How to Build a Stone Outdoor Fireplace

Building a stone outdoor Fireplace is a monuMental undertaking. Construction this is backbreaking work and pretty high-priced to boot. Don't let that discourage you though. The rewards by all means; of course outweigh the costs. A stone outdoor Fireplace can add thousands of Dollars to your home's value. In these tough economic times you need any edge possible when placing your home on the market. And of procedure you have the added advanTAGe of enjoying it until your home sells. Here are a few tips on how to build a stone outdoor Fireplace.

Since this will be a signature accent piece of the yard, try and find it in a central location. Ideally you'll want to build a deck or patio colse to it if you don't have one already. Part out the diMensions of the stone outdoor fireplace. You'll need all 3 dimensions, width, distance and height. After getting the measurements, shop colse to for the exquisite stone look for you home.

To start the prep work for the fireplace you'll need a flat level bit of ground. Scoop out any vegetation and ageement a layer of gravel on top of the dirt. It's time to start the build. Hopefully you had all that stone delivered right next to the work site! It's much easier than lugging it across the lawn.

For the basic footprint you'll want to lay out a rectangular base using the largest stones with the flattest top. Mortar these pieces together. All that you have to do from here on out is fit the stones together and accumulate them with a light smear of mortar.

Use smaller stones and pebbles to fill up any gaping holes in the middle of the larger rocks. Once you have a solid base about a foot tall use some fireproof mortar mix to level the top of the base and fill in any remaining cracks. This will keep hot embers from working into the fireplace. Once the mortar is dry it's time to start Construction up the stone wall.

Stack larger stones along the back and sides of your new fireplace base. Mortar them into place once again using a fireproof mix. Periodically use a plumb bob to check that the wall is staying level. You don't want to have the whole assembly leaning like a confident tower in Pisa.

Continue to stack and mortar until the enTire assembly stands practically 4 feet high. This next part can get a bit messy and you'll need a lot of the fireproof mortar mix. Go along the inside walls of the fireplace filling in any cracks with mortar. It doesn't need to be perfectly even. All you're shooting for is a sealed covering so it doesn't belch smoke out the sides.

Let your new fireplace cure a merge days before lighting it up. It may have taken a lot of time and muscle but you now have a great new home addition. Learning how to build a stone outdoor fireplace is a rewarding task that you can enjoy for years to come or list as a highlight when putting the house on the market.