Upstairs Concrete Hearth Removal

[onabudget]

Hi, I'd be grateful for some advice on the following,

After removing some an old ceiling in a 1920's house as the floor boards upstairs in the corner seemed to have some give in them I have found the reason why.

The partial beam that should have tied into the corner of a box section frame going round the concrete first floor hearth has split where it was cut for the central heating pipes some years ago.

I'd like to beef up the beam and also removal some of the dead weight from the surrounding area.

There are two rooms with a supporting wall between them, in each upstairs room there is a fire place (towards the centre wall), in the smaller of the two rooms where I want to replace a beam there is a chimney breast which seems to be built partially over the central supporting wall and partial using corbel brickwork. However in front of the fireplace is a bit chunk of hearth set into the floor boards.

Can anyone tell me if it's safe to break this up and removal it without interfering with the chimney breast, upon inspection it would seem so but thought I'd just check. If I can remove this concrete mass then it will allow me to extend the damaged joist across onto the centre wall and make everything a little better.

What's the best way to break this up?

Any comments gratefully received.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It's likely that the slab for the hearth, will not effect the the chimney.
These where often either a slab of stone or a concrete pour.
So it would be nice to have some pictures, but I'd say you'd be okay to break it up. They also can be lifted without breaking them, provided they are not tied in anywhere.
Your floor joist needs to be strengthened. I'd get some timbers same section as current one in the floor, and overlap this by a good two foot and coach bolt them together.

 

[onabudget]

thanks for the reply I'll get some photos tonight and put them on so maybe you can have a second look (or first look).....

The hearth had a sort of smooth top to it for the top inch which prised away from the rest, then below it looks like a very rough concrete mix to what it seems fills a wooden type box frame that was made up centred over a supporting wall beneath.

I think I might be able to remove it with a lump hammer and chisel as the corner bit has come away with not too much difficulty

I'd be able to be make the upstrairs floor a lot stronger by getting the joist right across on the supporting wall, hence why I want to remove the concrete lump!

I'll get some pictures thanks, thanks for the interest

p.s. If I'm beefing it up at right angles also where the last bit of the corbled breast seems to stick out over the centre wall should I use joist hangers rather than nailed through from the end?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Sounds like the concretes been poured in situ, and I wouldn't bother with joist hanger for your cross nogins, I'd screw them in.

 

[stuart45]

This pic may help.
View media item 18305The hearth could have rebar and be built into the breast.

 

[1275Bill]

We've just removed a bedroom hearth in my sons victorian 2 bed dormer....it was very poor concrete laid in a box, with broken bricks as hardcore....we gave it a few whacks with a 4lb hammer and got it out no probs.......Bill