Fireplace renovation for row house circa 1900

[Richmondrowhouse]

I’d like to open up my sealed fireplace. Is this likely to be difficult? How do I pry this metal plate cover off the front of the fireplace without damaging the area around it? Any suggestions on how to go about opening up the fireplace? I don’t plan to use it, but thought it would look aesthetically much better if it were open with exposed brick.

This is a brick row house built in 1900 in Virginia.

[WMainHouse]

I'm sorry, the picture came through so large I can't see it. Fireplace renovation is usually a question of the chimney and not the fireplace when it comes to money!

[lgraven]

I've carefully used an air chisel..

[V-Man]

You should be able to run a blade around the metal lid to cut through the paint and then pop it off. It's held on with spring wires on the back. There will be or would have been a flue pipe leading from the hole up into the chimney so I'm not sure if you'll be able to see inside the fireplace. But if you're determined to open it up, go for it. You can always close it back up.

Sorry edited to add: Once you remove the metal cover you should be able to determine what the board covering the fireplace opening is made of. It looks like it might be plaster? If that is the case, you can pop a hole in it with a hammer and then hammer off, chisel off and/or just pull off the plaster. Then remove the lathe and any supporting wood. If its covered up a with a board or drywall, you can pull it off with a little elbow grease. Removing plaster is messy and dusty. Definitely wear a mask and tape some plastic drop cloth to ceiling and enclose the area while you work. Run a blade along the edge of the board to cut through the paint to avoid breaking or chipping the moulding/boards surrounding the opening.

[ceviga]

I’d like to open up my sealed fireplace. Is this likely to be difficult? How do I pry this metal plate cover off the front of the fireplace without damaging the area around it? Any suggestions on how to go about opening up the fireplaceHome Remodeling Potomac MD? I don’t plan to use it, but thought it would look aesthetically much better if it were open with exposed brick.

This is a brick row house built in 1900 in Virginia.

Hi. I am currently renovating an old terraced house. It's a complete 'back to the brick' jobby. This is the 3rd time I've worked on this type of house. Today, whilst knocking old plaster off I have discovered a mini chimney in the kitchen on the back wall of the house. It was only apparent when I knocked the old plaster off the kitchen and the bedroom above it. You can't see it from the outside and there is no roof chimney. However, there is a chamber inside the cavity that is crammed full of black soot. If I stick a brush pole up the chamber the soot comes crashing down. It's difficult to describe its construction but it in no way involves the external brickwork. However, the internal brickwork has like a mini (1/2 brick wide) chimney breast from the floor, up through the kitchen ceiling and up the bedroom wall above it. So, i went into the bedroom to the top of this mini breast stack and it just stops dead. I can push a stick all the way down the breast into the Kitchen. Someone tell me I'm not imagining this. I asked the neighbours (who are pensioners themselves and have lived here 50+ years) do they have a similar chimney breast and both said no.