Building a masonry fireplace can be an easy job if you follow some steps and buy the right materials. The addition of a masonry fire place will enhance the beauty of your home and will add value to your home. Masonry fireplaces are considered above metal ones as masonry does not melt, warp or even corrode when subjected to high temperatures.
Before you begin you need to have a good plan for the design of the fireplace which you should have covers the correct dimensions of the hearth, fireplace and also the flue. When it comes to safety you need to also consider how thick you want the firebox wall to be as you need it to be quite thick to accommodate a decent hot fire.
The clearance given to the metal damper also needs to be considered which should be at least 12 inches above the fireplace opening and also another 2 inches for the air space regardless whether it is in the exterior of the building or the interior. The flue liners (clay) of the chimney have to be enclosed in 4 inches of solid masonry. Next you need to think about the mantel, are you going to have one that is protruding from the wall or one that is freestanding? If you want to build one that is built in you need to consider the right support it will need such as hardwood that is then covered in mortar at the correct height as it will need to be in the right place as they will be holding and supporting the mantel’s weight.
An important factor that people forget is the need to seal your fireplace with a metal or glass door and to cap the chimney with metal so that the rain or any small animals cannot fall down it. Another thing is the importance of installing an ash caddy dump so that when you clean out your fireplace you will have somewhere to easily dispose of any ash.
Now that you have all of these things in place you can then purchase a masonry kit to complete the job. These kits can be bought from your local Depot store and cost around $4,000 although certain materials can be substituted to bring down the cost. Another option is to bring in an independent contractor to complete the job for you.
Before you begin you need to have a good plan for the design of the fireplace which you should have covers the correct dimensions of the hearth, fireplace and also the flue. When it comes to safety you need to also consider how thick you want the firebox wall to be as you need it to be quite thick to accommodate a decent hot fire.
The clearance given to the metal damper also needs to be considered which should be at least 12 inches above the fireplace opening and also another 2 inches for the air space regardless whether it is in the exterior of the building or the interior. The flue liners (clay) of the chimney have to be enclosed in 4 inches of solid masonry. Next you need to think about the mantel, are you going to have one that is protruding from the wall or one that is freestanding? If you want to build one that is built in you need to consider the right support it will need such as hardwood that is then covered in mortar at the correct height as it will need to be in the right place as they will be holding and supporting the mantel’s weight.
An important factor that people forget is the need to seal your fireplace with a metal or glass door and to cap the chimney with metal so that the rain or any small animals cannot fall down it. Another thing is the importance of installing an ash caddy dump so that when you clean out your fireplace you will have somewhere to easily dispose of any ash.
Now that you have all of these things in place you can then purchase a masonry kit to complete the job. These kits can be bought from your local Depot store and cost around $4,000 although certain materials can be substituted to bring down the cost. Another option is to bring in an independent contractor to complete the job for you.
