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Building the Brick Fireplace

Bob talks with general contractor Ted Riley about the fireplace construction. The project started with cinder blocks in the basement and then the brick fireplace and cinder block surround were built on top of this base. The fire code requires the house be framed two inches away from the chimney structure. Engineered lumber was used to support the floors above. The slate hearthstone was placed on a deep bed of mortar over concrete to raise it to the height of the finished hardwood floor. Then the floor installers began their work with a double border of pre-finished maple around the hearthstone to set off the hearth.
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Building the Brick Fireplace

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" Building a fireplace is more complicated than it looks because the chimney needs to be built through the whole house starting with cinder blocks in the basement. The brick fireplace and cinder block surround were then built on top of the base. Fire code requires that the house be framed 2 inches away from the chimney structure which of course involved careful planning and the use of engineered lumber to support the floors above. To place the slate hearthstone, the mason added a deep bed of mortar over concrete. The mortar"

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