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Count Rumford Fireplace Construction

Bob visits Paul, the mason, and watches him build a Count Rumford fireplace. Paul describes the foundation built to support the hearth and the variety of bricks used throughout the fireplace.
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Count Rumford Fireplace Construction

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" Follow your building at the time count rumford fireplace right yes that's correct and I'll explain that at night and that type of fireplace design right. Yes it is it's designed the -- purpose is to reflect heat into the room as -- radiant radiant heat OK -- it. Yet the trick is to have. Three surfaces that are angled and that you've got a fire raging in here you've got much of that. He's being tossed right out into the room yes that's correct yes. How did you get started what's underneath dogs well -- built a base of eight inch block up from the foundation and I've -- an eight inch thick slab. To -- support the -- so all of us heartbreaking to land top concrete slab yes yes and I see that you've got. Clay flue liner projecting through -- Is that for the other parts that'll be hooked up eventually -- it -- stumbled down below hook up with a furnace exiles or for a woodstove okay. It's an unusual to be using this many different looking brick you've got three types of brick Iraq. Well this is a fire brick in the back its move -- reflects more heat and it's also very -- durable yet the court brick would jump laying here are. Just. Designed to the cement -- it's a lighter brick yeah but there's a new brick and -- the brick that can be used especially in earthquake. Rick -- with reinforcing rod but through it to really make much tighter bond yes right we don't need that here though do. Not in this area can't and you're gonna be built this up. At an angle like this all the way up about three feet. Yes the media the landfill is almost as high as it is -- will be opening -- square okay. Now the brick that's been used on the on the carpet which I guess is the -- break for most of this -- looks like antique brick. Yes it's a new brick manufactured to local they call -- new use store antique brick. Let's talk about the count Rumsford design in terms of them involved there's -- very important ratios -- yes the width of the deck should be. Equal to the width of the depth of the opening so the wet back here and the depth. Back to front should be the same dimensions yes OK what about the front opening this debate over. The opening. Should be between two and three times the -- of the -- so we've got room to."

" They would that front opening depending on how. Big your wallet from a true you have in the space it also if you read the book on how much are you really want -- throwing into the room. Is that you make it very shown very high sometimes you can really. Drive people out of the roof gets so hot yes now why do you start raking leaves. And evidence fifteen point degree angle these four courses so far well I have to bring them back up. In the throat approach should be four inches wide and -- the growth that damper should line up with the middle. The bottom there right."

" That's correct yeah. Upon -- making great progress that's just about millions volatile great at a landfill is nothing more then. Steel angle iron -- two and a half inches yes but there's the brick over the opening and that goes so that you only seen the edge. It's ready to go it. Here -- but that of course carries the the weight of the final four or five courses wreck and they go across the the top of the heart. Coming something. Do you mean to keep a child like that at the end brick. While I like to keep the and clear and and put some fiberglass into installation and -- so it has room to expand his steel expand more than brick and when this baby gets hot. That's field does want to expand and what you're saying is that could crack masonry right exactly it's wonderful that's a good tip."

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