For just $300 Handyman reader Grant Watson restored an old bricked up fireplace
By Handyman Magazine
When Grant Watson bought his Federation home in 2011, he had never even owned a drill, much less attempted any DIY.
But necessity became the mother of invention when Grant wanted to restore some of the original features in the old house.
‘There was an obvious space where the fireplace should have been. While there are regulations about open fires in bedrooms, I wanted it as a feature,’ he says.
Before
There was an obvious space where the fireplace should have been.
He bought the tools and knocked out the old bricked-up fireplace, bracing it with a steel strap before packing, rendering and trying his hand at tiling.
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During
Grant knocked out the bricked-up fireplace himself.
A steel insert and a mantel, both found on eBay, were added.
Finally, Grant painted the fireplace, completing the project in just a few days for $300.
After
In just a few days Grant created a beautiful new feature in his home.