Fireplace Lintel

[XtraRaptor]

Hi, I am taking out our old fireplace and having a new one installed with an inset multifuel stove in it, I am in the process of getting the fireplace prepared for the installers and have come across this

Love the way that a piece of carpet gripper has been used in the earlier mods.

and this

I am planning to install a lintel in the course of bricks below the wedge shaped brick, but just want to check, will the wedge shaped brick be part of an arched opening so should be self supporting anyway?

 

[tony1851]

If you put a 65 deep concrete lintel in the course immediately below the 'keystone' brick, you will of course need to take out the bricks immediately below, and also a bit of brick each side of the opening to form a bearing for the beam.
This means that the keystone brick, and the brick each side of that, plus the brick immediately above the keystone, will all probably drop out, or at least come loose. Beyond that, the brickwork won'f come down any further, and you will simply have to mortar the fallen bricks back into place once your beam is in.

 

[XtraRaptor]

Cheers, that's pretty much what I was expecting.