Fire Proof Plaster ???

[Gabe]

May sound stupid but,

We have a large inglenook fireplace which is lined alround with newish, very regular red bricks. We are going to instal a woodburner and would like to "plaster" over the bricks and paint , to make it a little less vivid and a bit more rustic. The woodburner will sit comfortably in the large fireplace and my question is ..Do I need to use a  fire resistant finish or would a normal plaster suffice ?

Gabe

[thunderhorse]

My neighbour next door has one of those large enamelled poeles in the kitchen, inches from the wall. The wall is backed with ordinary kitchen tiles, cement and grout. Although they get exceptionally hot, he says no problem. But that's French!

But, if you considered fireproof cement as a render, wouldn't you consider fireproof paint over the top? The bricks are going to get hot (perhaps); a good strong mix of render ought to suffice, but experts will give you a more considered view.

[Anton Redman]

I think you need a gap of at least 10 cms say 4 inches and ideally 20 cm. The plaste through which the chimney is feed is more likley to be a problem than the walls round an inglenook.

[Deimos]

When my woodburner was professionally installed this Jan, they had to demolish a very tough shelf that the previous owner had installed and then make good. The shelf was full plan area of the fireplace and at a height of a couple of feet. To make good around the back they needed to make a fill-it about 2” deep by 3” height (the wall below the shelf was about 2” further into the room that the back wall above the shelf. (lousy description). Anyway, they made good with using a mixture of the tuffaut stone repair stuff and plaster. Mainly the tauffaut stone repair stuff but then some normal plaster thrown in – nothing heat special about anything. cross section of the “making good is about 2” horizontally, by 3 “ high and it runs for a couple of meters right across the back of the fireplace. I then painted it with cheapo water based acrylic paint (their making good that is – not the woodburner).

The woodburner is in the middle of the fireplace with a min permitted gap at the back. It gets hot. Fire been used most night since beginning of Jan and no cracks appeared, no problems nothing.

(Installed by professional registered Jotul dealers who have a significant shop, with quite a few employees, all French, nothing untoward).

Ian

[Gabe]

Thanks guys,

This helps, although I have to be honest I have no idea what structure Ian was left with.  I think that we all get a bit to close to the job sometimes !![:)]

[Deimos]

I’m rubbish at explaining these types of things. Basic traditional inglenook, too sides, back floor and chimney. Previous owner had build a very very solid shelf side to side, front to back to raise the fire off the floor. It was ugly, didn’t work properly (smoke in room), etc. so I got the shelf demolished and put a wood burner in. However, previous owner had built out the back wall below his shelf by a few inches – hence the step along the back that needed “making good” which was where this mix was used that is now close to the back of the new wood burner.

Picture would be easier but I don’t use these photobucket things (and cannot find instructions on this version of the forum as to how to add pictures anyway.

Ian