Fireplace replair question!

[Merlot]

This is my fireplace:



A few years ago, when the building was converted from a pub to residential, the fireback had obviously been broken and a piece of chipboard was put in place - I didn't know this when I bought the property and subsequently it caught fire when we had our first fire in it a couple of weeks ago - no problem, just added fuel for the fire!

There is now a hole at the back where a metal plate should go, I have outlined it using my superb paint skills.

Behind this hole where the plate should go, is a void between the fireback and the chimney wall. Smoke/flames can pass behind the fireback and head up the chimney in the normal way although now the heat lost is much greater.

Question: Can I just 'fill in' this hole using a suitable size of sheet aluminium (250mm x 250mm) or is that likely to deform? I have some in a suitable size which is 8mm thick.

[TooLateForAName]

Cant see a thing on that picture.

I would not use aluminium. It melts at fairly low temps and I'm not sure what temp you need for it to burn but the results would be 'interesting'.

I would have thought that a hole in a fireback should have a firebrick in it if anything. You can buy them in standard sizes/shapes or get a sheet of the material and cut to size.

I'd really want to see a picture that shows what you actually have though.

[Merlot]

TooLateForAName said:

I'd really want to see a picture that shows what you actually have though.

Sorry you can't see it, it looks fine on my screen!

This is a similar fireplace:



Just above the grate, there is a piece of metal at the back which forms part of the fireback - this bit is missing.

There is now a 'hole' in the fireback, with metal above and to the sides.

Behind the metal fireback is a void about 10cm deep, and then you have the firebricks forming the inner part of the chimney.

I need to fill in this 'hole' with a metal sheet of some description as that is what would have been there originally until the builders broke the fireplace. It is approx 250x250mm.

Sadly, I cannot locate an original part and short of putting a new fireplace in, my only option is to repair.

[b2hbm]

Our fireplace is just brick-lined and looks as if it's been that way since built some 50yrs ago, but it does have a steel support underneath the brickwork at the front.

If you're certain that there was a metal section then it's most likely to have been either cast iron or steel, and probably cast iron if it's been broken.

Personally I'd not use Aluminium for reasons already quoted but also it has a different coefficient of expansion than either steel or cast iron and so there might be some deformation if an Al plate was firmly fixed.

If I had to use a metal then it would be steel, probably somewhere between 3-6mm thick. Thinner sections would work but may deform if it's markedly thinner than the surrounding area and heats up quicker.

[Merlot]

b2hbm said:

Our fireplace is just brick-lined and looks as if it's been that way since built some 50yrs ago, but it does have a steel support underneath the brickwork at the front.

If you're certain that there was a metal section then it's most likely to have been either cast iron or steel, and probably cast iron if it's been broken.

Personally I'd not use Aluminium for reasons already quoted but also it has a different coefficient of expansion than either steel or cast iron and so there might be some deformation if an Al plate was firmly fixed.

If I had to use a metal then it would be steel, probably somewhere between 3-6mm thick. Thinner sections would work but may deform if it's markedly thinner than the surrounding area and heats up quicker.

Thanks. After speaking with some people yesterday, I'm going to use a 6mm thick steel sheet to fill the hole as a temporary measure until I can find an original cast piece to fill it.