Plaster sooty chimney

[människa]

Hi
The chimney here needs to be plastered. But I assume the mortar won't stick to the soot, & I prefer not to sand with an angle grinder in the middle of the living room.
Any idea how we can do it?

 

[människa]

The best I can think of right now is to make a shelf out of metal where the hole is 🤔😄

 

[Karl-Ove Qvarfordt]

Brush with a wire brush and seal the hole with red brick. Water and apply a thin coat.

 

[jonaserik]

Be careful if you seal the hole for the chimney pipe, is there a soot door further down, do you think? This is because when the pipe is not in use, birds (jackdaws/crows) will build nests in the pipe. If it is completely sealed, you won't be able to remove the nest by pushing sticks and other debris down to the bottom to remove it. It's advisable to put a vent in the hole, creating natural ventilation at the same time. You can put a screen on top of the chimney so they can't build a nest. If you seal the hole, make a note of where it’s sealed and record it in the house binder, so the next person who buys the house can find it if they want a type of stove or anything else that needs a smoke channel.

 

[människa]

Brush with a wire brush and seal the hole with red brick. Water and apply a thin primer.

Is that really enough? Soot is so greasy

 

[jonaserik]

Is that really enough? Soot is so greasy

You should apply primer so it absorbs into the bricks, it might take a few coats as bricks absorb well.

 

[människa]

Be careful if you seal up the hole for the pipe; is there a clean-out hatch lower down? This is because when the pipe is not in use, birds (jackdaws/crows) will build nests in the flue. If it's completely sealed, you can't remove the nest by pushing down sticks and other debris to the bottom and getting rid of it. It's suitable to put a vent there in the hole, creating a natural draft ventilation at the same time. You can place a grate on the top of the chimney so they can't build a nest. If you seal off the hole, measure where it's sealed and make a note, adding it to the house binder, so the next person who buys the house can find it if they want a type of stove or something else that requires a flue.

Thank you Jonaserik. We have a rain cover on the chimney. We will install a stove, but in another channel in the chimney stack. The house has HRV ventilation.

 

[människa]

You should apply primer so it soaks into the brick, it might take a few applications as brick absorbs well.

Ok! But do you prime the entire chimney or just over the soot?