Boxing a fireplace in preparation for fitting a stove

[RaceDiagnostics]

Guys, I have dug out this fireplace.

It had an old unused back boiler that prevented the stove sitting back far enough for the flue to be connected.

Yesterday I got to here.

Digging out the back boiler this afternoon was a total pain, anyway I'm now here.

Any suggestions on the easiest way to box this in, in preparation for tiling? The sides need to go straight back and the rear to be vertical at the step.

 

[gaz1]

is your width ample enough for the stove to sit in and put out the heat ?

as that looks to be 16" or smaller

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

The opening is just over16 inch wide but it's a small stove and will be more decorative than functional. It will also not sit fully back in the recess so will still have a bit of circulation.

 

[Barking Mat]

You going to put a stainless steel flexi pipe in ?

I'd use concrete blocks or stone and cement myself.

Then you can pull the stove forward and sweep the chimney.

 

[cheb]

I used light blocks when I did something similar recently, they are easily cut with an old wood saw. It's only a temporary job so it's not been tiled but I can't see why that couldn't be done.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Y

You going to put a stainless steel flexi pipe in ?

I'd use concrete blocks or stone and cement myself.

Then you can pull the stove forward and sweep the chimney.

Yes, I've ordered the stove, flue, closing plate, flue etc, should be here at the end of the week.

I was wondering if there was some kind of cement board I could put in then tile on top of.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

I used light blocks when I did something similar recently, they are easily cut with an old wood saw. It's only a temporary job so it's not been tiled but I can't see why that couldn't be done.

Where did you get the blocks?

 

[Barking Mat]

Y

Yes, I've ordered the stove, flue, closing plate, flue etc, should be here at the end of the week.

I was wondering if there was some kind of cement board I could put in then tile on top of.

Go have a chat with you local builders merchants.

They'll advise on what's available and suitable. Hopefully.

Avoid 90 degree flue bends, always have double 45 degree bends, if that makes sense.

I.e. Does it vent from the top, or back ?

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

It can vent from either but I hope to position to vent from the top with a vertical pipe no bend. I did think about a T on the rear but it would make maintenance more difficult.

 

[striker]

Y

Yes, I've ordered the stove, flue, closing plate, flue etc, should be here at the end of the week.

I was wondering if there was some kind of cement board I could put in then tile on top of.

Hardybacker board is rated for just this. You can even use it as a register plate. Wickes sell it, it's just a fibre cement board. I've used it for this and had it signed off properly.

 

[gaz1]

Go have a chat with you local builders merchants.

They'll advise on what's available and suitable. Hopefully.

Avoid 90 degree flue bends, always have double 45 degree bends, if that makes sense.

I.e. Does it vent from the top, or back ?

its better to go from the top but not always

you can use 90s at rear stove point after that its best to use 45s or less

in ops case id use 90 so that the pipe goes into the middle of the chimney

as goes for the sides its advisable to make it solid, board will case problems with tiles with dry out

just plaster it

90 and 45 used on this one to get it to the right angle as the flue had been chimney lined

 

[Kayos]

Nothing unusual at all

Chair brick at the top, copper back boiler at the bottom, literally millions of them like that

 

[cheb]

Where did you get the blocks?

From under the bench in the shed.

Sensible answer: I'd had them so long I can't remember. I know them as breeze blocks or celcon blocks.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Once I have the stove I'll get a better feel for the positioning. Keeping 300mm to the front of the hearth will put the flue close to central I think.

Will take this to the scrap yard and get a few quid back, 7 kg. It's very thick walled.

I had planned to put in a 1500x500mm polished slate hearth, but I couldn't get a quote for less than £350 today, last one I bought was about £100, but that was 25 years ago.

Will just tile the hearth with slate tiles instead.

 

[Migmac]

Could it lined with vermiculite fire board and tiled on top?

 

[mtt.tr]

Render carrier board then render

 

[Blobber]

I know its your fireplace and what I think isnt really important but its not a nice looking fire place, I would carry on chopping and get rid of the tiles period feature or not so you can get a bigger opening
I priced up a hearth ages ago and the prices were out of his world, in the end we used some 900mm by 600mm good quality slate paving slabs, meant having a joint down the middle but Im pleased
how it turned out

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

I know what you mean, I don't really like the surround either, just a question of how far I go. To think that someone must have ripped out a beautiful Victorian fireplace to put this one in at some point in the 50's.


I am pretty sure the tiles are on a prefabricated slab, so that would mean surround and a bit of panelling out first and plastering the wals where the hidden fixings are afterwards. A step too far right now given the new oak flooring and kitchen are due to show up soon.

 

[Screwdriver]

What is the deal with using a bare chimney for wood burning stoves? I assume you'd need a fair length of flue pipe shoved up the chimney to generate sufficient draw and I know you should fit a flue liner but I might change my mind and revert to open fireplace if the stove is too troublesome.

If I have to fit a flue liner, can that be done from down here or does it have to be installed from the roof?

 

[Wozzaaah]

What is the deal with using a bare chimney for wood burning stoves? I assume you'd need a fair length of flue pipe shoved up the chimney to generate sufficient draw and I know you should fit a flue liner but I might change my mind and revert to open fireplace if the stove is too troublesome.

If I have to fit a flue liner, can that be done from down here or does it have to be installed from the roof?

I'd say a stove is less troublesome than an open fire, it's also way more efficient.
A flue liner needs to be fitted if there's any doubt as to the integrity of the existing chimney but it's always a good idea to fit one anyway.
It's a two-person job, either one on the roof feeding it down while the other pulls it or one on the roof pulling it up while the other feeds and manipulates it.
We did ours pulling it up. I made up a makeshift cone which I duct-taped to the end of the liner, my mate got up on the roof and dropped a weighted rope down which I then tied to the cone. He heaved away up top while I manipulated and pushed it from below.
It was surprisingly easy.