Build Your Own Indoor Stone Fireplace

Building a stone fireplace.

Build your own indoor stone fireplace.

Build your fireplace out of the ones that don t split. Tape plastic sheeting or an old drop cloth to a flat surface and use painter s tape to outline the shape of your fireplace on it. If you re doing mountain rock you ll need to select whether you want your fireplace to have the full grout look or a stacked stone look. I opted for a hearth height of about 14 inches which is the perfect height for sitting in front of the fire.

Webber selecting and laying out the stones on a template helps you visualize how they ll look installed. Next apply another stone to the bottom right corner of the mantel. Now you have to points of reference for your first row of stones. If you are constructing the stone fireplace yourself it is still advisable to seek assistance from a friend.

Select your face type. The stacked stone effect takes a lot more time and effort and is generally only used in a few fireplaces in the southwest. Apply mortar to a stone and then put the stone in place at the bottom left corner of the mantel. Stone fireplaces can weigh up to 6 or 7 tons so if you are installing a prefabricated cast stone or hand carved natural stone fireplace the installation is best left to the manufacturer.

Step 1 build the hearth and foundation. Non flammable material was placed around the fireplace and on top of the hearth. The standard hearth base is approximately four inches thick and needs a masonry foundation to support it. Prepare the field of stones.

This base must be thick enough and deep enough to support not only the firebox and chimney but also a hearth extension that goes 18 to 20 inches beyond the fireplace opening. Create a dry run of your design photo by wendell t.