Tonight we cleaned up the mess at the fireplace, and filled the slight gap btw the old plaster wall and masonry firebox with mortar… If we install a gas insert in the future we want it to be well sealed:

We also completed 99% of the stripping/ sanding of the oak at the areas that will be near the stone. Here you can really see the air space left around the masonry firebox:

Last but not least, we added some wood support for the stone, which will give the whole assembly some rigidity as well:

Now, we wait!