How to Take a Chimney Breast Out

A chimney breast is the area of a chimney that protrudes out from the main portion of the wall guarding the interior of a fireplace. Chimney breasts were most often used in older homes from before the invention of central heating. Removing one is a complicated process that requires many permits.

Hard hat
Safety goggles
Work gloves
Dust mask
Ear protection
Chisel
Hammer
Masonry saw
Steel MS plate
Steel gallows bracket
100 mm steel bolts
Drill
Semi-dry cement sand
Bricks
Mortar
Plaster (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Work from the top floor down. Cut out the chimney breast outline with the masonry saw. Remove the breast bricks from the wall with a hammer and chisel.
- 2
  Screw an MS steel plate as large as the base of the chimney to the top of the gallows brackets.
- 3
  Support the remaining chimney stack with the steel gallows bracket and steel plate. Screw two brackets into the wall 1/4 inch below the bottom of the chimney stack using the 100 mm bolts.
- 4
  Fill in the gap between the plate and the chimney stack with semi-dry cement sand.
- 5
  Fill in the flue gap behind the chimney breast with bricks and mortar or plaster. Brick up the bottom of the chimney stack to hide the gallows brackets holding the chimney stack in place. If you remove all floor layers of the chimney breast, you do not need to install the brackets.

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