How To Fix Internal Fireplace Holes?

In this video, This Old House mason Mark McCullough discusses common issues with brick chimneys and how to repair them. He shares effective methods for fireplace crack repair to ensure safety and restore the beauty of the fireplace. White caulk can be used to fill gaps in the bottom of a chimney or fireplace brickwork, and if the fireplace has a cracked floor or face, it can also be filled with caulk.

To repair a hole in a fireplace, you can either hire a professional to do the job or do it yourself with some guidance. Scrub excess ash and dust from the walls of the fireplace to expose the brick. The Fix-It Guide on fireplace and stove repair provides information on how a fireplace or stove works, what often goes wrong, how to identify problems, and what parts and tools are needed.

To repair brick in a fireplace, you will need a wire brush, chisel, hammer, mortar mix, trowel, and safety goggles. These tools will help remove the damaged brick and replace it with new ones. If you decide to patch and cover over, you can use mortar to fill in the hole. You could also break up and use parts of a gas line to mortar it shut.

Small gaps in mortar can be repaired with refractory caulk, which contains silica for heat resistance. Lime putty and tea stain it, but lime putty is typically used for sandstone. Clean out the crack and surrounding area to remove any loose mortar, then fill the crack with caulk.

How do you close a hole in a fireplace?

To close off the damper of a wood-burning fireplace, you can use silicone to seal it permanently, or create a DIY plug similar to the fireplace opening plug. This method is the most effective and is essentially permanent. If you don’t have time to enjoy your fireplace, closing it off can save money on energy bills, reduce drafts, and irritants. If you plan to use your fireplace occasionally, closing the opening is more accessible and easier to remove.

However, this option may leave the chimney clear, allowing cold air to gather near the opening and escape from blower vents. Open fireplaces are less efficient than furnace or boiler heating, so consider improving insulation or furnace maintenance instead.

How to seal a fireplace opening?

To close off the damper of a wood-burning fireplace, you can use silicone to seal it permanently, or create a DIY plug similar to the fireplace opening plug. This method is the most effective and is essentially permanent. If you don’t have time to enjoy your fireplace, closing it off can save money on energy bills, reduce drafts, and irritants. If you plan to use your fireplace occasionally, closing the opening is more accessible and easier to remove.

However, this option may leave the chimney clear, allowing cold air to gather near the opening and escape from blower vents. Open fireplaces are less efficient than furnace or boiler heating, so consider improving insulation or furnace maintenance instead.

How do you repair a hole in a brick fireplace?

To fix a fireplace, prepare the surrounding area by hanging plastic drop cloths and tape to doors, windows, and hallway openings. Place a canvas drop cloth underneath the work area. Use a grinder to cut the damaged brick out of the fireplace, ensuring the rest of the bricks are not disturbed. Chisel out the head joints with a hammer and chisel, then use a larger masonry chisel to remove the brick completely. Dampen a masonry brush and clean the hole where the old brick was to ensure bonding.

Mix Type N mortar in a bucket with water using a trowel until it is an oatmeal consistency. Scoop the mortar and smooth it out. Fill the head joints or back butter the bricks with mortar, ensuring a nice, full joint. Wiggle the replacement brick into place. For the top head joint, add mortar as if you were repointing. Push the mortar off the trowel and stuff it as deep into the joint as possible. Repeat this process until the joint is full. Clean up the joints by dragging a jointer along all new mortar lines.

Working with masonry can be dusty, and silica dust produced by working with it is hazardous to your health. Hang plastic tarps around the entire work area to confine it to one space and use dust-collecting tools. The hand tools used in this project can be found at home centers or online retailers like Amazon. The replacement brick used can be found at local masonry yards.

What do you cover a fireplace hole with?

To update an old fireplace, consider resurfacing it with a new material that suits your style. Apply the new surfacing material directly to the existing material or brick underlay. For a less expensive makeover, fill the firebox with eye-catching household items like firewood, candles, or stacks of books. Peel the adhesive backing off of a sheet of faux tiles and stick them directly onto the fireplace’s surround before smoothing them down by hand.

Trim excess material at the edges and corners using a utility knife or pair of sharp scissors. Peel-and-stick tiles can be purchased in different finishes at home improvement centers for a few dollars per 1 square foot. They can be applied to a wide range of existing surfaces, including authentic tile, brick, wood, and drywall. If not satisfied, simply pull off the tiles and try out another look.

How to repair inside a fireplace?

It is recommended that the fireplace walls be scrubbed, the ash and dust be removed, the loose mortar be cleared, the joints be repaired with heat-resistant mortar, and the joint lines be cleaned up in order to achieve a smooth finish. This process should be repeated until the joints have been adequately repaired and have had sufficient time to dry.

How to fill in a fireplace hole?

To fill a fireplace with thermalite blocks and bricks, plaster over them, and ensure the chimney is capped at the top with a “pepperpot” cowl to prevent water from entering the flue. If the back of the fireplace is damp, inject it with a thoroseal tanking coat or use a rennovating plaster/skim coat like Limelight. Another option is to build a stud frame in the opening, set it back the thickness of the plaster board, and plaster over it. Blocking up a redundant fire place is possible, but it’s important to close off the chimney top and vent the flue space to prevent condensation from forming.

What can I use to fill a hole in my fireplace?

Mortar is the best and most permanent fix for brick holes in a fireplace, as it is the original material used to build the fireplace. If you are a little nervous, you can opt for an acrylic mortar that will do a fine job as well. The right tool is as essential as the method, and Bob Vila suggests using a large trowel to work smaller amounts into the horizontal and vertical gaps between the bricks. A margin trowel might be easier to fill the vertical joints with.

When replacing bricks within the firebox, be sure of your bricks. Firebricks are made of refractory ceramic materials, which can withstand high temperatures up to 1, 700°F, whereas standard bricks begin to degrade at 1, 200°F. To prepare to patch the hole in your fireplace, remove the old brick and mortar, match and cut new bricks, and mix your mortar. Fireplace mortar is slightly different in consistency than regular mortar, so standard mortar cannot be used due to its exposure to heat. Refractory mortar can be purchased at most building supply stores and fireplace shops or online.

Lay your brick by applying a layer of 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch thick with a trowel to each brick before laying it. Use your hand to smooth the mortar between the bricks if necessary. If you don’t feel confident enough to fix your fireplace hole yourself, consider hiring a masonry worker, as they are few and far between and often expensive. Even with the best patch job, you may not get the permanent and efficient results you want.

Can the inside of a chimney be repaired?

The Joint Repair System is used for repairing defective mortar joints in chimneys, while the Resurfacing System is used for minor defects in tile-lined flues. For more serious defects or unlined chimneys, HeatShield can use the CeCure Sleeve Relining System. The Joint Repair system ensures a correct chimney fix by custom-fitting a foam applicator blade and positioning it below each gap or void.

How do you block a hole in a fireplace?

To block up a chimney, add plywood to the interior of the chimney above the fireplace ends, but this can be difficult to install and may not provide enough protection from draughts. A chimney balloon can temporarily block up a chimney by inflating inside the chimney, using pressure on each wall to hold itself in place. This balloon prevents draughts from entering the home and features an air vent to reduce moisture forming inside.

Permanently blocking up a chimney may be a viable option for homeowners who want to remove the fireplace and plaster over it, such as permanently blocking up the chimney.

How do you fill gaps in a fireplace?

To fill joints with caulk, insert the caulk into the gun and cut the tip of the caulk tube as directed by the manufacturer. Force the caulk into the gaps as deeply as possible, working from the bottom up on vertical joints. Smooth the caulked joints with your finger to remove excess caulk and seal the edges of the brick. Wear latex or nitrile gloves to keep your hands clean and wipe off excess caulk frequently.

Cure the caulk as directed by the manufacturer. The light gray color may appear stark contrast to the black soot covering the firebrick, but it will blend in as the fireplace is used and the caulk darkens. Refractory caulk usually cures fully after exposure to fire for one hour.

How do you seal the inside of a fireplace?

To apply a fireplace sealant, gather materials such as a sealant gun, cleaning material, putty knife, and water. Clean and dry surfaces, and apply the sealant. Allow it to cure before cleaning up and letting it cure. The sealant must bond to the materials in and around the fireplace, such as forming bonds between concrete and brick walls. It must also withstand high temperatures, with maximum application temperatures specified by many sealants.

It is recommended to determine the temperature your walls or fireplace will get to ensure the sealant is suitable for your project. Other products for creating exterior seals around chimneys include Loctite PL S30 Polyurethane Roof and Flashing Sealant.