Opened up a fireplace. Your adivce please

[DalMaca]

hi everyone new to the site,

just moved in to a new home and the fireplace was covered up...

as you can imagine im here because i opened it up, ive basically taken out all lose bricks from top to bottom.

there has been fire in there before due to the black soot everywhere, anyway apon digging i unearthed the old flow n return pipes and what looks like a cast iron back plate. (all of witch are now removed)

The reason why im here is to ask what would be my cheapest approach from here. im not a idiot when it come to DIY n stuff but fireplaces i never dealt with before.

im looking a a hole fully bricked (sides and back) almost ready to burn infact, of corse im not going to tho just yet lol.

ive got a good draw, looked up the stacked and can see right up to daylight (although it will be swept)

ive spoke to some people (non experts) and they have suggested a few thing to me but im unsure so im here asking.

EG, could i strip the old bricks out and use engineering bricks with that heat proof mortar?

or should i use a backplate (leaving old bricks there)

Etc Etc... you get my point im sure. i dont want to spend 100s of pounds but would like it to be burning soon.

its not for the "heat" as some people use them now for cheap heating.... its mainly just to look nice and feel cosy.

also i might add it wil be a simple open fire, basket / grate n tray.... not one of these multi stove things.

any advice would be really appreciated i can take pictures and measure the sizes if needed.

thanks again.

 

[DalMaca]

ive taken some pics of what it looks like now.... dusted down and all the loose bricks removed.




not sure if you can see it well, but there seems to be a layer of bricks in the back (making a shelf) ... do these need to stay in ? ......

also look again and its not central ??? ... from the surround removing all solid bricks has left me 1 brick wide on the left.... and 2 bricks wide on the right ??? maybe more need to come out ?

this is the left hand side... where the old flow n returns were... the top one pulled out the bottom one has been cut flush with old bricks... i assume these need covering up ?

could it simply be a case of taking them bricks out... re bricking it up and done ?

Do i need a fireback ??

anyway now you can see what im dealing with and i hope this helps better than me trying to explain.

any advice is welcome thanks again

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[cotswoldbuilders]

You should be able to remove all the loose stuff back to original brickies opening.
Dont use engineering bricks, they will blow.
Check you have a lintol spanning the opening before removing any more brick work.
You need to check that you have a good draw on the stack, as you dont want smoke coming back into the room.
Get a sweep, most of them will check the draw and if theres any problems with the flue.

 

[DalMaca]

what you see is all the loose stuff removed, this is why i stopped and asked advice here.

how would i check the lintel is going right across ?

the lintel is there and is in good condition but not sure if it pans all the way frew,

would it be ok to remove the back layer of brick ? (the shelf in the bottom picture)


thanks for the reply