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If you live in a newer home the walls above the fireplace are likely to be drywall over standard wood studs or furring strips. Studs are usually made of 2×4’s while furring strips are only an inch wide. You can install any TV mount as you normally would on any wall.
Is there brick behind the wall above fireplace?
“The bricks or blocks that you see on and around your fireplace is not actually attached to the chimney behind it, rather only lightly bonded with a thin layer of mortar between the interior and the exterior structures.
Is there a stud above the fireplace?
Most homes are built with 16” on-center studs, which means there should be a stud every 16”. Keep this in mind if you have trouble finding studs above a fireplace. Don’t worry if you only find one stud when trying to mount a large TV or other heavy object.
What is behind my brick fireplace?
The brick you see on the fireplace is a facade. It is attached to the firebox by mortar. You’ll be able to clean up the brick behind the facade and cover them with a new flat mortar bed to install the tile or marble. The mortar base will provide a good substrate to set your tile.
What is above a fireplace?
In modern usage, mantel refers to a shelf above a fireplace and mantle refers to a cloak or covering. “Mantle” is also used metaphorically when describing the transfer of power such as when one “takes on the mantle.” Some still identify these words as spelling variants, but you are better off separating them.
How do you find out if there is a fireplace behind a wall?
See if you can remove it and look inside with a torch to get an idea of how deep it is. If you hold a flame under it and it is drawn towards the opening, this is a sign you have a working chimney. Finally, you could also check pulling back your floor covering to see if there is a hearth present.
Can you drill into fireplace wall?
Here’s what you need to do to successfully drill into your brick wall or fireplace. Secure an electric drill and a masonry drill bit, which is designed to drill through brick and mortar. Mark the depth of the anchor with painter’s tape so you know how far you need to drill. Drill the hole.
How do you find studs behind brick?
Standard electronic stud finders can easily detect these drywall studs, but a home with a brick facade requires a stud finder with a deep-scanning option; these facades can be up to 1 inch thick. Using a higher-end deep-scanning device will allow you to find studs through the facade with accuracy and speed.
Why can’t I find studs in my wall?
If you can’t find the stud even after drilling, there’s one more technique you can try: Grab a wire hanger and untwist it, fashioning it into a right angle. Use your new tool to fish around behind the wall, says Rothman. When the wire makes contact with a firm object, that indicates you’ve found a stud.
How do you update a brick fireplace wall?
There are a ton of options for things that you can do to change the look of a brick fireplace: Whitewash or paint the brick. Stucco over the brick. Add tile to the surround or whole fireplace. Add a new mantle to the existing fireplace.
What is the hole in the bottom of a fireplace for?
Underneath the ash dump is the ash pit, which is the place where dumped ash collects. The ash pit should be emptied frequently. This helps to prevent hazardous accumulation of flammable byproducts.
What is a fireplace ash pit?
Ash pit—a cellar under the fireplace grate where ashes collect. It’s accessed through a cleanout door in the basement or on the outside of the chimney. Ash pit cover—a grate in the floor of the firebox that allows ashes, but not wood, to fall into the ash pit below.
What is the wall around a fireplace called?
The fireplace mantel or mantelpiece, also known as a chimneypiece, originated in medieval times as a hood that projected over a fire grate to catch the smoke. The term has evolved to include the decorative framework around the fireplace, and can include elaborate designs extending to the ceiling.
What is the wall above mantle called?
The term, mantelpiece …is the shelf at the top of a mantel. It can also be referred to as a mantel cap, cornice or mantel shelf. Not all decorative features around a fireplace have sides.
What is my fireplace surround made of?
One of the most common materials used for fireplace surrounds can be wood. Wooden fireplace surrounds are common because of their ease of installation and affordability. Wooden surrounds can be lighter, and cheaper to construct and transport and so they can be less expensive compared to masonry surrounds.
Does a bricked up fireplace need a vent?
Ventilation needs to be provided to the chimney space to avoid moisture collecting on the soot and smoke deposits within the chimney and forming damp areas, this can easily be achieved by building in an air-brick as the fireplace opening is bricked up.
Why do houses still have chimneys?
Chimneys are most common in houses built before 1900 when older furnaces needed chimneys to remove fumes from the house. As steam, gas, and electric heating became more popular, fireplaces were no longer necessary. They just became another place where heat could escape.
Why would someone cover a fireplace?
A Fireplace Can Be a Huge Source of Energy Loss Your chimney needs an equilibrium of intake/outtake air to maintain its physical properties. When closed off, the salts in the flue liner will absorb water (especially pre-1956 chimneys) and collect flammable debris.
