Refacing fireplace
- Thread starter joshmarie
- Start date
Help Support House Repair Talk:
slownsteady
Well-Known Member
I guess that would depend a lot on how well the brick is fastened to the the framing. I would be concerned also. Since you have the top of the wall opened, let us know how the brick is fastened there.
If the stone is resting on the floor, much of the weight will be resting there. Which leads me to ask how well your floor is supported.
If the stone is resting on the floor, much of the weight will be resting there. Which leads me to ask how well your floor is supported.
The top of old brick isn't supported at top and the basement is finished. The opposite side of house you can see floor joists sitting in footer.
slownsteady
Well-Known Member
Perhaps you could take down the remaining brick before you go further. Create a nice little ledge when you set back the remaining stone. I would also advise using stone veneer, but it may be a little too late for that.
slownsteady
Well-Known Member
Saying that the basement is finished doesn't mean it's ok. It looks like you're using full sized stone and that could amount to LOT of weight resting on your floor joists.
total weight is about 5,000 pounds after all said and done probably 5500 with mortar. Not counting the brick that is there. The house was built in 1952 and as half inch wood sub flooring with one inch hardwood. Weight seems a lot. Is there a way I could cut all the rocks in half to help cut down on weight other than by hand with a saw....
nealtw
Contractor retired
At the very least I would remove the rest of the brick at least down to the level of the stone, if you don't like the ledge idea you could build another wall on tiop of the remaining brick to space the wall out and back the stone
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pQ5sDNy_1U[/ame]
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pQ5sDNy_1U[/ame]
Sometimes you have to go backwards and this could be one of those times. I would take down what you have done and regroup. Ether get the lightweight stone facers that would give you the look you want without the weight or take down the brick that I assume has the proper weight bearing support and build your new stone on that.
nealtw
Contractor retired
You will have half the weight.
I guess we could all go back to school on how loads are distributed. When you had just bricks most of that load was on the exterior wall. The further you move the load away from the wall more weight will be transferred to the other wall causing sag and in the extreme maybe overloading. I really like Bud's idea, just take it down and start over and call it experience. We have all been there in one way or other.
I guess we could all go back to school on how loads are distributed. When you had just bricks most of that load was on the exterior wall. The further you move the load away from the wall more weight will be transferred to the other wall causing sag and in the extreme maybe overloading. I really like Bud's idea, just take it down and start over and call it experience. We have all been there in one way or other.
slownsteady
Well-Known Member
Did you purchase all the stones already? You could cut them in half, or to any thickness you want. It will be noisy and messy and about halfway through the project you will be wondering why the hell you are doing it. If you have the resources, you might save that stone for an outdoor project and start over with the stone veneer. Or you could invest in an engineer's opinion before moving on. I suppose you could reinforce the floor from below with a beam of some sort or a wall.
If not; Cut them 1 to 1.5 inches thick and use the two faces and you will have a supply of smooth pavers left over to make a walkway.
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If not; Cut them 1 to 1.5 inches thick and use the two faces and you will have a supply of smooth pavers left over to make a walkway.
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nealtw
Contractor retired
It may be enough weight saved but, I can't tell you, you won't have a problem later.
slownsteady
Well-Known Member
Well you just went down from 5K pounds to 2.5K pounds. Maybe one of the pros here can make a calculation on the floor strength based on that weight. You may also have to change your technique. It doesn't look like you have a scratch coat on the wall, so you may not be tying in to the wall now, but with the thinner blocks you will have to
slownsteady
Well-Known Member
I think I might (if I was in your place) leave the bottom two courses in place. It looks to be the same height as your hearth and that makes it look natural. But then I would set back flush with the wall. Remove the brick, cover the framing with cement board (or whatever the pros suggest) then apply your scratch coat and mount the cut stones on the wall.
You can find several videos on youtube about this kind of project.
You can find several videos on youtube about this kind of project.
