Designing a masonry fireplace and chimney

[wasabi]

Not that I want to reinvent any wheels...I guess I just like to tackle things on a basic level...simple minded perhaps. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

In this case I'm trying to get me some eduacation on masonry fireplace design. For our cabin we are planning to incorporate a "two-holer", one upstairs and one down. The mason that is laying our 12" block (filled with rebar and concrete) said he will do it for time and materials. He just needs the basic measurements.....I know what size firebox and the basic overall chimney dimensions, but I still have a host of questions.

Anyone having online links for designs, dampers, fittings etc., ideas, caveats etc., please feel free to respond. More input is good, eh?

Thx, Sabi

 

[RobS]

Sabi, I found this site when we were building our house Rumford . Lot's of general fireplace/chimney info and plenty of links. In the end, I left the whole thing up to our mason and we were very pleased with the results. It's not a Rumford BTW /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[dmccarty]

wasabi,

As RubS, said, go for a Rumford design. Its been out for more
than a few years and is supposed to be the most efficient
design.

Our house design is not having a fire place but a wood stove
instead. I think it will look as good or better, we can let it
burn all night without worry, will provide heat after the fire
has gone down, and most of the heat stays in the house
instead of being sucked up the chimney.

My father in law has a huge freestanding fireplace that must
be close to six feet square. He heats his small house with
that thing during the winter. I don't know if it has a Rumford
design in it or not.

If you want to spend some real bucks there are the masonary
fireplace from Finland. Tulveki is one brand if I got the spelling
correct. They have some very nice fireplaces that are very
efficient and look wonderful. But they cost thousands of
dollars. The model we like that best was close to 20 GRAND!

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

That is why we will have a soapstone stove!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Later,
Dan

 

[gmason]

Sabi, I can tell you from my experience, I would go ahead and put an SS liner in a masonry chimney. For the $$$ you will be much better.

Our chimney had a little fire after just 2 winters with a woodheater with 1 cleaning. We had it inspected and he found 2 cracks in the tiles. We got an estimate of over 6k to put a concrete liner down it and that would reduce the size of the flu and we would not be able to use the woodstove in the basement.

I'm going to sell the woodstove and by a direct vent gas one and probably just seal-up the one chimney and then let the swifts build in the top.

Unless you have an extremely good chimney mason that really knows their business, go with the SS liner and have nearly no worries.

gary

 

[MarkV]

I am with gmason on this one. It takes a good experienced fireplace mason to build a good drawing fireplace that will hold up. Not all good masons are good fireplace masons. Those are hard to find today with all the pre fab fireplace options out there. Then there is the cost factor. Here I can buy a real good pre fab unit for $600-$700 plus another $200-$400 for the flue pipe. A true masonry fireplace going 2 stories will be over $7000 in my area. Personally I love a nice fireplace but after owning a good wood stove that is the way to go for me. Better heating, better use of fuel and with glass doors all the visual benefits of a fireplace.

MarkV

 

[JTD]

Temp-Cast is another masonry heater (like Tulakiva) that is assembled as a kit by the mason. We're having a stacked unit built for the walkout basement and the main floor of our new house. The basement unit has been assembled for two weeks. It needs to cure another week before we can begin building the one above it. The mason still needs to install the brick around heater, flue and the support for the main level flue. I'll post a picture in the next day or so. Like Tulakiva, they are somewhat pricey compared to a regular fireplace. However, we won't have to worry about heating our house at all. And they can burn pine without pitch buildup. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif