Hi Clive, I’m restoring a fireplace. I’m not going to use it for an open fire so i need to block the chimney to prevent draft and dust entering the room. What’s the best way to do this? Thanks
You’ve essentially got 2 options: 1. invest in one of those inflatable balloons or 2. board off the chimney with timber. Personally, I’d go for the timber option - it’s the old fashioned way, and it will give you a more secure finish (I have heard that the balloons tend to deflate after a year or so). I’d use 18mm MDF board - make a template out of cardboard, cut your MDF to size and hold in place using 2×1″ battons fixed to the inside of the chimney breast. Depending on the size of your breast (as it were), you may struggle to get a drill to the timber at right angle. In which case, I’d use no-nails to fix the batton back. Remember to allow the no nails to go off overnight before fixing up the MDF.