Chimney support

[Mark]

Our house has three floors, and a chimney.  So far, so good.  However, on the first and top floors, this chimney is 'breasted', if that's the correct term (ie brickwork protrudes into the rooms to form fireplaces), but when it reaches the ground floor it is just a gaping hole in the ceiling, so that we can look up through it to the sky from our living room, with nothing to support it.

Should I build a faux fireplace from the living room floor up to the gaping hole, or is it fine as it is?  I suspect it has been in it's current state for probably...ever, but not sure.

Hope this makes sense...

Thanks.

[Dave&Olive]

hi

 ok we have one very simmilar to yours only we have  the attic above . I have just taken up all the rottern floor boards, this now  gives me a good view how it is held up,

the outside wall side has a " corble " each side and the front side has a stone lintle bolted with lage metal hanger brakets bolted through the floor joists ,and it`s all stone and brick built up from them . this has set me back a bit I wanted to take all the floor joists out to clean them ,but  cannot remove  some off them without the chiminey comming down .

 Am I going to build a faux fireplace when I am finnished,  toooo true I am ,but I always over kill , but I sleep well.

dave

ps if you want a pic of what it looks like with the floor boards out will post one

[BIG MAC]

Hi I have a similar problem compounded with a ridge bord that stops about 6 inches short of the chimney with no trimmer.

I am building a new brick fire place below the chimney as at the moment it looks quite askew but Im  taking the opportunity to square it up and include some dry log storage for the log burner.