Hello! Looking for ideas on how to repair and improve the appearance of this area after removing an old gas heater in lounge room of apartment. Hoping for some cost-effective solutions that will look clean and finished. Thank you!
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @gigi182. It's splendid to have you join us and many thanks for you question on concealing an old fireplace.
The extent of the work really comes down to how much you want to spend and whether you'd like to completely remove all traces of the old fireplace.
The ideal solution would be to remove the mantelpiece and the tiled hearth, then patch the wall and repair the timber flooring so the area blends seamlessly with the rest of the room. That would leave no indication that a fireplace was ever there, but it is the more involved and costly option.
If you're happy to keep the mantelpiece and hearth, a simple and cost-effective solution could be to cover the opening in the wall and place a small bookcase or cabinet neatly beneath the mantel. It would create a practical feature while neatly disguising the old fireplace opening. I'd also recommend repairing the hole in the hearth regardless, as you'll want to prevent any creepy crawlies or rodents from finding their way into the room.
Another relatively simple option would be to install a sheet of plasterboard over the fireplace opening, fixing it to the surrounding wall. This would give you a flat surface that can be set, sanded and painted to blend in with the rest of the wall, while allowing you to leave the mantel and hearth in place if you like their appearance.
If you can give us a better idea of how far you'd like to go in removing the existence of the old fireplace, that will help guide our suggestions.
Let me tag @ksashok, @Kimbra, @androidhaig, and @doberon, to see if they have any thoughts.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
I like both of the options you’ve suggested and would be keen to keep the mantelpiece, and possibly even the hearth if practical. My main concern is the hole in the hearth and the best way to repair and seal it properly.
The idea of covering the fireplace opening and placing a small bookcase or cabinet beneath the mantel sounds like a neat, cost-effective solution. Likewise, installing plasterboard over the opening to create a flush, paintable wall while retaining the mantel and hearth also appeals to me.
Whichever approach is taken, I’d like to ensure the hole in the hearth is repaired correctly to prevent any pests, rodents, or other unwanted access into the room. Could you advise on the best way to fix and seal the hearth as part of the work? And any bookshelves you recommend
Do you have space behind?
At my dads house we broke in behind created a faux fireplace, just with gyprock and painted inside it black, put a cast iron log holder in it and it looked 👌... so many people used to ask if we could light the fire, coz it looked legit.
Hello @gigi182
The general steps to repair the hole in the wall is to get a few CSR PGH 230 x 110 x 76mm Builders Clay Brick along with some Dingo 10kg Structural Mortar Repair Bag. I suggest cleaning out the hole in the wall and remove any loose dust and debris. Once the area is totally clean you can then place a few bricks and measure out how many you'll be needing.
Once you've done your measurements, apply a bedding of mortar and place one brick at a time making sure that you provide enough mortar in between the bricks. Fill in any gaps that may be remaining with more mortar. Once the mortar properly cures you can then use the same mortar to render the surface of the wall giving it a nice flat finish.
My teammates suggestion of using a plasterboard over the fireplace opening, fixing it to the surrounding wall is also a viable solution.
There are a great number of bookcase's available at the store, please click on this link - Bunnings Bookcase and see which one you think is suitable for your home.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Hello @Gerber
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience with the community. That sounds like a fantastic idea, let me tag @gigi182 to make them aware of your recommendation.
Thanks Eric and team. I’d really appreciate some guidance on the best way to fill the hole in the floor and then retile over it—what approach would you recommend?
In regard to the floor repair, I suggest engaging the services of a handy or trades person who is familiar with carpentry and tiling. I would also recommend getting your gas fitter to come back and properly move the gas switch and pipework out of the way deeper into the floor area. The reason for this is that a small timber support frame will need to be built around the hole you currently have.
A timber floor covering piece will need to be cut and placed over the small timber framing and then a piece of tile cement sheeting placed over the floor area. You can then either tile it in the same finish (if you can find the same type of tiles) or finish it with a mortar render to keep it flat and level. If the bookcase is big enough it should cover the patch neatly with no one being able to see it.
Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @JoeAzza, @Nailbag and @DIY4Knuckleheds for their recommendations.
Good Evening @gigi182
I like the idea of keeping the mantlepiece, I kept my old one (Which came out in one piece luckily) as it was so nice but the reality that removing it made the loungeroom so much easier to switch around with seating/furniture and television that it made it a lot easier choice.
@EricL's suggested way forward with a gas fitter and a carpenter who can build a support the timber floor section is the way I would step through it. It looks like the wall is rendered so you may need to build up the wall area also as @EricL has suggested.
It would be easier to install a small bookcase or fake heater (one of the ones that glow nicely with material that wafts about) over the area to cover the two holes but that means you will know its there. Id go the harder route so you gain the whole wall back.
Dave
Hi @gigi182
I would be inclined to go the way of @MitchellMc suggestion in a nice simple but effective idea inline with your requirement. 1. Remove the internal quad from the inside of the framed mantle so whatever you position to the back fills to the edge neat.
2. Fill the rear hole with expanding foam.
3. Clean all areas, repaint and polish the hearth tiles. Keeping the hearth will add some character to the finished project.
4. Consider a timber sheet liquid-nailed to the rear wall. You will need to have heavy items pressed against the panel while the glue cures. Use a gap sealant around the edges.
5. Install timber shelving which can be deeper than the depth of the mantle to suit the average book size. And make the depth of the base timber enough to cover the floor hole. Fix the shelving in place at each end by driving two screws each end per shelf through the mantle sides. Pre-drill with countersunk pilot holes so the screw heads are recessed in and can be filled over and painted. Nailbag
Just a quick point here that if you block this opening off, you will also need to cap off the chimney or you could end up with damp problems!
