Fireplace Lintel Support

[wcavanagh]

Stripping my cottage, and open up some old fire places. Come to this one and noticed the lintel does not seem to join onto the vertical supports. If you look in the green circles there were loose packed stone, you will see in 2nd photo one site come out.

The red arrow is a steel sheet.

I want to open this up back to original size.

What do I need to cement into the gap? Would it need to be some kind of stone, or can I use some bricks?

Many Thanks.

 

[wcavanagh]

 

[wcavanagh]

Anyone got any suggestions at all, found another one exactly the same other end of cottage.

Many thanks

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

See the old lintel has got tapered ends, as weight is put on it , it jams itself tighter to the sides. So its important that the gaps at its ends are completely filled with mortar and bits of stone hammered in. It is importent that the wall either side is in a good condition. Because of the loose material at each end , they will be no support here so the support could be coming from that huge chunk of masonary in the centre, or from the original jamming design. I would tap the whole surface hard with a hammer, to see what moves and what is tight and carrying some weight.
Frank

 

[wcavanagh]

Thank you, the stones under the stone lintel seem solid when hot with hammer. The lime seems loose at each side of main lintel too.

 

[wcavanagh]

 

[wcavanagh]

So it looks like its supported by the brickwork someone built inside?

I notice on another fireplace in the same cottage, someone has build new brick and new lintel here.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

Does anyone else think the lintel originally sat on those side stones? It looks like either the lintel was raised up at some point, or the side stones were cut off to make way for those pipes...

 

[wcavanagh]

Hey Everyone,
So what are my options here? Should I add new lintel under? Pack more cement in sides of old lintel? Struggling to find a builder interested in helping.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

Just pack in cement or bricks. The existing rubbish did the job OK for years, so whatever you do isn't likely to be worse! Are you putting open fires back in?

 

[wcavanagh]

The plan is to open them both up to original size to have a multi fuel burner installed in each. They are nice and deep. So can have ones sunk in without taking up too much room

Thanks for your reply, the original motor is very crumbled