How To Build a Fireplace

My husband and I just bought a new house. In the corner of the living room, the previous owner built a brick foundation on the walls and floor to hold an old wood burning stove. We wanted to know how hard it would be to build a fireplace out of the pre-existing bricks? There is already a hole in the roof for the small pipe that was for the Wood stove, so would it really be that hard? Some advice would be AWESOME!

sorry but diy has taken the skill out of skilled trades. you could build anything out of fired clay bricks as was most of european ancient history but it requires a fundamental understanding not a couple hours at the home depot. respect that bricklayers are not lego builders and it actually takes some skill other wise you will end up with a very temporary, fairly dangerous, fire box. most of what we build today in america is a weak structure with a veneer not a solid structure.

I don’t mean washing it… I could figure that one out on my own, and I really don’t need to wash it anyways. I just mean removing all the YUK from it, after each fire. I tried doing it with a small dustpan set… WHAT A MESS. Ashes and soot were flying everywhere, not to mention that it made a disaster of the dustpan and brush. Then, I thought I had the best solution and used my wet/dry shop-vac. Yeah… this worked like a charm… BUT… the filter is so clogged now from the ashes… that it’s completely stopped working. So, how do I effectively clean my outdoor fireplace, the easiest way? And on that note… how do I clean the filter of my shop-vac
You can soak your filter in car wash and water. The next time you clean the fireplace, put a paper bag over the filter and hold it there with rubber bands. Now you can vacuum and when your done just throw out the paper bag.

We found the perfect home in Buford, GA -but it does not have the wood-burning fireplace that I've always wanted. Gas, electric will not do. We figured we knock a hole in it and install a wood-burner. Feasible? If so, how much should I budget for it? Who should I get to do the work for me, what kind of professional?

I am a general contractor in California. A pot bellied wood burning stove installed in your average 2000 sq. ft. house in CA wood be about $3,000.00. A real brick fireplace would start at $10,000.00 and go up from there. These are CA prices I don't know Florida prices. A general contractor preferably to get the job done, because they will take into consideration anything else that you might need to change to accommodate your new fireplace. A masonry contractor will only do what his trade entails.

Heavy Cast Iron ConstructionAccess Door for Easy Loading and TendingConvenient Removable Swivel Cooking Grid360 Degree Viewing of FireSlide Out Ash DrawerBeautiful Antique Rust FinishDimensions: 31.5″” (H) x 23″” DiameterWarranty: One year limitedMade in

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We have an 8 month old son who is more active than ever and of course with the cold weather comes the turning on of the pellet stove. Our problem is that since our son is now crawling and pulling himself up, we are unable to use the pellet stove while he’s awake. It’s now getting cold during the day and before long we’re going to have to turn it on during the day or be forced to freeze! Does anybody have any ideas on how to keep him from crawling up to the pellet stove? Of course with a regular fireplace screen if he leans on it he’ll tip it right over. The pellet stove is of course up against a wall in the back and open on the two sides and front and all of these sides get extremely hot. This is our only form of heat in our house so it’s not just an option like most fireplaces are. This may sound rather trivial, but it’s actually really quite a serious problem! Thanks for your help!

I moved to England a few years ago and they sell fire guards here that are covered sides and top and have clips that you can attach to eyelets you put into the wall.

It can’t be pulled away or over, to move it to get at the fire you have to unclip one of the sides from the wall.

They seem very common in houses with young children.

The look like this but it is a UK web site and you would have to find one locally if you live elsewhere in the world.

http://www.safetots.co.uk/Fire-Guard-Safety/147-67.htm

Building a house need some ideas on different types of fireplaces and some websites to look at. Thanks

We have one of these…

http://www.lennoxhearthproducts.com/products/list.asp?mcatid=1

I pretty much do what Green Bulb does, except I put my newspaper balls in the grate, not under it, and I just wad up full-sized sheets.

Then, I stack some dry twigs and kindling at 90 degree angles to one another, on top of the newspaper. I also add a few dry, quarter split logs, about 3-4" thick, on top of the kindling, at 90 degree angles to one another but on the diagonal to the grate. Then, light the paper and get the kindling and split logs burning really well before you add round logs - dry, and usually three at a time (depending on size). Keep the logs spaced apart by adding them at the diagonal to the grate and at 90 degrees to one another - the more space between, the more air circulates, and thus the more fire/better burn you end up with.

Oh, and ALWAYS check to make sure your flue is open before you start! It doesn't matter how nice your fire looks or burns, if your house is full of smoke….

when the fire get really hot, or the room, fumes enter the room. i have good ventilation. it a cast iron fireplace. any ideas why this is happening?
chimney is swept. no smoke in room just fumes

If your house is real tight, you may have to open a window to let in air for the combustion process. The side of the house facing the prevailing winds is the ideal location. Other factors affecting a fireplace are the height, size and temperature of the chimney. The free area of the front opening and the height of the hearth. have to be right.

Taller chimneys are usually better.
Oversized chimneys lack velocity and stay cooler. Not good
Too large an opening not good.
Too high a hearth not good.
Don’t assume that your fireplace was engineered properly just because it was purchased and set in place.
I have had a total of five fireplaces in different homes that I owned, Due to poor engineering, only one out of the five actually worked the way that they are supposed to. The others always had a bad habit of making the house smell of smoke. Worst case would fill the house with smoke.
When looking at a fireplace, if the area between the mantle and the opening is discolored, don’t count on it to work properly.
Squido