Tag Archives: fireplace building kit

How to Assemble Outdoor Fireplace Kits

Posted by Mark on July 4, 2011 Comments Off

Outdoor fireplace kits have become ever more popular in recent years among people who want to install an outdoor fireplace in their home. While many people like to have a large permanently installed fireplace in their garden or on their patio, both the costs and effort required to build a custom outdoor fireplace will likely be prohibitively high for most.

FireplaceThe alternative to such an individual building project is to buy one of the many outdoor fireplace kits for sale available on the market. The variety of models offered by most manufacturers has increased significantly in recent years. Most of these fireplaces can be customized in their outside appearance either by painting the outside of the construction or by adding a stone or brick layer on top after assembly. Most outdoor fireplace kits are designed to be built as freestanding constructions, but can still be integrated into, for example, an existing wall with slight modifications.

Available Outdoor Fireplace Kit Options

Most fireplace kits can be delivered for use with either wood and charcoal or with a gas burner. Both natural gas and propane can be used as fuels with outdoor gas fireplace kits, supplied either from the fixed installed line or from a gas bottle which regularly needs to be exchanged. The typical size of an outdoor fireplace kit will be somewhere between 30 and 48 inches, usually spaced in 4 inch intervals.

The main attraction of a prefab outdoor fireplace kit compared to a custom built hearth is the ease of assembly. While building an outdoor fireplace from the ground up will require both expensive tools and considerable expertise, raising up an outdoor fireplace kit is an easy do-it-yourself project that could be completed by one or two persons in a single day. Most kits do not require mortar, glue or other kinds of fasteners for assembly.

The Fireplace Kit Assembly Process

The actual assembly of an outdoor fireplace kit proceeds as follows: at first, a level surface needs to be created upon which the construction will be built. Most assembly kits contain anything between 10 to 30 prefabricated stone or concrete parts which are already shaped in such a way as to fit tightly together. Construction starts with the lowest part of the fireplace, where the four bottom walls are connected in such a way as to form a basis for the firebox itself. The next levels of the fireplace including either the walls of the firebox or, in the case of see-through fireplaces, the front, back and side screens of the firebox are then stacked upon each other in the same way. On top, the chimney construction is again built from stone or concrete plates which will then be secured to the rest of the construction in such a way that the whole fireplace now forms a tight fitting construction.

Afterwards, the fireplace is already finished from a technical point of view and could be used without further building efforts. However, most installations will be finished with an additional decorated layer on top of the stone construction which will give the fireplace its final outside appearance. The materials needed for this are usually not included in the outdoor fireplace kit but need to be purchased separately. Most manufacturers offer a large variety of materials for this purpose specifically.

Due to the standardized manufacturing and the do-it-yourself installation, outdoor fireplace kits are significantly cheaper than individually designed fireplaces, saving the owner large sums of money which can then be spent for other purposes on and around the fireplace, enhancing the overall appeal of the ensemble. This possibility is certainly one of the major reasons why people choose to buy an outdoor fireplace kit instead of building a hearth from the ground up.

Built-in Outdoor Fireplace Designs

Posted by Mark on May 10, 2009 Comments Off

If you are looking for an outdoor fireplace which is closely integrated with the design and layout of your patio and garden while giving you the full flexibility of designing an individual solution, then a built-in outdoor fireplace design is likely to be the right solution.

The simplest option is a version of the fire pit which is integrated into the ground. These models are available in several varieties based on metal and stone-made bowls and can be purchased starting from about $500.

Most people looking for built-in outdoor fireplace designs are however thinking of an individual model designed to look very much like the more common indoor fireplace. These fireplaces need to be built on-site, which can be done in two ways: either as a completely individual do-it-yourself project or with the help of a pre-configured fireplace kit. These kits are available from several manufacturers and can be installed by yourself or by a local professional fireplace builder. Often, the manufacturers are happy to point you to available help in your area.

A large variety of options exists for a built-in outdoor fireplace. First of all, it can be either a freestanding construction or it can be attached to a wall or the house itself. Also, the choice of building materials is correspondingly large: The majority of these fireplaces is made from bricks and/or concrete, while the smoke chamber and the flue can be manufactured from metal, often aluminum or copper. Given the available options, the price range for these fireplaces is open-ended. A reasonable lower limit can be set at about $5,000. Fundamentally different from these options are the possible outdoor gas fireplace designs, which are very similar to the options for indoor gas fireplace inserts.

However, the outdoor fireplace designs not only concern location and material, the style of the fireplace is also very important, as it should reflect the style of the surrounding garden and house. Many outdoor brick fireplace designs such as English or Eastern brick are available. Outdoor stone fireplace designs like Old World Traditional are also very common. Yet, far more options are available, for example Southwestern Adobe, and are shown in many books on the subject. Common to all built-in fireplaces is their basic setup, which consists of a firebox, a smoke chamber and a flue. The only significant difference to indoor fireplaces is the missing damper, which is not needed for an outdoor construction.

One word of caution: if you decide to build an outdoor fireplace yourself, you should be aware of the fact that safety is of critical importance to avoid serious injuries or damage from fire during operation. This is especially true for any outdoor gas fireplace designs. It is also important to check for local regulations before starting such a project, as the rules for outside fireplaces vary significantly between different towns and regions. While an official permit is required only in some places, it is generally advisable to contact your local authorities beforehand.

In summary, make sure you have a clear understanding of the following topics before starting: location, material, style, fuel, use (grill or heating only), maximum costs and legal regulations. This will help you get the most out of your individual fireplace.