Repointing Fireplace

NoNameNoNumber · 18 Feb 2021 at 18:01

We're going to have a log burner fitted, the returns have always been boarded over, back wall bare brick. I have exposed it all with a view to making it presentable enough to be left bare. The plan is to smash the hearth up and replace with a larger slate hearth to allow the 225mm in front of the stove.
I've never repointed before, I also need to replace a couple of blown bricks.

All doable? Reasonably handy, I have a grinder so thinking of getting a mortar disc, also a mortar rake for the drill looks handy. Cut around the damaged bricks, knock them out and replace with a spare, mortar gun all the gaps.

Bed the new hearth on mortar and square up.
I have spoken with a local fitter who will be lining the flue and fitting the stove as per regs.

Is there some kind of non combustible trim that will tidy up the plasterboard/wallpapered edge? Or any other wisdom you guys can impart?

Many thanks

NoNameNoNumber · 19 Feb 2021 at 11:48

Bought a mortar rake and mortar grinding disc... Stay tuned

JayMax · 19 Feb 2021 at 16:49

If you're working indoors I'd use the mortar rake over the angle grinder

I preferred using the rake anyways, more precise.

NoNameNoNumber · 21 Feb 2021 at 20:01

Did a bit this afternoon, sheeted off and the draw of the chimney cleared the dust nicely. The disc is quite brutal lol, works really well but gets too dusty, can't see a thing where as like you say, the rake is far more precise and less aggressive.
Hopefully get it all ground out tomorrow.

I've gone quite deep with the rake so I can hopefully knock this brick out to replace it.

dlockers · 21 Feb 2021 at 20:40

Looks great. Use the correct mortar as colours can vary. Use a mortar gun?

NoNameNoNumber · 21 Feb 2021 at 21:04

It'll all be repointed, so colour match is a little less important I think?
Yeah, bought a mortar gun. Never repointed before but it looks like it should be quicker and cleaner.

dlockers · 21 Feb 2021 at 21:18

NoNameNoNumber said:
It'll all be repointed, so colour match is a little less important I think?
Yeah, bought a mortar gun. Never repointed before but it looks like it should be quicker and cleaner.

I think people take the mortar colour a bit more serious when exposed - I'm no expert, I just recall seeing some exposed fireplaces with quite bright cement and mine is quite dark. Led me to believe you may want to consider it!

NoNameNoNumber · 22 Feb 2021 at 07:57

Ah ok yeah that's a fair point actually.
Maybe I'll just do a small patch first and see how it dries... Got all week before the hearth and log burner actually arrive so I have time

JBuk · 22 Feb 2021 at 19:02

If you haven’t already tried it put some plasticiser in your mortar , it’ll make it easier to pump out the gun

oh and maybe check if you need a certain mix of mortar for a fireplace as standard stuff may not be great in hot places

pp111 · 22 Feb 2021 at 19:21

NoNameNoNumber said:
It'll all be repointed, so colour match is a little less important I think?
Yeah, bought a mortar gun. Never repointed before but it looks like it should be quicker and cleaner.

Re-pointing trowel is easy. Just make sure you have completely cleaned off all the dust to ensure it sticks. Make sure what you use is fireproof.

divuk83 · 22 Feb 2021 at 20:50

I know you have got a bit for your grinder, but I have one of these for doings small bits of mortar removal. Much less mess than the grinder. https://moorcut.co.uk/product/mortar-raking-brick-removing-chisel-stub-length-design/

I have a very thin trowel for doing re-pointing then I use a bit of old hose pipe to go over the joints. Make sure to get all the dust out of the joints before starting and then use a fairly dry mix of mortar to avoid staining the bricks. Much easier to use a dryer mix and take your time, than to clean of mortar stains from brickwork afterwards.

Dave

NoNameNoNumber · 22 Feb 2021 at 22:58

Cheers guys for the input.
The company fitting the stove have been really helpful when I said I'll do all the brickwork, but they said they use regular mortar with plenty of plasticiser in it.
Will that not be good enough?
Is there an additive I can use with regular mortar or do I need to do all the pointing with fire cement?

That's sds mortar chaser looks way better in terms of dust... Luckily, the draw from the chimney has prevented the whole room from looking a bomb site but still not great.

NoNameNoNumber · 25 Feb 2021 at 12:49

I used lime and ash mix with sand and cement. Fingers crossed...
Slate is here, just making a ply template before cutting it... Expensive mistake to get that wrong! Will bed it on the same mortar mix as I pointed with. Log burner should arrive today too

NoNameNoNumber · 26 Feb 2021 at 15:14

So the slate came, was going to go slow and steady with the diamond disc on a 4 1/2" grinder... 1) I didn't have a diamond slitting disc, 2) would be dusty as hell and 3) I own a Stihl saw

Made a plywood template, just because it'd be pretty wild to assume anything is square.

Next up was to offer it up and mark the floorboards for cutting, circular saw made light work of them and the multi tool just to clean up the corners.

Then I made a reasonably stiff mix, tamped it level then dropped on the slate

fobose · 26 Feb 2021 at 15:51

I really like that! Good job

NoNameNoNumber · 26 Feb 2021 at 16:08

Appreciate it

Still not sure what I'm going to do on the uprights where the plasterboard meets the brickwork...

fobose · 26 Feb 2021 at 16:14

Hmm you've got me stumped on that one too.

My dad laid the hearth for my fire place about 10 years ago (before I could do anything practical myself). I went with some slate tiles (or maybe slate effect?) that were about 10mm thick which worked out perfectly level with my carpet! I had the installer lime render mine as it wouldn't have looked neat like your brick work due to where he had to use a kango to smash the bricks out to go back as far as possible to get the stove to fit inside the recess (the wall was the adjoining wall to my neighbor).

Pic was pre skirting board being sorted out.

pepp77 · 26 Feb 2021 at 16:28

NoNameNoNumber said:
Appreciate it

Still not sure what I'm going to do on the uprights where the plasterboard meets the brickwork...

Something like this maybe - https://hardwareoutletuk.com/product/pb-polished-brass-1-2mm-corner-protectors-30mm-x-30mm/ - but in a colour suitable for you?

Tony Edwards · 26 Feb 2021 at 21:35

NoNameNoNumber said:
I used lime and ash mix with sand and cement. Fingers crossed...
Slate is here, just making a ply template before cutting it... Expensive mistake to get that wrong! Will bed it on the same mortar mix as I pointed with. Log burner should arrive today too

That pointing looks really tidy. Thats a really good job especialy if you havent done that sort of thing before.

NoNameNoNumber · 27 Feb 2021 at 15:05

Cheers for the input guys, I agree, a piece of metal angle trim should do it. I have a 1100mm long 100mm x 100mm oak mantel coming, and I'll use some 18mm quadrant for where the edge of the slate meets the flooring.

The stove arrived today... Looks a little bigger than we expected

Dimensionally fine as far as regs go though so no issues as far as we can tell. Let the installer know we're practically ready to go too, just waiting for him to call and book us in.