How To Find Out If Your Home Is Hiding A Fireplace - CurbedPosted by Seerup Erichsen on February 17th, 2021 Welcome again to Interval Dramas, a weekly column that alternates between rounding up historic homes on the market and answering questions we’ve all the time had about older constructions. It’s no secret that old houses are filled with quirks. We see those quirks as connections to the past, which could be enhanced-or typically fully uncovered-during a renovation. Maybe these signs of history come within the form of a remnant of outdated wallpaper or a name carved right into a wood ceiling beam. However if you happen to ask us, the people who are really lucky uncover previously hidden architectural particulars, like a fireplace. While it’s sad to think about why someone would brick over a fireplace in the first place, it does make sense. Once fireplaces were not essential to heat houses after steam, fuel, and electric heating came into play, they became one other place where heat may escape. In some cases, the fireplace flue will get sealed up and the firebox turns into purely decorative. In other cases, the entire thing will get bricked up and plastered over, erasing all trace of it. We’ve all the time been intrigued what it’s like-and what it takes-to uncover a blocked up fireplace. And a few days ago, whereas scrolling through our Instagram feed, we saw somebody stay running a blog the restoration of a cooking fireplace of their 16th-century (!) farmhouse in the English countryside. We took it as an indication that our questions wanted to be answered. The facet of the home is cast with a dull inclement morning #athome #16thcenturyhouse #restorationproject #autumndays #dayindoors A photograph posted by colin gray (@colin_awg) on Nov 18, 2016 at 1:55am PST “We bought the home about 18 months in the past,” homeowner Colin Gray advised us. “The majority of the home dates to the 16th century and has five fireplaces. Some had been intact after we first moved in, however we've uncovered two of them.” We were curious-when looking at a blank wall, as Gray did in this case, how did he know that a fireplace was hidden behind? How did he know how deep the firebox would be? First off, totally research your house if you happen to think that it might be hiding a fireplace. No person needs to blindly start demolition only to be left with a hole in the wall. For Grey, that meant turning to a survey achieved on his home that indicated where fireplaces had doubtless been within the home. At present's task is revealing the fireplace in the snug, in the 1960's it was blocked up with breeze blocks! #restorationproject #16thcenturyhouse #diy #hardcraft A photo posted by colin gray (@colin_awg) on Nov 15, 2016 at 9:00am PST No documentation? Don’t be afraid to do some detective work of your individual. Look within the attic to see if you may tell what number of flues are constructed right into a chimney. www.hobartbricklayers.com.au is a good indication for what number of fireplace are doubtless in the house. “The fireplace we uncovered up to now week was crammed with cinderblocks that had been most likely put in in the 1960s,” Gray advised us. “The room is quite small and it was likely used as a kitchen. We found broken-up items of iron, most likely from a stove, in the fireplace with the cinderblocks.” Fireplace reveal almost there! The blocks are certainly fairly resistant to a sedge hammer!!! Lots dust & rubble, unfortunately in the 1960's the chimney stack was eliminated & the vast majority of it ended up within the flue! #restorationproject #16thcenturyhouse #hardcraft #diy A photograph posted by colin gray (@colin_awg) on Nov 15, 2016 at 9:08am PST As for figuring out when to cease chipping away at the brick, it seems like a mix of guesswork and proceeding with warning. “I first took a sledgehammer to the wall, and then did extra wonderful-tuned work with a chisel,” stated Gray. “You form of need to only see how it goes as you work on the fireplace.” When uncovered, these fireplaces are in far from excellent condition. Grey needed to change the main lintel of a fireplace he uncovered last December with reclaimed wooden. The flue of the fireplace he unearthed prior to now week has been backfilled with brick and different debris, that means this fireplace will in all probability keep non-working. Rebuilding flues can shortly run your renovation funds up, so be strategic about the fireplaces you carry up to working order. Excavation of fireplace full. There have been remains of a solid iron vary & lead pipes as initially this room was a kitchen. Just need to build a fire surround & repoint the brickwork! #restorationproject #16thcenturyhouse #diy #hardcraft #worththeeffortandtime A photograph posted by colin grey (@colin_awg) on Nov 15, 2016 at 9:17am PST These fireplaces are just one a part of a tentative two-12 months-long renovation that Grey has deliberate for his 16th-century farmhouse, which boasts unique stone mullion windows. “They’re fairly common right here in Somerset-we’re fairly spoiled!” he mentioned. However the way in which that he approaches the uncovering of the fireplace, by letting the home indicate to him what needs to be carried out, which cinder blocks need to come down, shouldn't be not like the ethos he brings to the renovation process generally. “You have to know the age of a property. Don’t over modernize it and implement your concepts onto it,” he stated.Like it? Share it! More by this author |