Removing a 1950s fireplace & clay fireback.

[opps]

Well Your advice is spot on so far. The fireback came out in one piece & boy did they pack a load of
brick off cuts etc behind it. The fireplace was a surprise. I never thought it would be so heavy, I had to
cut it into six pieces. Rebars running through it & metal offcuts. Anyway, I'm slowly getting there. Thanks
for the advice so far.

So it was one part rather than the suggested two?

 

[Dor1111]

So it was one part rather than the suggested two?

Yes in one part.

 

[opps]

Yes in one part.

Thanks, I did think it odd that it would be two parts (as suggested by Ree). Glad you have managed to sort it out- fair play.

 

[ree]

OP,
Glad that I could help. Sorry to hear about the council business.
FWIW at this stage but a Hit & Miss vent is a better choice than an air brick - you have more control.

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Well, FWIW: i've installed, and removed, two part fire backs a number of times - just saying.

 

[opps]

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I wasn't intentionally trolling. I genuinely couldn't understand how a three sided cast iron plate could be in two parts. To be honest, I couldn't see how the back plate could safely be anything other than one piece given the temperatures involved.

 

[ree]

Poster #20,
What three sided cast iron plate are you referring to?

 

[opps]

Poster #20,
What three sided cast iron plate are you referring to?

It has a left, middle and right hand side. Can you not see that?

Edit- sorry the OP says it is clay- not cast iron- my bad.

 

[stuart45]

I'd say it's a clay fireback. For most open fires you should cut them in 2 pieces along the scoreline. This allows for the different expansion as the bottom is much hotter than the top.
For certain fires, like decorative gas ones, you can leave them as one piece.

 

[opps]

(Removed)

I put my hands up. I incorrectly assumed that it was cast iron and have already edited my previous post accordingly. Apologies.

 

[RrogerD]

I'm sorting out the exact same thing at the moment.
So you're saying that I can simply remove one by one, the surrounding brick columns and the fire back will simply drop out? I assume that there is a lintel above this lot? Or maybe a brick arch?
I've booked to have this chimney swept and washed later this week with the view to blocking it up (with vent). Would it be better to remove the fire-back before sweeping or after or, does it not matter?

 

[Nige F]

remove before sweeping

 

[ree]

Poster #27,
Why not start a new thread in this forum?
You will then get various opinions.

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The lintel & the bricks that we can see are infill and can safely be removed but first hack off plaster above the centre of the lintel, go up a few courses & you should expose the original brick arch.
Only after exposing the brick arch can you remove the infill & lintel.
Leave the chimney breast outside corners intact - stay away from them.

How many fireplaces you have in the house? Then you have that many flues that might need sweeping.
Dont "wash" any of the flues or fireplace openings.
Definitely, It would be best to remove the fireback and the infill before sweeping.

 

[Dor1111]

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There was an indented line where I take it you could break it in two. It pulled out in one piece
which was good. The council are a nightmare I asked in August & never got a reply.

 

[opps]

There was an indented line where I take it you could break it in two. It pulled out in one piece
which was good. The council are a nightmare I asked in August & never got a reply.

Thanks for the update/clarification-much appreciated.

 

[ree]

OP,
Clay fire backs come in one-piece, two-piece and various pieces, and sizes. Horses for courses.