kitchen fireplace

[jacko555]

House is 1907 to 1920.
Stripping wallpaper from chimney breast / fireplace in the kitchen

Its opening is very low down with the kitchen worktop under it.

See pic #1

There's 3 layers here:
1) lime plaster / yellow distemper near the top
2) pink paint
3) some sort of white easy fill plaster

There's 2x lumps of wood - sawn end pieces of something, with a black layer.
This black layer runs horizontally around the wood, in the middle and across the breast between the white and pink

When I sponged the last layer of wallpaper, a darker shape like a 2x4 appeared.

Not sure if this is the remnants of original kitchen cabinets, or, evidence that a far larger firepace opening has been reduced in size, in a previous round of "modernisation"

I guess the best way to check is unblock it and get a camera up there, or, knock render off and explore.

Thoughts? Does this look like its been made smaller?

Ideal world situation would be it has been reduced in size, which we undo, and whack an oven and hob in there...

 

[mrrusty]

I think the only way to know for certain is to take the plaster off and see what you have. Good chance it is a larger opening.

 

[frutbunn]

I had a wall mounted gas fire in my kitchen where the previous bricked up open coal fire had been and this in turn was in the bricked up opening from the original kitchen range. I opened it up to the original lintol and fitted a hob and oven and a couple of 300mm units either side in the space and formed an arch over with a passivent installed in the old flue.
I think yours may be similar.

 

[jacko555]

he previous bricked up open coal fire had been and this in turn was in the bricked up opening from the original kitchen range. I

This is what I hope we have. Gonna have to investigate...

 

[domdee]

I'd expect a hidden opening. post your findings.

 

[jacko555]

I'm supposed to be decorating, and wifey is a hard boss, however, couldn't resist a little dig.

Found a very hard, shiny slab. I am hoping its a lintel.
I wet polished the mortar off, so the stone has some yellow colour in it.

I cant scrach it with a screwdriver. It's certainly not brick.

As I expose more I'll update the thread. However, I have a room to finish

 

[jacko555]

Ive exposed more heading right , and found brick. Its the very soft original red brick

In the hope of finding the original lintel, what direction should I dig? Down?

I also dug under the lowest white bar (see pics at start of thread). It appears to be a laminate board blocking the chimney. I hope its not structural...

So I am guessing this cannot be structural? Or can it?

Wifey is unimpressed. Instead of filling holes I am making them. However, if I can expose evidence of a larger opening, all will be good.

 

[domdee]

Sod the misses. Get banging away at that lump hammer and bolster chisel.

 

[mrrusty]

It's little different in effort to patch a big area or a small area. Get that plaster off!