In the chilling winters nothing is more comforting than having a fireplace at home. You come home after a long day of work and would love to get cozy in the warmth of your home. But if you don't have a fireplace at home then don't worry at all as we are here to help you. Making a fireplace on your own is not a difficult job. You just need to follow the simple steps given in this article and you will get it right at your desired place.
How to Build a Fireplace: Procedure
Well to begin with the construction of the fireplace, it is very important to find an appropriate place for it. Decide on the place where you want to make the fireplace. Then you need to think over which type of fireplace you want to build, like stone veneer fireplace, brick fireplace, etc. The method of making a fireplace will be similar for both stone as well as brick, hence the procedure we are going to give is common and can be used for any of the construction. Following are the building materials and the steps which you need to follow for the construction of a fireplace.
Material Required Masonry trowel Nail Hammer Saw (In case of stone you need to have a diamond-tipped blade) Grout Grout Float Nail Gun Cultured Stone/Brick Mortar Pan Wood Stain Wood Glue Slate Plywood Mortar Mix Building Procedure The foremost thing to do is to take the measurements to find out the area required for a fireplace. Make a wooden template which will help you to get an idea of the placement of the stone or brick. Now you can select the type of stone or brick you want to use in the fireplace. Place them inside the template tightly and look for the specific shape and size. Now according to the shapes you have decided, you can cut the bricks and the stone according to your wish. In case of stone you will need a saw with a diamond-tipped blade for a perfect cut. Now prepare the mortar mix in the mortar pan with the help of water. Do not put excess water as the consistency should be like that of cake batter. This will ensure a strong construction. Once you are done with the mortar, start placing the stone on the hearth with the help of mortar. Apply it on the back of each stone and fix them as you have done in the first step. Whereas, in case of bricks try to build a normal wall. Put the mortar in the bottom and then place the brick on top of it. Repeat that line in the same way and when starting with the next line, put the mortar on top of the bottom brick and then place the other brick. Place the brick on top of the joint of the brick line below. Now cut three pieces of wood to form a frame and attach them with the help of a nail gun. Now it is time to know how to build a fireplace mantel. If you want to make a mantel with the help of stone, then you can just lay the stone and with the help of a mortar, you can fix them according to your will. You can select plain, carved or polished stones and can give your fireplace a new look. You can also try a wooden and brick mantel. Get your brick mantel polished, which will give it a royal look. Whereas, with a wooden mantel, you can polish a variety of shades which are famous for their fancy look. Also go through fireplace mantel ideas. Well before polishing, once the fixing is completed you need to add more mortar to the cracks. Now prepare a wooden hearth with the help of plywood. Prepare it with the help of wood glue and nail gun. Make it in such a way that it can be easily fitted inside the stone fireplace. Now install slate against the wooden hearth. Fix it with the help of mortar. Now prepare the grout and apply it between the stones or bricks with the help of grout float. Remove the excess grout and let it dry. Apply sealer in between the slates once the grout dries up. For fireplace surround, you can just continue with the mantel as it should complement the mantel. So, if you have a stone mantel then go for a stone surround and if it's a brick then go with the brick. This was a simple procedure for the people looking to build a fireplace indoors. But if you are wondering how to build an outdoor fireplace then you need to do a lot of things. Now if you are thinking how much does it cost to build a fireplace, then let me tell you that the cost will entirely depend upon the material you use and the size of the fireplace. The most economic thing will be that you are building it yourself, hence there will be no labor charges. Get the materials required, maintain fireplace safety norms and start off with the fireplace construction.
