Suggestions for restoring fireplace brickwork

[GTWAGN]

Hi all,

this is my first post here so please bear with me! I have a brick Victorian home (circa 1895) in Melbourne and have a fireplace that needs some work. Ultimatley it needs a new cast iron insert etc, but until such time as I have the cash to purchase the required bits and pieces I want to clean up the brickwork to make it more presentable in the room.

The original insert has been removed at some point and some plonker in the annals of time decided it would be a good idea to paint the white marble mantle . The fireplace has been used since (by previous owners) and the brickwork has been damaged - more to the point the mortar has been damaged (refer attached photos).

I'm after suggestions on the best way to fix up the mortar and brickwork for aesthetic purposes only, that is, I will not be lighting any fires. My wife would like to paint the inside of the fireplace white, so I was thinking that I should perhaps render the brickwork once I have cleaned it up??

I have read in this forum that a lime based mortar is the way to go with old brickwork - is this also true for inside fireplaces??

I'm also after suggestions for the render. Should the render also be a lime based mortar or should it be a cement based render??

Thanks in advance for any help.

GTWAGN

[johnc]

You could render if you wish, clean the soot off first, then one coat of render to fill the mortar lines, then coat and trowel off. I would also clean the paint from the marble. Solvol and cuttlefish are harmless to the stone but will wear down the paint. Solvol first on the paint and the cuttlefish to finish. You could also rub it down with a silicone carbide stone but that will remove some of the surface. Ubeaut EEE and trad wax will restore some of the shine. If you try paint stripper, don't leave it on to long and use the solvol to finish the wash down, brush and water first followed by the soap. The two fine abrasives, or a green mit will all help clean the corbel, doesn't look as though it is in bad order and well worth the effort.

Have you thought of getting some new red solids (bricks) and simply replacing the fire box, should look pretty smick if done properly.

John.

[GTWAGN]

johnc thanks for your comments.

The mantle is in good nick and I am very happy that you think it is salvagable - I thought the porous nature of the marble would render any restoration useless!

What do you mean by replacing the firebox?? Excuse my ignorance, but I am quite new to this handy man thing!! Do you mean to replace the bricks at the base of the fireplace?

Does the render need to be a lime based mortar?

Where can I buy a silicone carbide stone and Ubeat EEE, trad wax etc??

Cuttlefish???? Do you mean the stuff I find on the beach??

Also what is the cordel you refer to?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am coming from a very, very low knowledge base.

Thanks again

GTWAGN

[johnc]

Ubeaut the forum sponsors have EEE and traditional wax. The corbel is the shaped thingy that holds up the mantle.

Cuttlefish is the stuff that comes off the beach and solvol of course from the supermarket.

I don't know the answer to the lime mortar question, but a bag of pre-mix should have been OK I would have thought.

A silicone carbide stone is the think you can sharpen chisels, palne blades etc with, but only use it if no oil has been used on the stone.

Marble is porous, and can stain permantly but you should be able to remove paint from the surface, particularly if it is water based. I've never used paint stripper but if you go down that path I'd be fast and keep a careful eye on the surface incase it begins to roughen or pit, either is bad news.

Forget the comment on the fire box, just lift out the loose bricks, vacuum up the dust and scraps and relay, you shouldn't get into to much trouble.

John.

[GTWAGN]

Thanks very much for your suggestions johnc.

Can anybody help with my lime mortar question?? Should I be using lime mortar in restoring some old Victorian period brickwork, or can I get away with a cement based mortar?

Can you buy pre made lime putty rather than having to make it yourself?

Cheers

GTWAGN

[ozwinner]

Thanks very much for your suggestions johnc.

Can anybody help with my lime mortar question?? Should I be using lime mortar in restoring some old Victorian period brickwork, or can I get away with a cement based mortar?

Can you buy pre made lime putty rather than having to make it yourself?

Cheers

GTWAGN

Hi
If you are restoring the internals of a fire place I can see no real problem with using cement based mortar.
Mix it in a bucket at 3 sand to 1 cement and some lime ( the amount of lime is determined by the amount of clay in the sand) with as much water to make a thick paste.

Rake out the old mortar before you apply the new pointing, make sure you wet the surface of the joints before you point the brickwork otherwise the mortar wont stick properly.

Al

[GTWAGN]

Thanks ozwinner,

the wife has penned this project in for the long weekend!!!

I was not looking forward to making the lime putty, it sounds like a rather explosive exercise!

Should I use washed sand or the yellow brickies sand?

Ben

[ozwinner]

Use brickies sand, the washed is only good for rendering.
You will only need a bucket or 2 to point the fire place.

Al

[GTWAGN]

Thanks again.

Ben

[GTWAGN]

just had another thought.

Can the yellow brickies sand be used for a render as well for this job? The wife wants to paint the inside of the fireplace white once it is cleaned up, so I was planning to render the brickwork prior to painting to give a cleaner finish for the paint.

GTWAGN

[ozwinner]

Brickies sand can be used for rendering, but it drags as you float it.

Al

[makka619]

Hey GTWAGN, good luck with the job! Make sure you post pics when you are done! I would love to see how it turns out.

I too have a fireplace with brickwork all sooted like that. Though, the grouting isn't a problem.


My Questions,

What type of paint do you use to paint over bricks?

Do they have to be rendered with something beforehand? Or can the paint just be slopped straight on?

[ozwinner]

I too have a fireplace with brickwork all sooted like that. Though, the grouting isn't a problem.


My Questions,

What type of paint do you use to paint over bricks?

Do they have to be rendered with something beforehand? Or can the paint just be slopped straight on?

The loose soot can be removed by washing it off with soapy water, it may take a few goes at it though.
There might be bleed through of the paintwork from the soot so a sealer might be needed.

You can paint straight onto brickwork, most paints seem to work, in the olden days they used oil based paint, but water based is used now.

Al

[makka619]

Wow any paint! Thanks oz.

I don't know what you mean by sealent, are you talking between the bricks and to be filled in with mortar/cement mix?


Another question, should I cover the bricks with a layer of mortar so that the surface becomes flat and smooth and therefore the brickwork unrecognisable? Essentially, I would then be painting on to the dried mortar and not the bricks.

If I wanted to try this, do I just use a cement based mortar?

*Just thought it might look prettier then painting straight on the bricks.

[ozwinner]

Wow any paint! Thanks oz.

I don't know what you mean by sealent, are you talking between the bricks and to be filled in with mortar/cement mix?

A paint sealer, so the soot doesnt bleed through the paint.

Another question, should I cover the bricks with a layer of mortar so that the surface becomes flat and smooth and therefore the brickwork unrecognisable? Essentially, I would then be painting on to the dried mortar and not the bricks.

Your choice as how you want it to look in the finish

If I wanted to try this, do I just use a cement based mortar?

*Just thought it might look prettier then painting straight on the bricks.

Just use mortar if this is what you are going to do.




Al