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How to Install a Fireplace
Preliminary Decisions
- Choose if you would like a natural stone fireplace, brick fireplace or a fireplace made of segmental block or man-made faux stone.
- Look online and decide what height and width you would like your brick or stone fireplace to be, making sure it is commensurate with your lot size.
- When deciding on the placement of a fireplace, remember that you will lose some of your view. It may give you a defined end to your patio or it can be a barrier to an unsightly area of a neighbor’s yard or common property.
- Decide if your fireplace and lot will look attractive with side wood boxes built into the brick or stone fireplace.
- Considering that wind typically comes from the west, try to keep the mouth of the fireplace facing in a different direction.
- Choose if you would like a brick or stone veneer.
- Try to envision where embers may blow and remember what Smokey the Bear always said…only you can prevent forest fires!
How to Install a FireplaceTop
- Lay out the brick or stone veneer fireplace by measuring the area and spray painting the ground to get a good feel for what you are looking at.
- Remove the grass but save some to use as backfill/sod upon project completion.
- Prepare for the footing system by digging 2′ down (that is the frost line in the Washington, DC area) or until you have found compacted soil.
- Install #4 or ½” rebar in the hole. Most times 3 strands going right to left will be sufficient.
- Fill with at least 8″ of concrete, 12″ wide for stone veneer and 18″ wide for brick veneer.
- Install CMU (cinder) block to the dimension you required for your brick or stone fireplace.
- Install firebrick and a clay flue on the inside of the fireplace with a flue cap. Flue caps can be made of metal or stone.
- If you choose stone, install a scratch coat of mortar and let it cure before installing the stone.
- Install the veneer of brick or stone.
- If your brick or stone fireplace has “shoulders” (angles) on the sides, use a flat, matching flagstone as the veneer so as not to catch water.
- Fill the joints with mortar compound and clean the joints, either with a jointing tool or sponge.
- Use the original, leftover dirt and grass as backfill and clean up the area.
- Let the mortar cure and acid wash to take off the residue.
