to replace my existing fireplace (See attached pic) to put in a free standing boiler stove, i need to make a bigger opening in width & height so the new stove can fit. So the existing precast flue gatherer will need to be removed as its too low plus it won't be supported as the ope will be made wider.

1. How To support the existing chimney stack & flue liners while removing the existing precast flue gatherer.
2. Will i need to fit a new longer precast flue gatherer at higher level or can i reuse the existing precast flue gatherer at higher level.

Need help

wayne_09

Well Barrell, What was the outcome of overcoming the precast chimney stack in the end . Im currently facing the same scenario . Would really appreciate the heads up !

solas111

I would just brick up the existing fireplace, sit the new stove to the outside and connect to the chimney with a long flue pipe, making sure that there was still easy access for cleaning the chimney.

Vitally important to send any ladies in the house away on holidays until the job is completed.

wayne_09

solas111 wrote: »

I would just brick up the existing fireplace, sit the new stove to the outside and connect to the chimney with a long flue pipe, making sure that there was still easy access for cleaning the chimney.

Vitally important to send any ladies in the house away on holidays until the job is completed.

Thanks solas111 . I wish I could get away with doing that !! The room is quiet small and I have 3 kids that love to do what they shouldn't . My house is only 5 years old and I've always used the fire . If I need to getthe pro's in I will . Id really love it inset 60:40 (De wife really Ssssh)

paddy147

Old 1970s red brick open fireplace converted to take Stovax Riva 66 8kw nsert stove

wayne_09

paddy147 wrote: »

Old 1970s red brick open fireplace converted to take Stovax Riva 66 8kw nsert stove

They're beautiful . I of course bought a solid fuel free standing 12Kw boiler stove . For it to fit 60:40 in the fireplace Im presuming I'll have to try support the flue linear and raise the precast flue gatherer . This will give me more than enough height but a lintel will need to be inserted also to support flue gatherer as the stove I have is 25 inches wide.

wayne_09

Well I broke into the fireplace in the end . With the help of my father in law who is a plumber by trade and would put some builders to shame . It took us the whole day to do it but the results were fantastic . If i knew how to upload pictures id post them !

We supported the flue linear while we removed the precast chimney stack . Two head were fitted once this was removed . We stuffed fibre glass up the voids to support the sand around upper flue linears . Two head were fitted to hold flue linear .Then all that was left was filling up over the head .

It couldn't have went better but it was a messy task but the result was better than I imagined . I would strongly suggest that if any one feels brave enough to their fireplace to get some one to help who knows what they are at or get the pro's in.

Thank you all for your help