Venting disused chimney at fireplace. Re-generate an old or tired space and give it a fresh breath of life. Click here for answers, information and tips

[Hunymonsta]

I want to use a disused fireplace for display purposes. The old brick built chimney has a metal flue from the old gas baxi boiler which is now completely disconnected.

I know I have to cap/ vent the flue with a cowl at the top and vent at fireplace level but I want to put a board in the top (plywood?) and have a grill or 3 which will be horizontally orientated unlike the version in the projects section here that has an air brick.

I propose to put a vent for the flue pipe and one or 2 vents either side for the chimney on the outside of the flue pipe. How do I put vents in horizontally without debris falling down the chimney & flue and blocking them up or dust coming through the vent grille?

I've seen these types of fireplace cubby holes in house design magazines but they are basically concerned with how it looks and not how you go about building it.

If someone has pics of a project that they have done this would be most helpful

Many thanks

[Hunymonsta]

Sussed it out myself.

Pulled flue liner back and tied it to one side so that flue vents chimney from top, then drilled 2 lines of holes near the bottom of a plastic bucket (not in the bottom) and set in place upturned over the flue hole, so any debris will fall on or at the side of the bucket.

Used the rest of the bucket sides to make a shim from the hole in the top of the board into the bucket cavity. I can now fit a vent grille horizontally without debris coming through it.