Can you cover a wood burning fire place with sheetrock?
We just bought our first house and I plan to start a daycare in the downstairs. However, there is a brick fireplace that takes up most of one wall. The fireplace is wood burning and we do not want to use it at all. Can we sheet rock over it? Including covering the hole/chimney? Or is it easier to take a sledge hammer and tear down all the brick and then sheet rock? Is this something that is easily done or not? And what is the approximate cost??
Thank you for all advice and feedback!
7 Responses
Zak
10 Mar 2010
Olivia V
10 Mar 2010
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simply stephen
10 Mar 2010
Sheet rock alone is not a suitable lining. you need to cover with a fireproof sheeting. See a builders merchant.
d1flyinggoose
10 Mar 2010
here is an idea but it will take alot of room away build a wall that right up against the fireplace dont touch the bricks sheetrock one side and there you go no damage to the fireplace if you want to sell and you can take down a wall fairly easy but it wouldnt be good if your ceiling is designed
nedree@verizon.n
10 Mar 2010
do not attempt to remove it.be sure the damper is closed.the outlet at the roof is covered.a piece of slate will do it.fill the fire box with insullation.then the sheet rock.it would be smart to make it a removable pannel.you never know if you have to get in there for some reason.good luck.
William B
10 Mar 2010
if it ain’t,t broke don,t fix it.!
just cover it with sheet rock.,.
Irv S
10 Mar 2010
I wouldn’t remove the fireplace.
It’s a large ‘value’ item on resale.
If you don’t want to use it, cap the chimney and then
you can sheetrock over the internal opening.
(You don’t want that unobstructed opening to the outside
air behind sheet rock.)
You might want to keep the fireplace because I believe it would add value to the house. You should be able to put sheetrock over it if you block the opening appropriately.