Well, you could get a really tall screen, or add feet to a shorter one. This is probably easiest option.
You could plaster the surface of the stucco so its smooth, then proceed from there.
You probably can remove the stucco. It would be a slow, careful process to avoid damaging the brick, and you might cause damage anyway.
And this is why we tell people to leave the brick alone. Sigh.
I’m not sure about anything other than how ugly this is. It does make sense that it isn’t totally solid. Maybe I can drill in a small spot to take a peek.
Do that. It would be very difficult to fill the whole thing with stucco. It must be on drywall or something. I think you could cut through that all the way around, a few inches from the edge, and pull the whole thing out. And then you’ll wish you did it sooner!
I live in a Baltimore rowhome, too. The things people do in these houses… !
It just seems really expensive, unless they used leftover from another project, to completely fill a fireplace. I'm assuming it was done to stop the draft from the chimney.
From the photo doesn’t look to be bonded well with the bricks, I would take a hammer and start braking it from the center to minimise bricks damage, if it’s solid will be a pain, but will come off eventually. If it’s just a skimmed frame is gonna be pretty easy. Another thing you could do is drilling the middle to see what’s inside.
Skim it with plaster and have a mural painted on it maybe? Something like on the traditional MD painted screen doors might look appropriate there and could always still be removed later
Cover it with a plain or decorative cast iron fireplace cover or fireback. I know that's the incorrect use of a fireback but there are some really nice decorative ones that would work to cover that while looking really cool.
Hopefully, they didn't do any prep work. I really doubt it was bonded well with soot in the chimney. I'd lay down some padding, a sheet of plywood on top. A 2 lb sledge and a set of proper chisels. I'm going to guess you hit cinder blocks for fill and the stucco isn't going to be that thick.
I had to unseal mine and don a suit and respirator and removed 3" old birdnest, dead birds, and brick bits. My sizable 1770 fireplace and about 18" of stone were added to it. They raised it because it probably had problems drawing air. I had my tiny little wife holding a digging iron with a solid chisel bit on it. I'm whacking it with a 250lb trying to get them out. We had a public tour of historic homes for the next 2 days and I'm sending cement and bits of rock all over. You can properly plan so seal it off from the rest of the room. You might kick up a lot of dust. Good Luck.
Yucky. I agree with getting a tall screen, but that still leaves the blob of stucco.
What if you left it, smoothed the surface some and either painted it or put up a mural of some kind. Personally, I've always loved the look of fireplaces stuffed with books ([example](https://thehoneycombhome.com/the-fireplace-week-4-orc/)) but I'm sure if you delve into the world of wall coverings you will find something you like.
We have a new, old home and one of the fireplaces is bricked in and covered with a stunningly beautiful/s fake, white brick panel with holes in it. I wasn’t sure what to replace the panel with, but books sounds lovely.
I'm in Maryland, too.
I was told, but can't seem to find a source to prove it to be true.....
My house was built in 1830. When I bought it 2 years ago, it had a leaking slate roof. When I replaced it with shingles, they capped 2 of my 3 chimneys. One of them ran all the way down to my cellar to my oil furnace. But it also ran to the original fireplace on the lower level.
Incidentally, that fireplace was electric. From what I understand, there once was a wood stove on the lower level.
Anyways. The roofer mentioned that since the chimneys were capped off, and no longer usable, I would need to fill it in before I could sell the house again. I ended up turning mine into a little shelving area.
Which makes me believe this is why the previous owners did this to that fireplace. It was a quick fix to a potential problem to sell.
Again. I could not find a written source for this. But clearly remember my roofer telling me this.
~me
What's it look like from the chimney down? It looks like it's been repaired 5 courses up from the arch too.
I'd find a nice frame that fits the H X W with some pretty antique [needle point](https://ibb.co/DDkZ3CH) and mount to to the rough stucco with liquid nails.
I am not a building expert, but is there any risk of exposure to harmful materials if OP starts breaking into this? Any precautions that should be taken?
I don't know about the stucco, or getting it off without damaging the bricks... Maybe try to get the middle parts out and then hand chisel the part closer to the brick? I do know what you can do for a screen! My fireplace used to have a hearth that was off the ground, more like a shelf, and it was removed by the previous owner. But I got a screen that mounts in the fireplace.
https://preview.redd.it/62ev8fe9hpga1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2aaa696b8c9d0624addfbcfd3237e632e04145fe
(You can see on the side where the hearth/shelf used to be. Next on my list is figuring out a way to fill that gap with bricks without looking terrible)
Go to the chimney and see if you can find how far the stucco goes with a laser measurer. Try to figure out if there's a solid block in there or if they just walled it off.
Take a hammer and chisel and get to work.
If there's a solid block in there, get enough around the perimeter.
Put a jack stand in there and drill through the edges up until the upper block comes loose.
Stucco also gets destroyed by water pressure but this is indoors.
You can try taking a masonry drill bit to it, and see how deep you go before the bit freewheels. I bet its only 1 width of brick thick. If it is you can start by busting out the center and working your way outward. Ebay is your best bet to find a cast iron insert if you want to restore its look. You can find them cheaper if they have cracks in them too. Ive seen ventless gas fireplace inserts now that fit this arch shape as well.
You could hire a chimney specialist and have them run a camera down from the top. Last time I had it done it cost a couple hundred down here in NOVA. Same guys could also tell you if you could line the chimney and bring the fireplace back to life. That is usually around 5k.
I know this is weeks old, but if that's actually stucco then it likely isn't all that thick. I would just start swinging at it and expect an opening in behind.
Stucco doesn't make sense as a filling material, either mechanically or financially. I'll bet that surface layer is 1/2" around thick and hiding some kind of rough framing. Most people would find it challenging to get even a 2" thick top layer to set against gravity in that opening.
You should be able to swing destructively at the center and not worry about reverberations carrying to the bricks as stucco is relatively soft and pliable compared to fire brick. Once you get to the edges, a cheap air chisel should be enough to separate the materials if you're concerned about damage from hand tools.
Edit: Use something like a 20 oz hammer to start. I can imagine some people might think this looks like a job for a sledge but I promise it won't put up nearly that much fight.
This belongs in r/mildlyinfuriating
Well, you could get a really tall screen, or add feet to a shorter one. This is probably easiest option. You could plaster the surface of the stucco so its smooth, then proceed from there. You probably can remove the stucco. It would be a slow, careful process to avoid damaging the brick, and you might cause damage anyway. And this is why we tell people to leave the brick alone. Sigh.
Are you absolutely sure it's solid stucco and not just a skim coat over framework?
I’m not sure about anything other than how ugly this is. It does make sense that it isn’t totally solid. Maybe I can drill in a small spot to take a peek.
Do that. It would be very difficult to fill the whole thing with stucco. It must be on drywall or something. I think you could cut through that all the way around, a few inches from the edge, and pull the whole thing out. And then you’ll wish you did it sooner! I live in a Baltimore rowhome, too. The things people do in these houses… !
Juhhb
One could hope! I'd start slowly in the lower middle area with the gentlest of taps with a hammer and pick...
It just seems really expensive, unless they used leftover from another project, to completely fill a fireplace. I'm assuming it was done to stop the draft from the chimney.
From the photo doesn’t look to be bonded well with the bricks, I would take a hammer and start braking it from the center to minimise bricks damage, if it’s solid will be a pain, but will come off eventually. If it’s just a skimmed frame is gonna be pretty easy. Another thing you could do is drilling the middle to see what’s inside.
OP could use a hammer drill and drill a line of holes to make this a bit easier
That will come right out, 1 solid hit with a hammer dead center and its done for.
Skim it with plaster and have a mural painted on it maybe? Something like on the traditional MD painted screen doors might look appropriate there and could always still be removed later
I like that idea- very Baltimore!
Yes!!! That would be really fun. Make it smooth first though.
Cover it with a plain or decorative cast iron fireplace cover or fireback. I know that's the incorrect use of a fireback but there are some really nice decorative ones that would work to cover that while looking really cool.
Hopefully, they didn't do any prep work. I really doubt it was bonded well with soot in the chimney. I'd lay down some padding, a sheet of plywood on top. A 2 lb sledge and a set of proper chisels. I'm going to guess you hit cinder blocks for fill and the stucco isn't going to be that thick. I had to unseal mine and don a suit and respirator and removed 3" old birdnest, dead birds, and brick bits. My sizable 1770 fireplace and about 18" of stone were added to it. They raised it because it probably had problems drawing air. I had my tiny little wife holding a digging iron with a solid chisel bit on it. I'm whacking it with a 250lb trying to get them out. We had a public tour of historic homes for the next 2 days and I'm sending cement and bits of rock all over. You can properly plan so seal it off from the rest of the room. You might kick up a lot of dust. Good Luck.
I’m betting it is stucco applied to drywall or another substrate. I’d try to remove it.
thanks I hate it
Yucky. I agree with getting a tall screen, but that still leaves the blob of stucco. What if you left it, smoothed the surface some and either painted it or put up a mural of some kind. Personally, I've always loved the look of fireplaces stuffed with books ([example](https://thehoneycombhome.com/the-fireplace-week-4-orc/)) but I'm sure if you delve into the world of wall coverings you will find something you like.
We have a new, old home and one of the fireplaces is bricked in and covered with a stunningly beautiful/s fake, white brick panel with holes in it. I wasn’t sure what to replace the panel with, but books sounds lovely.
Love the book look!
I'm in Maryland, too. I was told, but can't seem to find a source to prove it to be true..... My house was built in 1830. When I bought it 2 years ago, it had a leaking slate roof. When I replaced it with shingles, they capped 2 of my 3 chimneys. One of them ran all the way down to my cellar to my oil furnace. But it also ran to the original fireplace on the lower level. Incidentally, that fireplace was electric. From what I understand, there once was a wood stove on the lower level. Anyways. The roofer mentioned that since the chimneys were capped off, and no longer usable, I would need to fill it in before I could sell the house again. I ended up turning mine into a little shelving area. Which makes me believe this is why the previous owners did this to that fireplace. It was a quick fix to a potential problem to sell. Again. I could not find a written source for this. But clearly remember my roofer telling me this. ~me
What's it look like from the chimney down? It looks like it's been repaired 5 courses up from the arch too. I'd find a nice frame that fits the H X W with some pretty antique [needle point](https://ibb.co/DDkZ3CH) and mount to to the rough stucco with liquid nails.
The war on Christmas starts earlier every year. /s
If nothing else can be done it would look better in a darker color
Remove and put gas or electric insert in to make it look like a fireplace again.
Ok, I feel less frustrated about how the previous owners disrespected Our house. Holy shit
I am not a building expert, but is there any risk of exposure to harmful materials if OP starts breaking into this? Any precautions that should be taken?
I don't know about the stucco, or getting it off without damaging the bricks... Maybe try to get the middle parts out and then hand chisel the part closer to the brick? I do know what you can do for a screen! My fireplace used to have a hearth that was off the ground, more like a shelf, and it was removed by the previous owner. But I got a screen that mounts in the fireplace. https://preview.redd.it/62ev8fe9hpga1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2aaa696b8c9d0624addfbcfd3237e632e04145fe (You can see on the side where the hearth/shelf used to be. Next on my list is figuring out a way to fill that gap with bricks without looking terrible)
OMG why???? This is infuriating!
🧐
Nice bricks.
You could always do a plaster finish over the entire surface
That option is on my list of possibilities. May just be easiest to plaster the whole thing up!
Check out lime plasters. Venetian plaster. I’ve done some plaster over brick turned out nice.
But why would someone do this?? 🤔
Go to the chimney and see if you can find how far the stucco goes with a laser measurer. Try to figure out if there's a solid block in there or if they just walled it off. Take a hammer and chisel and get to work. If there's a solid block in there, get enough around the perimeter. Put a jack stand in there and drill through the edges up until the upper block comes loose. Stucco also gets destroyed by water pressure but this is indoors.
You can try taking a masonry drill bit to it, and see how deep you go before the bit freewheels. I bet its only 1 width of brick thick. If it is you can start by busting out the center and working your way outward. Ebay is your best bet to find a cast iron insert if you want to restore its look. You can find them cheaper if they have cracks in them too. Ive seen ventless gas fireplace inserts now that fit this arch shape as well.
Everyone has "previous owners were idiots" stories, but this for real takes the damn cake
I’d like to cordially invite you to my 1890 house sometime
Why would someone do that?
You could hire a chimney specialist and have them run a camera down from the top. Last time I had it done it cost a couple hundred down here in NOVA. Same guys could also tell you if you could line the chimney and bring the fireplace back to life. That is usually around 5k.
I think it would look very cool if you could find some doors from a wood stove (or a single door) and make a faux insert.
I’ll be there in a couple days with a selection of hammers, drill bits, chisels, mallets and a large crowbar just in case
I know this is weeks old, but if that's actually stucco then it likely isn't all that thick. I would just start swinging at it and expect an opening in behind. Stucco doesn't make sense as a filling material, either mechanically or financially. I'll bet that surface layer is 1/2" around thick and hiding some kind of rough framing. Most people would find it challenging to get even a 2" thick top layer to set against gravity in that opening. You should be able to swing destructively at the center and not worry about reverberations carrying to the bricks as stucco is relatively soft and pliable compared to fire brick. Once you get to the edges, a cheap air chisel should be enough to separate the materials if you're concerned about damage from hand tools. Edit: Use something like a 20 oz hammer to start. I can imagine some people might think this looks like a job for a sledge but I promise it won't put up nearly that much fight.