Filling in a fireplace hole

Skynet5 · 16 Oct 2022 at 14:45

So my plan without research is to: put some wooden batons across from edge to edge, attached to the breeze. Attach a section of drywall with a screw into the two batons, use dry wall tape around the edge, I'll remove some of the plastering skim from the surrounding area first. Then have a go at skimming the area.
Then attach a piece of skirting board.

We're replacing the carpet in the future, so will but a cut off of something else down in the mean time.

Gas has already been capped off by gas engineer.

adidan · 16 Oct 2022 at 14:47

You don't fancy getting a woodburner in?

Skynet5 · 16 Oct 2022 at 14:52

adidan said:
You don't fancy getting a woodburner in?

Nah commited to make some space and jig the room about.
Note: this is the middle floor of a townhouse, and previously there was a gas fire in place.

Skynet5 · 16 Oct 2022 at 14:53

adidan said:
You don't fancy getting a woodburner in?

As you're out side my house feel free to come in for a cuppa and give advice direct. Haha

adidan · 16 Oct 2022 at 14:56

lnoton said:
Nah commited to make some space and jig the room about.
Note: this is the middle floor of a townhouse, and previously there was a gas fire in place.

Ah right, fair enough.

lnoton said:
As you're out side my house feel free to come in for a cuppa and give advice direct. Haha

Ha, I'd love to but I'm outside everybody's house so not entirely sure how far it'd be

mrgubby · 16 Oct 2022 at 15:01

I'd double layer the plasterboard

Skynet5 · 16 Oct 2022 at 15:05

mrgubby said:
I'd double layer the plasterboard

So maybe I forget the battons and screw one into the breeze and stick the other layer on top.

Not sure I've got the depth to do both.

Presume I don't need to fill that whole in with brick right? Nor bother with a vent?

aVdub · 16 Oct 2022 at 15:41

lnoton said:
So maybe I forget the battons and screw one into the breeze and stick the other layer on top.

Not sure I've got the depth to do both.

Presume I don't need to fill that whole in with brick right? Nor bother with a vent?

Nothing wrong with what you wrote in the first post.

Cut the noggins slightly larger than the hole and knock into place.

Might be worth checking if you need a small vent there or not...

200sols · 16 Oct 2022 at 16:02

Use easyfill 60 not plaster.

sja360 · 18 Oct 2022 at 06:42

You'll need a vent in it.

bobuk · 18 Oct 2022 at 11:34

Last one I did I had to put a vent in

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 18 Oct 2022 at 13:02

Unless there is a way for water to ingress there will be no need for a vent.
Old gas fire fireplaces in modern houses are just a "dent" in the wall, a small void in effect.
Completely different to a real chimney that backs a proper fireplace, which when bricked up still has a direct path to a route for water to get in.

jaybee · 18 Oct 2022 at 13:06

Came for the filling in holes jokes. Disappoint

Skynet5 · 27 Mar 2023 at 10:27

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Unless there is a way for water to ingress there will be no need for a vent.
Old gas fire fireplaces in modern houses are just a "dent" in the wall, a small void in effect.
Completely different to a real chimney that backs a proper fireplace, which when bricked up still has a direct path to a route for water to get in.

Hi. This job got put down the list. But doing it this week.

So it’s a gas fire in a new (13 years old) house. On the 1st floor of a townhouse. There is a vent (metal tube that goes all the way up through the loft and then out through a standard looking vent ridge tile on the roof.

It’s not a chimney, as you say, so I don’t think water can come down.. so presumably i DONT need a vent.

R.O.S.S.I · 27 Mar 2023 at 10:40

So is the top of that fireplace "open" i.e. does it go up the chimney stack and out into the fresh air? If it does and theres a draft through and out i'd be putting a little vent on it. If its been blocked off on the inside then it probably doesnt need a vent, but if a gas fire was there then it probably does have a chimney or flue of some kind and will need venting imo.

Skynet5 · 27 Mar 2023 at 12:04

R.O.S.S.I said:
So is the top of that fireplace "open" i.e. does it go up the chimney stack and out into the fresh air? If it does and theres a draft through and out i'd be putting a little vent on it. If its been blocked off on the inside then it probably doesnt need a vent, but if a gas fire was there then it probably does have a chimney or flue of some kind and will need venting imo.

Flue was the word I was looking for.

Yes it goes through up stairs, into the loft and out. It’s not drafty. We had it like this all over winter and never felt a draft coming down.

So that picture at the top. At the bottom of the hole/ floor there are plenty of gaps through to behind the wall of downstairs.

I take it the vent is purely to allow moisture out right?

I really should get an expert in, but I like to try these things myself. If only to learn and experience the basics.