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Cosmetic plaster repair on non-functioning chimney/brick

7 years ago

We have two chimneys that need some cosmetic repairs. The chimneys are for former coal-burning fireplaces that have been long out of use, and we don't plan to put them into use, except maybe at some point to hold a gas insert.

They used to have a plaster surface covering them, but we chipped all of that off in order to expose the brick (yep, cliche). Anyway, we plan to paint the brick since the surface isn't all that great after all, but there are some areas around the old fireplace openings that got really broken up in the removal of the plaster. I want to fill in the holes and smooth out the old plaster, but... WHAT SHOULD I USE??

Any suggestions on the best product? Like I said, we'll be painting over this, so any color of product will be fine. And we need to fill in some really large holes, so nothing too thin, I expect. Thoughts?

Also, does anyone know where you buy those exhaust covers that look like paper plates? I'd like to replace them if possible...

Thanks!

Comments (3)

akamainegrower
7 years ago
Are you sure what you removed was plaster and not mortar? In either case, it's not really clear what you want to do. If you want to have the brick exposed and visible then you have a sizable job in front of you replacing the mortar by tuck pointing the joints- after removing any crumbling mortar bit by bit - where it has failed or been removed. This is quite a bit more than a "cosmetic repair". The mortar is what holds the chimney together. If you want to coat the entire surface with something there would seem to have been little point in removing what was already there. You would still need to do some fairly major repair work on the chimney before proceeding as well.

Honestly and without wishing to be unduly alarming, the photos show a chimney in dire need of evaluation by a mason or other professional. By chipping off whatever was present, you may have seriously weakened the chimney. The mortar is in very poor condition and I would guess that there are many loose bricks. The expanding foam product shown in the bottom photo provides no strength and is unsuitable for repairing masonry. A coating of some sort and some paint is not going to fix this.
emilyaccio
Original Author
7 years ago
I don't believe that what we removed was mortar. It had the look of a stucco finish (see photos, sorry they're not great). The mortar between the bricks is a little flaky, but still fairly solid. The are no loose bricks. The foam was added for insulation purposes, not for strength, so we were not trying to make repairs with that. Overall, everything still feels very solid.

I will do some tuck pointing where there is missing mortar before painting, but I assume there is a better material for smoothing out the edges of the fireplace insert?

Thanks for your response; I know it's not in terrific shape, but it's unlikely the chimney would ever be used again. If we were to attempt to get it functional again, we'd spend some serious money on a pro getting it back in shape.
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akamainegrower
7 years ago
It's certainly an unusual look and really could be anything from mortar to stucco (plaster that uses Portland cement as a binder) to joint compound. Best material for repairing around the fireplace openings is probably mortar. As for the surface, there are a great many coatings available that would work. Some of these are fortified with acrylic or polypropylene fibers and would not require a base of plastic or metal mesh. If you know of a paint store or masonry supply store with knowledgable sales people, I'd take in the pictures and a sample of the material and ask for their advice.

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