How to restore old, crumbling brick fireplace
Emily
4 years ago
Hi, we've recently bought a victorian cottage which has it original brick fireplace still in the kitchen. We love it as a feature and really want to highlight it, however it's really not in the best condition... Bricks are crumbling, lime mortar has been badly replaced with concrete by the previous owners and there appears to be a grey-ish film on the bricks that's peeling off in areas. We've noticed that one of the bricks has even been completely replaced by concrete!
We asked a repointing specialist what he would recommend, he said to plaster over it and use brick slips instead :-(
We really don't want to lose this original feature so really hoping there might be some good suggestions about what we could do???
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Comments (9)
Emily
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Comments (4)Get your vacuum out, put the upholstery brush on the end of your wand - and vacuum it. BTW - Brick doesn't fade. This is a fireplace that was never originally intended to be seen and was covered by plasterwork and a stone or wooden mantelpiece... ...so as a result, the old plaster is still in the pores of the clay brick giving it that aged appearance....See MoreAny Help with updating kitchen greatly appreciated
Comments (7)Daylight on a rainy day in Ireland, ah. The easy thing to do is change the bulbs in the recessed fixtures to the maximum allowed. But this will not help with overall illumination because the recessed fixtures point straight down, not sideways. For that you need to add a surface mount or close to ceiling fixture, meaning new electrical work. Some recessed fixtures can be converted to pendants, by the way. Since it is so dark, I suggest painting the whole thing a nice bright white, including the laminate cabinets. There are many discussion posts on painting laminate cabinets on Houzz. I would paint the interior of the missing-doors cabinet with an oil based white paint, too, to brighten it up. Choose a white that coordinates well with the countertop, flooring and tile. The tile can be changed, of course, sooner or later. With some fiddling, you may be able to adjust the sagging cabinet doors under the sink. These are often much used. If the hinges have seen better days, replace them with identical ones, or swap them with less-used hinges, say from those upper cabinets you took down. It's an old house trick to swap worn parts with less-used parts from elsewhere. Most undersink cabinets can use a coat of white paint on the bottom shelf or Contact paper if paint is not suitable....See MoreDIY SOS!!
Comments (11)OK then I think you might have to work asymmetrically. Instead of many cupboard doors, over your boiler, have one door placed over it with a push in push out system to open it. This will create a smooth "wall" - paint this and the wall above the brick area cream and the brick below grey.I would then change the cabinet on the other side so that you use cream with a grey counter and even grey shelves...Could this work better?More photos would certainly help? Where is your chalet?...See MoreNeed help with my living room please.
Comments (25)Wow, I didn't expect so many responses, thank you so much for your time and ideas. I do know that the art is wrong but had to put something up from our last house while we settle in. I do find the fireplace a bit un-friendly and so I would consider changing the colour of it even just the border of it like one of the photos shows. I'm not keen on the small computer cabinet or the ladder shelving I have to admit. I was thinking more of putting 3 full width cherry wood shelves, bottom one being wider and desk height, changing the light fittings to down lights and maybe having a wallpaper or painted backdrop behind the shelves?? I realise I would have to get rid of or change the wallpaper on the other wall and change the curtains too. I take your point, many of you said it, about the curtains needing to fall straight, but I will need a wider pole to do that. Again many thanks, AnnaMarie ps we are in Ireland now but lived in australia for many years and that picture over the mantle is of an old aussie shed with moon light on it....See More
Sonia
4 years agoEmily
4 years agoSonia
4 years agoEmily
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