How to build a stone fireplace
Building a stone fireplace all by yourself can be a challenging process, but not impossible. You may encounter some problems because you’ll have to deal with heavy materials, but besides that, you shouldn’t have problems.
Tools and materials:
- Diamond tipped saw (to hire)
- Measuring tape
- Stone
- Mortar mix
- Masonry trowel
Safety
Constructing a stone fireplace means working with heavy weights and also having the responsibility of fireproofing the fireplace.
The fireplaces needs to be heat resistant, not to crack when its overheated.
Measures and design
Measure the bare fireplace to be sure that you bu enough materials for the job and also think about the design. If you don’t have any experience, keep it as simple as possible.
Stone
Try and persuade the merchant to cut the stone for your at the needed size. You will have a hard time to cut it by yourself. If you have to do t yourself, use a saw with a diamond tipped blade.
Mortar
The mortar needs to be perfect for the job. Use only the instructions on the pack so that the mixture to be perfect. Be careful to evenly apply the mortar on one side of the stone.
Cracks
Always check for cracks after the mortar has set. Seal them properly because this way you will prevent further damage caused by the fire.