Central Heating System of Construction
There is not a lot of preparation work that has to be done to the constructional hearth if you intend to install flooring made of laminate or carpet over it (assuming it is flush with the surrounding subfloor). If, on the other hand, you have floorboards that are exposed and you want to cover the constructional hearth with boards, you will need to remove at least enough of the constructional hearth so that a bridging joist can be installed and new boards can be put over the top of the existing ones. You should be sure to use the appropriate protective gear and accomplish this task with a bolster chisel and a club hammer. It will be necessary to remove a portion of the fireplace in order to provide space for a joist to span the opening and be nailed into the wood frame that will have been constructed around the perimeter of the hearth.
Putting a Stop to the Leak
You have the option, now that the fireplace has been removed, of either closing off the entrance or turning the gap in the chimney breast into a design element. There are a few different approaches you may use to close off the opening in the event that you intend to do so. Whatever course of action you decide to take, you absolutely must make provisions for ventilation; otherwise, you run the danger of causing a problem with condensation and moisture.
Plasterboard will be used to close off the opening.
To begin, you will need to cut some lumber to the dimensions of 50 mm by 50 mm and place it within the hole. This will serve as the framework for the plasterboard that will be applied later. Nail it into the aperture using masonry nails, being care to position it back from the front edge of the hole a sufficient distance so that it will be level with the surrounding plaster when the plasterboard is applied against the frame.
Attach the timber frame 3 millimeters further back in order to account for the fact that you intend to skim the board after it has been installed. When you skim, put the board down so that the gray side is facing up. If you intend to cover it with paper, you should lay it out so that the ivory side is facing up.
After you have finished decorating or covering the board, you will need to cut a hole in it so that it can accommodate a ventilator panel made of plastic or metal. If you don’t do this, you run the danger of causing a ventilation problem in the space, which might lead to difficulties with dampness or condensation. Your final task is to remove the lengths of skirting that are located on each side of the opening and replace them with a single piece of skirting that runs the length of the chimney breast in its entirety.
Bricks Will Be Used to Block the Opening
If you want to block off the entrance with bricks, the first thing you will need to do is remove some of the bricks that are located around the hole’s perimeter. To make room for the new brickwork to be put in, remove a brick (or half a brick) from each alternating course working your way along either side of the hole. If you do not accomplish this, you will merely have a brick wall that is freestanding inside the hole; if you knock on this brick wall, it may collapse.
You must also keep in mind to install an airbrick, preferably at a level that is slightly above the level of the skirting, in order to make room for ventilation. After the hole has been bricked up, you can embellish the wall by plastering over the brickwork and adding decorations. At this point, you should take down the lengths of skirting that are located on either side of the opening and replace them with a single piece that spans the entire front face of the chimney breast.
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