Building a new chimney or fireplace

[fahrenheit]

I hope you don't mind me posting this. It should hopefully help a lot of folk out.

I just wanted to put a quick post together in the hope that builders, self builders, architects or the clients themselves may see this.

We install wood burning stoves and we come across the same issue all of the time where a brand new chimney has been built but isn't suitable to connect a wood burner to. A lot of the time unfortunately either due to the wrong starter component being used to support the clay liners or the incorrect positioning of the flue with regards to the back wall of the fireplace it either makes the stove installation impossible, very difficult, very expensive or all 3.

I've created a page on our website which hopefully explains what we're looking for in a fireplace so that the builder, architect and client can get it right first time to save you all money and hassle and achieve a better looking installation at the same time.

Check out our guide at: http://www.fahrenheitstoves.com/how-to-guides/building-a-new-chimney-and-fireplace

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Norcon]

I did this last time I fitted a flue to a stove as the flue was tight against the back wall.
Tools needed = Angle grinder, Oxy Acetylene, mig wire and heat resistant black enamel paint.

Did you know farenheit there are less tree's in the UK per person than saudia arabia which is mostly desert?
Do you line newly built chimneys?

 

[fahrenheit]

You can actually buy the part that you've manufactured. It's called a cooker off-set. We use them quite a bit to position the stove away from the back wall. They don't look quite as nice as a straight length from the top of the stove but it's more important that the stove is away from the wall than the aesthetics of the installation. Although aesthetics are very important for us.

We do re-line some new flues. It all basically depends how the bottom end of the flue has been started. If the builder has used a tapered gather starter block (for an open fire) then we usually drop a flue liner down as you can't get a watertight connection with anything. Therefore you can end up with tar and water dripping out around the flue pipe and running onto the stove and hearth.

Generally if the chimney has been built to our spec, meaning 8" diameter concrete flue, 9" to centre from rear wall and a flat concrete starter raft then we'll connect straight up to that with a clay liner adapter.

This is why i made my post because how the chimney is started at the bottom can make the difference between a £250 install and a £1000 install.

The cooker off-sets are a good solution to a flue that's towards the back of the fireplace but it's not really desirable on a brand new chimney. Ideally everyone wants that straight pieces of flue you see in the magazines.

It makes the difference between this:

and this:

 

[Norcon]

You can actually buy the part that you've manufactured. It's called a cooker off-set.

I had stovax's off sets which were recommended but the sets were miles out. I had f&r pipework to contend with also!

When I broke out the old fireplace to a higher level I shuttered the new form with plywood including the head and poured the new casting complete in one pour from high level.
Probably a bit unconventional but it worked very well.

Then I fabricated a flat plate that bolted to the flat surface of the casting and a heat resistant gasket formed the seal.
The seal between the plate and the flue was a compression ring I made on a lathe which compressed the fire rope to the flue and plate simontaneously to form a tight seal.

Yes the flue going straight up looks a lot better. I've another one to fit shortly in an extension and the exact same problem as you highlight has to be overcome.