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Helping You Make Your Home Your Castle |
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Fireplaces Made from Stone
Overview: Of all the different types and styles of fireplaces that you can choose for your home, fireplaces made from stone is the most popular as well as the most traditional. Stone fireplaces are the fireplace of choice in modern construction. The traditional brick fireplace has taken a backseat to stone fireplaces as homeowner reach back into yesterdays fireplace designs.
The reason for the popularity of stone in fireplace
designs is that they offer styles which can either
be traditional or contemporary. If you're
considering putting a fireplace in your home you
can't beat the permanence and good looks of stone.
There are several things to keep in mind when
designing a stone fireplace. The stone is only for
the appearance of the fireplace. Building codes in
most areas require strict standards for fireplace
construction. The inside of a stone fireplace is
not built with stone. The code requires a standard
firebox that is constructed from brick, using both
firebrick and structural brick. Only the outside of
the fireplace, including the hearth, is built out
of stone.
The only way you can build a complete stone
fireplace that actually includes stones on the
inside of the fireplace is if the fireplace is
built outdoors. On an inside fireplace you can
always add something to the back of the firebox in
order to make it appear to be stone. Stone and
fireplace masons are quite good in designing and
building stone fireplaces of just about any design
as long as the basic code requirements are
followed.
It depends on the area of the country where you
live and the availability of the different types of
stone to build a stone fireplace. There are some
areas where stone is really somewhat of a novelty
such as in the Midwest. If you live in one of those
areas, you have to have the stone shipped in which
can be quite expensive.
If you live in an area where stone is readily
available consider using a type of stone that is
common in your area. You can save yourself a lot of
money in this way.
Selecting the stone for your fireplace can be a
daunting task. The most popular fireplace stones
are; fieldstone, river rock, or quarry cut stone.
Fieldstone is stone that is actually selected from
farmers fields or stonewalls along the boundaries
of property. It may be granite or a combination of
different minerals. Once they are cleaned, usually
with acid, they can have a striking appearance.
River rocks (stones) are collected from rivers or
brook beds in late summer when the water is low.
Select various sizes from two the eight inches.
They are very smooth and have a lot of different
color to them.
Quarry stones are mined from stone quarries. They
are usually granite and are cut with at least two
flat sides for fireplace construction. They can
make a fabulous looking fireplace finish. They can
be either light or dark in color with traces of
pink and mica that will glitter when light strikes
them. The color depends upon where the granite is
mined. In northern regions the granite is darker
with traces of green while in southern regions it
is lighter with traces of pink.
Outdoor stone fireplaces can be made entirely from
stone, including the firebox. There are few
building codes for outdoor fireplace construction.
However, you should conform to the basic code
requirements for the firebox structure so the
fireplace will burn effectively and efficiently.
Some of the most attractive fireplaces are
fireplaces made from stone. Just think, stones of
any type are billions of years old where bricks are
a few years or decades old at best. Let your
imagination go wild in designing your stone
fireplace and work with a stone mason for design
ideas.
Classic Stone Fireplace Design
Fireplace and Woodstove Safety
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