The Fireplace is Taking Shape - Part One

So it has been awhile since the last update and I really have been trying to complete small tasks around the house so there have not been many large projects to report on.  One huge project I have been working on is my outdoor fireplace. Since this project is so big, there will be two parts.  Below are the details for the first part of the project.  

My brother and I have been working for the last 6 weeks or so building a full outdoor fireplace and it is really starting to take shape.  This is no small fire pit, but a full outdoor fireplace to create an outdoor living room.  Below you will see a 3D rendering of what I am trying to do.  It has changed slightly but the main parts are the same.  A pergola will be attached to the top of the beams but I did not draw them in for this picture. The round circle below the ground level is where my window well is located going into the basement.  

We started with a huge open dirt lot on the side of my house that originally housed two cars in a temporary shed when I bought the place.  Below is what I started with for the dirt lot.  This picture was after we moved a ton of dirt over to this area because it sloped down very steep originally and we graded it slightly.

So we could make sure that the dirt was compacted, we drove my truck over the area many times.  My brother blared the song “Redneck Yacht Club” while I did it just so the neighbors knew our intentions.  I am sure it solidified the perception my neighbors have of me as being crazy.  The next step was to make the frame for the cement pad.  The pad is about 14 feet long by 8 feet wide and the depth is a little over 4 inches thick.  Inside the frame we added welded wire mesh as well as rebar just to add support to the concrete to keep it from breaking since there will be quite a bit of weight with all the stone and cement used.  You can see this below. 

There really was not enough concrete needed to require a cement truck, so we used a little over 40 bags of concrete from Home Depot and mixed it all by hand in a wheelbarrow.  Here is the picture after the concrete was poured. The rebar sticking up in the corners is to go through the first level of cement block to help tie the blocks to the cement pad.

The next step was to add the cement block for the base since I wanted this fireplace to be strong enough where multiple individuals could sit on the hearth and it would not have any problems structurally.  We used a little over 130 cement blocks for the construction so we were pretty sore the day after we laid them all.  The corners were filled with cement up to the top so that it would add extra strength because the fireplace is also used as a retaining wall for the new patio area.  The blocks were laid three high but only two blocks will be visible above the ground. 

In the picture below, you will see blocks laid in the center of the cement pad.  This is to hold up the concrete slab that will be the bottom of the firebox. 

The slab of concrete is used for under A/C units and weighed a little over 200 pounds.  In the picture below you can see the pad along with the walls around the firebox taking shape. 

Once this was all in place, it was time to start the rest of the structure for the fireplace.  The frame was made from aluminum studs so that they would not rust.  The frame pictured below is screwed into the concrete and blocks with concrete anchors so it will not be going anywhere anytime soon.

We then started adding the sheathing on top of the metal frame.  This is the same exterior sheathing that I used on the columns on the front of the house.  I also used a piece of cement board for the center above the fireplace just in case the fireplace ever gets real hot, but since it is only a gas fireplace it should never get very hot.  I then added drainage around the front of the fireplace because water does drain down in front of the fireplace and I do not want it causing the fireplace to shift from water.  This drainage is the same as used in a few prior posts for the retaining wall and such.  You can also see in the below pictures where the ground level has now been brought up to the final height and now one level of cement block is below ground level. 

I then added the top portion of the fireplace.  In the pictures below you can see how I cut the metal studs to form the arch and attached the wood so it would match the curve. 

The next step was to cover the entire structure with roofing tar paper to keep out the water.  There is a minimum of three layers on the entire structure but some areas have as many as six layers just to be safe. 

Here is a picture of the area once the dirt has been leveled and some landscape lights added. This area will be covered in pavers next summer.

My brother and I are much further along with this project but since this post is getting long I will hold off on any more details and make that part two.  I will tease you with a picture of where I am at with the project so far and stay tuned for the details in the next week or so.  It really is turning out well.

  

Keep watch for the next update where I will show how I completed the brick and stone work along with how the concrete moldings for the fireplace were made by my brother and I. Well that is all for now.