I am thinking about building an outdoor fireplace and chimney. Traditionally they are made of masonry or stone, and lined with fire bricks using refractory cement. What I would really like to do is form the whole thing and pour it out of concrete. I have seen concrete fireplaces in modernist houses, but don’t know about the chimney. Anyone have any experience or ideas? Also what about steel reinforcing. Would it help, or would the heat cause more cracking if rebar were used?
Thanks for any advice.
Replies
Ya wanna take this one?
SamT
Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either. [Einstein] Tks, BossHogg.
crete won't handle the heat of a fire. It will crumble. One reason is the moisture and air locked into the chemical structure.
refractory or firebrick is fired at temps higher than a fireplace is likely to generate and mafe from materials that are mmore impervious to the heat.
If you only plan an occasional small fire and don't expect it to last more than 5-10 years, go for it.
Or you might be able to do this if you plan a way to line it with refratory if what you are looking for is a unique outside shape.
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This past week, I stopped off at White Cap to pick up some ceement epoxies. On their countertop was this new magazine called Concrete Expressions put out by this group called ConcreteNetwork.com. Check out their website. It has a huge amount of information.
It was the only one, but a note attached to it said it was free, so I took it. It does have a price of $10 on the cover.
Anyhow's, this mag is filled with all sorts of ceement creations - including a surprising variety of fireplace surrounds. Most are components cast elsewhere like a countertop, others are cast in place via a form - like those you see on some retaining walls. Those cast in place appear to be finished to look like stone or such.
But all have firebrick insides (that we can see). I cannot imagine any fireplace cast in one pour to be able to handle the heat cycles without cracking.
I would imagine the OP could have what he wants via surfacing slabs or toppings.
How about one of these?
http://www.isokern.net/pages/fire/patio.htm
http://www.firerock.us/fireplaces.asp?id=mr
Edited 3/2/2007 11:55 am ET by hulkster
WOW!
I learnt something today. Thanks.
Thanks - some good advice and links. I am leaning towards pouring a shell, and using bricks in the fireplace, with a metal chimney separated by an airspace from the concrete outer shell. But I will think about this for a bit before any decisions, so any more suggestions are sure welcome.
There exist poured concrete like refractories that are used to pour high temp furnaces, foundries etc. a friend poured his forge,gas fired, and uses it daily. this might be good material for a cast fireplace. edd
Thanks. That's a great starting point. Once I searched "refractory concrete" I found lots of leads. Now its whether this is all too much for my local supplier.
isokern is the best i've seen
http://www.isokern.net/
and the guys at http://www.chimneyworksusa.com
( the site is down right now ) make precast sections of firpalce/chimney
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore