Question Chimney Brest - Remove or Mount?

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Hi all,

Currently looking at making some changes around the house as was toying with the idea of mounting the tv on the chimney brest.
The fire in the picture is never in use so I could pull that out and possibly house a receiver etc, although I would need to block up the chimney chute somewhere.

The chimney is 165cm wide and 52cm deep.

Wondering whether to place a frame around the chimney Brest to make the tv look flush - but may be conscious of the added depth the the chimney.

Would removing the chimney Brest on the ground floor be a better option? To also create more space?

Thanks all in advance.
 

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If you want to remove the chimney brest on the ground floor, get structural advice, there is usually a chimney and breast above, so many tonnes will be left unsupported
 
If you want to remove the chimney brest on the ground floor, get structural advice, there is usually a chimney and breast above, so many tonnes will be left unsupported

Yes the brest does go upstairs through two of the bedrooms - although it isnt in the way so much there. I'll see if i can get a builder to come and have a look at it.

Moutning the tv is an option although i would need to come further off the brest - which is already pretty deep.
 
i guess it depends if you need the extra space, its not a small job getting rid of the chimney breast, as other have said, it will need to be secured in the ceiling so that the above floors and the rest of the stack are still supported.

You could 'get away' with a 3x2 frame secured to the original breast, create your gap for the TV to go flush, then plasterboard the rest - you could use the recess where the fire was to hold amp/sky/blu ray etc , and perhaps even flush mount the front speakers in to the wall.

Then, if you think about many people put a cabinet under the TV to house their av gear, you have managed to house that in the fireplace, so the space doesn't become that 'lost' then - chimney takes the space up, or a cabinet on the floor
 
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If the breast extends into the bedrooms then it will almost certainly go into the roof as well. This could be a major job as all of it will have to be removed, internally and externally. It could also effect the joists in the floors and ceilings. Mounting the TV will certainly be the cheaper option, by far.
 
If you don't mind losing the space to the sides. What about framing out the alcoves and installing In-Wall speakers ?
 
The cheaper option would definitely be to mount on the chimney as opposed to knocking it all down - could keep the money for av gear then! :)

Hopefully with the frame added the chimney wont look too much bigger.

I'll just need to look how to go about the job.
 
tbh its not as deep as some i have seen

Do you have a plan, ie are you putting in surround sound or a sound bar or anything, or just using the TVs sound?

Could incorporate all that into the 'false wall' that gets built, and as suggested above, speakers could go at the side if you extended the width of the false wall.
 
From the pics it doesn't look like you would gain a load of space removing the chimney. I would save myself a lot of money and spend it on some decent AV and the room in question. You could make a good feature of the alcoves creating some bespoke shelving, lighting or in wall speakers as someone suggested and give it the real wow factor.
 
you could do something similar to what I've done....
IMG_5576.JPEG
IMG_5572.JPEG
 
tbh its not as deep as some i have seen

Do you have a plan, ie are you putting in surround sound or a sound bar or anything, or just using the TVs sound?

Could incorporate all that into the 'false wall' that gets built, and as suggested above, speakers could go at the side if you extended the width of the false wall.

Plan - good question. Right now I'm looking at redecorating the living room - so i was thinking of putting the tv on the chimney. I've recently sold some speakers etc, so at present i'm watching the tv just with the internal speakers! :-/

My thought was to go with an av receiver, centre speaker and boxes in the existing fire place hole and have the left and right speakers either side of the chimney. Not sure on floorstanders or bookshelves yet.
 
ok cool, so still going with some kind of surround sound then.

Sounds like a good plan then, some great pics and ideas on here from other people that have done similar, with very elaborate framing, and some with more simple 3 x 2 screwed to the wall so will hopefully give you some ideas.
 
ok cool, so still going with some kind of surround sound then.

Sounds like a good plan then, some great pics and ideas on here from other people that have done similar, with very elaborate framing, and some with more simple 3 x 2 screwed to the wall so will hopefully give you some ideas.

Thanks - I’ll be browsing through these pages the next few days.

Not sure if I’ll do a full surround yet, but definitely the front 3 plus sub.
 
If the breast extends into the bedrooms then it will almost certainly go into the roof as well. This could be a major job as all of it will have to be removed, internally and externally.

If you remove the complete chimney breast from the lounge you don't have to remove the chimney breast from the first floor or the loft or your external chimney BUT it does have to be structurally supported and its recommended to be done by someone with full knowledge of what there doing.
We did this at my first property, it was a messy job as there are a hell of a lot more bricks to a chimney breast than you think. Was it worth it.........for us yes, but if space is not an issue then I would say for the cost of having it done by a professional to the amount of space you gain its not worth it.
I would consider alternative options.
 
Took my chimney breast out as tv was in the corner of the room and weren’t wide enough to mount tv on (also would of been too close to sofa). Mess was unreal, more from cutting the breaks tied in than anything else. Regretted it because of the mess. But once it was done the best thing I have done. Tv is now we’re breast was and so much better than watching it in the corner.
 

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