Jun 23

Picture this big, spacious fireplace in your favorite lawn or garden spot with perhaps lawn chairs and picnic table nearby Jt would provide a lot of entertainment as well as good barbe­cue foods. It’s a very popular design that can be built at sur­prisingly little cost. And if you’d build it yourself, cost is still less. All needed materials are available from your local building supply dealer. See Page 58 for details on the OF-48-S Majestic Metal Unit. Caution: Block sizes vary in some localities be sure the blocks you get are the same as those listed here.


LIST OF MATERIALS

1     Model OF-48-S Majestic Unit
39   Blocks 8″ x 8″ x 16″   (Header


or Double Corner type)


 14  Blocks 6″ x 8″ x 16″

2     Blocks 4″ x 8   x 16″

13   Blocks 2″ x8″ x 16″ (Note: It will be necessary for 3 of these to be split to 2″ x 6″ x 16″)

 4   Chimney Blocks 8″ x 12″ (16″ x 21 ” overall size)

Blocks should be fire-resistant blocks. (Plus necessary sad, gravel and concrete for foundation and mortar. “Ready-Mixed” packages and ideal and usually sized for your requirements. Ask your material supply dealer.)


 

Select a suitable spot for the fire­place, giving thought to the notes on “Location” given on page 53. Mark off the desired size with stakes and string. The base should be at least 62″ x 38″, and should be larger if extension be­yond the block walls is desired. Follow the directions for a float­ing slab foundation as listed on page 56.

Lay out the first course of blocks as shown in Fig. 1. Then start mortaring these blocks in place. It is probably best to start with the center blocks, which pro­vide a solid   floor  for  the metal

unit and the ashpit area. Be sure

that this is wide enough to ac­commodate the assembled metal unit. Cementing this area with a rich mixture will give a smoother cleaning area, Be sure to slope slightly to front of unit for drainage.

Now proceed with the con­struction, laying out each cours:1 of blocks as indicated by the drawings.

Be sure to provide proper al­lowance for metal parts to ex­pand as the result of heating. This can be accomplished by placing sheets of corrugated paper between the metal unit and the blocks. When the first fire is built, this corrugated paper will bum away, leaving space for expansion. Lay the 8″ x 12″ (overall size 16″x21″) chimney blocks last, putting them in place with the front sides exactly flush, vertically, with the wall that en­closes the back of the metal unit.

Now, with the Majestic metal unit installed, your fireplace is completed. But do not fire the unit for at least two days, giving the mortar and concrete ample time to set and harden. Use only small fires at first to cure fire­place mortar. If desired, the masonry may be finished in an attractive color, using any good paint or compound recommended for block surfaces.

 

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Feb 16

Some basic principles of outdoor fireplace construction

Until recent years, a major handicap in building an Outdoor Fireplace was the difficulty of locating essential metal parts, such as grilles, doors, grates, and the like. Now, metal fireplace units and a wide variety of parts are manufactured by The Majestic Company, Inc., of Huntington, Indiana. Your Lumber, Building Material, or Masonry Supply Dealer will be happy to assist you in your needs for Majestic Barbecue Equip­ment. Don’t take substitutes.

With these metal units, anyone can create an attractive fireplace by using a complete unit as a building form and setting up masonry around it. in any desired design.

First essential for a good fireplace is a strong, solid foundation. In warm climates, where frost is not a factor, your fireplace can be set on a firm bed of tamped ground, cinders, or gravel. In cold climates, where deep frost occurs, your Outdoor Fireplace should be built on either a floating slab of reinforced concrete, or on a solid foundation of concrete or of brick or stones set in mortar and extending 4" or 5" or more below the frost line. You can learn the details on building a floating slab on page 56 of this booklet. For a below-frost-line foundation, see a local authority such as your building supply dealer.

Be sure to provide proper allowances for the metal parts of your fire­place to expand and contract as the result of heating and cooling. When using a Majestic Fireplace unit, this can be done by placing sheets of corrugated paper between the sides of the unit and the masonry. When the first fire is built, this corrugated paper will burn away, leaving space for expansion.

A chimney is not always necessary. If you plan to burn only charcoal in the fireplace, the three masonry walls around the metal unit are all that is required. However, if either wood or coal is the fuel to be used, the fireplace should have a chimney. It is also wise to provide the chim­ney with a cap to keep out water and possibly a screen to check flying sparks from wood fires.

It is wise to provide a means of adjusting the depth of the firegrate beneath the grill, since a charcoal fire should be placed much closer to the grill than a wood fire. In the Majestic metal units, this adjustment for charcoal or wood is provided.

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Jan 28

I have a small log cabin that was made by hand and I am trying to find out where I can get instructions, books, or websites that explain how to build a fireplace with chimney out of cement mixture and river rocks.

Thankyou!

the weight may be too much for the support,
i bought a wood stove, w/ lined flue, and a roof pass. and used fake rock to make a fire place look
less weight, stove weighs 300 lb
in my cabin

Posted in How To Build A Fireplace | 2 Comments »
Jan 24

I know we are going to have to put some cement board on the brick before we put any tile up, but my biggest worry is the hearth which has a large slab of cement(?) with a somewhat irregular edge, sitting on brick.

Are you sure that’s cement? It may be limestone, which is often used as an accent for brick. A common design element is to have a "keystone" of limestone in the center of the brick or stone above the hearth. If you’re looking for tile, check out types of ceramic tile, which holds up well to heat. It’s not very expensive, and it comes in several different shades.

Posted in Fireplace Ideas | 2 Comments »
Jan 17

My house has a brick wood burning five place. Inside the fireplace, built into its right hand-side wall, there’s a little metal drawer (iron, probably). The drawer’s face is about 2×4" and it is 4" deep approximately and is about 6" from the floor of the fireplace.

Anyone has any idea what that’s for? I searched the internet without finding any info on it.

it’s a hideyhole for gold…..where it is says that when a fire was going, no one would see it due to the stack of logs and ash…. your house’s builder put it there for his ‘bank’…..

Posted in How To Build A Fireplace | 4 Comments »
Dec 25

we had wood saved under a tarp to protect it, and it worked for several days, but the last rain soaked the grround, and while the wood stayed dry on top—the bottoms soaked up the moisture from the rain..
All we have is what we toseed up on the dry corner of the porch, and what was near the fireplace.

I make a fire with my dry wood and stack enough wood for my next fire by the fireplace. It actually drys back out pretty quickly

Posted in How To Build A Fireplace | 5 Comments »
Dec 25

I purchase an electric fireplace / heater. It’s looks really nice, flame looks real and it heats up the room. It would be perfect if it had a L shaped pipe on top which led to the wall. I’m looking for a way to make one, any ideas ? It need to be black which I can paint. Thank You…

Check the trash behind a place that sells Carpet they should have some large Cardboard rolls. Just be careful that the card board will not be in contact with any source of heat.

Have fun.

Posted in Fireplace Ideas | 2 Comments »
Dec 17

Home Depot’s lowest price is $100 which isn’t terrible but I’d like to find one closer to $65. It’s hard to think of stores that might sell this.

Try craigslist.org in your area.Just type outdoor fireplace in the homepage search bar and any that are for sale, will come up.Keep checking as new ads come up every day(actually every hour)

Posted in Outdoor Fireplace | 1 Comment »
Dec 2

I am just outside of Toronto, looking to build some sort of 3-4 season sunroom. My husband is very capable of building his it, but we just have not had much exposure to different designs, or materials which may work better than others. I just want a place where we can hang out, not necessarily in the dead of winter. Maybe have a floor heater, or fireplace or something if it is a little chilly.

Various companies make prepackaged sunrooms, but you would probably save money by having your husband do the work. Here’s one idea for a three season porch using stock wooden storm doors with interchangeable screen and window inserts as stationary porch panels:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1541906,00.html?xid=yahoo-answers&partner=yes

Here’s another idea, this one a screened porch, but you could adapt the ideas for a three season room.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20053984,00.html?xid=yahoo-answers&partner=yes

Posted in Fireplace Design | 2 Comments »
Nov 21

I need specifics and ‘how to’s’ so I can get it done!

This may help you
http://www.ehow.com/how_2148609_build-outdoor-fireplace.html
I have a new DIY site and I refer folks a lot to E-How.

Posted in Outdoor Fireplace | 1 Comment »

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