Outdoor fireplace - flue height

[alivegas99]

Hi all,

Im about halfway done building an outdoor brick fireplace with chimney. I have 6 feet of 13x13 clay flue liner that i am planning to use to get some draft. The opening is roughly 26x32.

Is that enough height and a big enough flue to get enought draft so the smoke wont billow out of the front? It is already going to be ten feet tall when it is done and I really hope I dont have to get much taller than that!

pic attached along with a model i drew up (that is now a foot taller but close enough for you to get the idea)

thanks for the input guys!

 

[DAKSY]

This help?

 

[alivegas99]

Thank you! Man, that’s a sweet chart. Yes this does help a lot.

If I’m reading it right, i would have a bit less than 6 sqft area for the opening, with 12 inch ID flue, putting me at needing around 8 feet from top of opening to top of flue for good draft.

I was planning about 7.5 feet from top of opening to top of flue, so that sounds like it should work?

 

[DAKSY]

Close. I think I would leave the chimney crown off & fire it up.
If it drafts well, install the crown & you're good to go.
If it doesn't, add another section of flue tile & try it again.
Once you get to the correct height for your design, you'll
know & then the crown can be installed...
Kind of PITA doing it this way, but you want it done right the first time.

 

[alivegas99]

Sounds like a good plan. Not nearly as big a pain in the butt as building this darn thing! Masons are seriously skilled.

Thanks again

 

[PaulOinMA]

Sunset's Barbeque Book has plans like what you are building. I have the 7th printing, 1944 from a library book sale.

What you're building looks a lot like plan 9. Opening width is 3' 6". Height 2' 9". Gives all dimensions. Shows smoke shelf with cement used to curve the right angle. Total height is 8' 6".

IM me an e-mail address, and I'll scan it in and send to you.

Oh … let me see if I can scan it in and post it.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Hmmm, can't figure out how to save a rotated image.

 

[alivegas99]

Thanks Paul! - interesting build. I Like the built-in benches on that thing. Im positive I’ll get very little useful heat out of it but that would actually be useful instead of just being a show piece you can roast s'mores on. I guess it will keep my feet warm and be a place to toss all my odds and ends wood pieces that dont go into the wood stove.

Good to see a shorter build with a bigger opening. Gives me some hope it will draft well. We’ll see. Just installed the mantel today and it looks sweet!

 

[PaulOinMA]

You're very welcome. Looking forward to finished photos.

… a show piece you can roast s'mores on …

Have you thought about fireplace cooking? This place used to be near here, but they moved out to western MA.

Fireplace Cooking

If cooking in the fireplace seems like an odd idea, remember - this is the primary way people of the world cooked until only about 200 years ago. Many still do (usually out of necessity). While we don't recommend that you get rid of your stove top, oven or range anytime soon, it is a great way...

spitjack.com

Also check out Boy Scout cooking sites for cooking with open fire. And cast iron cookware sites. I'm cooking moderator at WAGS.

Wagner and Griswold Society (WAGS) Forum - Maintenance Mode

 

[PaulOinMA]

And, you can go full-bore Medieval cooking! What will your family think when you start dressing in medieval re-enactor clothing?

Gode Cookery

Scroll down to the bottom for a picture.

I accidentally chanced upon that site a while ago while searching for something else.

 

[alivegas99]

Just had a very small test fire (couple kindling pieces) with full flue stack attached but no cap. Very small fire because i just installed yesterday and mortar isnt full cured. Just wanted to make some smoke. I’d say 80-90% went up the flue but 10-20% spilled out when some wind kicked up.

When I have a real fire will this change this dynamic and create a more consistent pull?

 

[alivegas99]

Current pic of status

 

[PaulOinMA]

Looks great!

 

[begreen]

Nice brickwork. Are you doing this yourself?

 

[alivegas99]

Thank you and yes, just trying to keep productive during lockdown. Ive gotten much better since the first brick was laid. Some of the early jointing I did already makes me cringe a little. Will probably end up doing a whole brick outdoor kitchen if this lockdown keeps up much longer!

 

[alivegas99]

Well boys and girls here is the finished product. Just need to use high heat caulk for the expansion joint around the flue.

My thoughts....
- Very hard project, took me about 80 hours all in (more if you count running out to get supplies)
- Keeping everything level, plumb and square is horrific and nerve racking on an almost 10 foot tall structure. Must stay diligent and should not be afraid to start over on a few bricks if things aren’t going right.
- Full test fire worked great. First 2 minutes of a fire if there is any wind it will blow smoke out of the front of the firebox (less so when I moved the grate ALL the way to the back of the box). After that it works perfectly and pulls hard. Because of this I’d say I’m probably at the minimum height using a 13x13 OD flue. However, every row going up got harder and harder and more time consuming to build so I wouldn’t recommend adding another 2 feet of chimney (just for the sanity of the DIY’er.
- A lot more brick cutting and measuring than I expected, diamond blade and miter saw really got a workout.
- Gives more heat than I expected... sitting 5 or 6 feet away it does keep you fairly toasty. More heat radiating from the fire box than with My old fire pit, though only in one direction.
- Can’t wait to toss an outdoor TV on this thing and watch Sunday football with a fire going in the fall!

 

[begreen]

It looks great, you did well. The proportions worked out nicely. If you wipe it down with muriatic acid it will clean up the bricks nicely.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Looks great!