How to lay a brick on a fireplace insert step by step instructions? takra.ru

The classic open portal fire brick fireplace is a dream come true for many homeowners. However, the possibility of erecting such a structure is limited by some requirements for the room and location of the hearth, as well as the need to build a reinforced foundation. In addition, the work must be carried out by specialists with certain qualifications and sufficient experience. The installation of a metal fireplace insert will help to significantly facilitate and simplify the work. A wide range of ready-to-use products are presented on the construction market and are the most optimal option for building a fireplace.

What is the cladding made with?

Decorating a brick fireplace with your own hands does not take much time, but the benefits are enormous. Before performing any construction work, it is important to select the necessary material and equipment for the job. At the same time, it is important to correlate the following concepts when choosing a product:

the cost of products for work;
the level of complexity of installation processes;
heat engineering parameters.

When choosing a material for facing fireplaces, the conditions of the construction process are also taken into account - the total volume of wet dirt, the speed of work. One of the most common and simple options for performing this work is to decorate the fireplace with bricks. And also an alternative in finishing a home stove is the production of foam blocks, drywall, special refractory stone. A wood-burning stove is faced with some materials, and an imitation of a fireplace with others.

Fireplace finishing - the last stage of work

Different options for finishing the fireplace can radically change its style. The vast majority of bricklayers would like to use natural texture as a decoration. But in order to achieve an aesthetic appearance, you have to train in brickwork, and the stove does not tolerate mistakes. Then finishing will come to the rescue. Various options will allow you to put your artistic taste into practice. A decorative stone in the form of a tile will add originality to the composition, as it will return the observer to the era of primitiveness.

Building materials

Before organizing the work, it is necessary to draw up a special project that meets all fire safety requirements and will become the key elements of the room's interior. After that, they purchase the materials necessary for the lining. The list includes:

bricks (stone);
sand;
cement;
reinforcing mesh;
shovel;
Master OK;
Bulgarian;
utensils for mixing the solution.

It is not recommended to use silicate bricks for decorating fireplaces. This type of material is not intended for use at high temperatures. The best solution to the problem would be a cast-iron stove made of fireclay bricks, which is not only immune to damage due to heat, but is also able to accumulate and give off heat as much as possible. The solution for work is prepared with his own hands, for this, sand, clay and cement are mixed in the required proportions. As for the clay material, it should be pre-soaked in water and then added to the main mixture.

It is important to think over the design of the inserts in advance, since there will be no time for this during the work.

Chimney

So the work related to the implementation of the main task has ended.As we noted, the installation of the firebox occurs without certain difficulties, but there is a large amount of related work, so the whole process takes a long time.

The chimney in a cast-iron fireplace is represented by a pipe, this will facilitate the task of its installation, since you do not have to perform brickwork. The pipe is hidden under a frame made of a metal profile. Outside, the frame is sewn up with plasterboard, but first you need to carry out thermal insulation. It will prevent condensation from forming and increase the life of the pipe.

The insulating material is laid in a frame around the chimney. It is most convenient to sew up the two side walls of the frame, and lay insulation through the facade. When everything is ready, you can install the facade sheet. The chimney assembly is done quickly enough if you have the skill of working with drywall.

The aim of installation is always fire safety. It is better to spend time building than to be convinced of the destructive power of fire later. The most vulnerable are the areas where the pipe runs very close to the ceiling. The gap can be finished with metal, but since this element will be hidden by the chimney body, it is limited to mineral wool.

General recommendations

Step-by-step instructions for facing a fireplace with bricks

Many models of a sauna and a simple stove in the living room have an "M-shaped" structure. The lining of a cast iron stove begins with the design of the bottom. Procedure:

The bottom foundation is laid, which is given maximum attention, since it is the basis of the future structure.
"T-shaped" joints are formed by laying the following rows in the thickness of half a brick.
The total height of the lower part varies from 3 to 6 rows; it is not recommended to carry out the lining above.
Small gaps are formed in the walls of the firebox. Air must circulate freely through these holes and not leak.

Next, the table top and the furnace part are formed:

Formwork of the required dimensions is being constructed.
The figured brick is adjusted to the measurements.
The formwork is filled with a mixture of cement, the mortar is completely compacted to avoid the appearance of voids.
Dries up for a couple of days.
The combustion area is laid out extremely evenly, the cast-iron firebox should be at a distance of 7 cm from the masonry for normal air circulation.
The walls of the firebox and masonry must not touch.
The table top is laid out in the upper and lower areas of the structure.

The decor of the fireplace is completed with the layout of the chimney. Step-by-step instruction:

Before laying out a pipe with a hollow brick, it is important to correctly calculate the slope (it is not recommended to exceed the 4 cm border).
Rows are laid with an identical slope.
Brick fireplaces are located 30 cm from the ceiling to form a hole for hot air to escape.
The contact between the chimney pipe (steel) and the holes occurs at a height of about 1-3 rows.
Insulating materials are used to avoid heat loss.

Thermal insulation

If the customer has decided that a false brick fireplace will perform exclusively the function of a decorative element, it is necessary to carry out appropriate insulation. Fire safety engineering provides for the requirements for the use of thermal insulation elements:

Low level of hygroscopicity. This means that materials for thermal insulation should not absorb moisture. Condensation regularly forms as a result of constant heating and cooling of the surface, and if excess moisture accumulates in the interior of the insulation, the basic properties are lost.
High melting points. Insulation materials of mineral and basalt origin are used, which are obtained by heating the substance to a temperature that ensures melting. As a result, cotton wool fibers are formed.

Adhesives

Facing a decorative fireplace will not work without the use of special adhesives. Such material is chosen depending on the finishing. Prudent manufacturers indicate the type of glue on the packaging of the name, as well as to which materials it can be applied. Slabs made of marble and granite are attached exclusively to a two-component heat-resistant adhesive, which guarantees the most tight adhesion to the main surface.

If the decorative fireplace is finished with variations of artificial stone, then it is better to use an adhesive material for the tiled surface of a one-component composition. It is important to take into account the characteristics of the substance. The glue must be heat-resistant and calmly withstand thermal stress up to 200 degrees Celsius. If the customer decided to decorate the fireplace with natural stone, then an exclusively dry composition with a particle of clay is used in the work. Covering in a sauna oven can be carried out on a self-mixed mixture. The seams of the structure must be filled with grout.

How to make the base correctly

Before proceeding with the first steps of work, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the documentation for a comparative analysis of the models. In such documents, the device of a fireplace with a cast-iron firebox is described in detail. Only an understanding of the intricacies of its work will allow you to avoid mistakes when installing the device.

You should start with the preparation of the foundation. Its main requirements are strength and surface perfection. If the horizontal level is not observed, the fireplace can deform, which will lead to the formation of cracks through which smoke can enter the room. The walls, which are located in the vicinity of the fireplace, are finished with heat-shielding material. Foil specimens will allow you to reflect energy, directing it back into the room.

Any master, even a very experienced one, prepares everything that may be needed in order not to break away from work in the future. Therefore, stock up on sand, clay, prepare roofing material and mineral wool in the form of slabs. You will not need a special tool in the work, but you will not be able to do without a hammer, trowel and tape measure.

Free the floor covering from foreign objects in the area where the future fireplace will be located according to the plan. The perimeter of the structure is drawn on the floor with a certain degree of accuracy, since the base will not copy the shape of the fireplace portal. It is manufactured slightly larger than the theoretical dimensions. In some cases, the wall is insulated with brickwork. Then the foundation should become the common base for the fireplace and the brick protective layer.

You do not need to calculate the area. It is enough to retreat from the allotted boundaries by 0.3 m in each face. The floor surface will have to be dismantled, since the minimum depth of such a foundation is 50 cm. If there is a lag, they are cut out. We recommend, after removing the lag section, to build an additional support in front of the saw cut.

Crushed stone is placed in a dense layer at the bottom of the pit. Please note that it does more than just fill volumes to save money. Soils in terms of moisture can be different, so this kind of pillow will protect the structure from moisture. The strength of the fill will be given by the reinforcing mesh, which is laid in layers. A cast-iron fireplace insert itself has a large mass, and if we consider that the portal also adds mass, all measures are taken to increase the strength of the foundation.

Having raised the fill to the floor covering, they pause work for a while, and even if it seems that the solution has already dried, remember that this can take several days.

Making brickwork

Cast iron furnaces begin to be lined from below. The lower part for any fireplaces is built according to a single scheme, according to which it is made in the form of an M-shaped structure with right angles.Particular attention should be paid to the calculation of the initial row, since the whole structure will rely on it. Incorrect placement of the first row of bricks can lead to cracks and breaks in the upper rows. Each subsequent row should be half a brick behind the previous one, forming T-shaped joints. Depending on the design of the fireplace, brickwork can be laid out in 3-6 rows.

When forming the wall of the firebox, it is necessary to leave small distances between the bricks. They should be sized so that air can easily penetrate and not slowly leak out. It is from these holes that cold air will flow into the fireplace. Do not cover these gaps with mortar.

The top of the firebox is called the worktop. It is possible to cover the fireplace insert with bricks without forming a countertop, but it is this that gives the structure the greatest aesthetic appeal. You can build two such parts. One will be placed in the lower part of the firebox, the other in the upper. For the construction of the countertop, it is necessary to make a wooden formwork, the brick is cut to fit its dimensions. The material is laid in the formwork, alternating with thin reinforcing bars. The structure is poured with cement mortar, carefully tamped, eliminating the resulting voids. Excess mortar is removed with a trowel. The tabletop must be dried within 2-3 days.

The fireplace insert is laid evenly, the distance from the walls of the furnace to the cladding, according to building codes, should be 3-7 cm. This ensures the required air circulation. This technique allows you to provide the most efficient heating of the room without overheating the oven. Leaving a shorter distance can significantly reduce the lifespan of the fireplace.

Therefore, do not allow the walls of the cast-iron furnace to come into contact with the lining.

It is worth remembering that the cladding should not touch the walls of the cast-iron firebox.

Pre-prepared countertops are laid in the lower and upper parts of the structure. In this case, take into account the weight of the resulting slab, it may be necessary to install a counterweight - the upper masonry.

The final stage is the formation of the chimney. It can be either straight or tapered. The second type is considered more complex in execution, therefore, it is necessary to describe the construction process using his example. First of all, it is necessary to determine the value of the required slope, it should not exceed 4 cm per row. The bricks are laid with a uniform slope. Holes are made at a distance of 30-40 cm from the ceiling to remove the overheated air.

The chimney should not be located near flammable structures, this can lead to their deformation or fire. At a distance of up to 20 cm above the holes, the chimney passes into a metal pipe. If there is no pipe, this distance can be bricked. Thermal insulation of the chimney avoids heat loss.

Making brickwork

Cast iron furnaces begin to be lined from below. The lower part for any fireplaces is built according to a single scheme, according to which it is made in the form of an M-shaped structure with right angles. Particular attention should be paid to the calculation of the initial row, since the whole structure will rely on it. Incorrect placement of the first row of bricks can lead to cracks and breaks in the upper rows. Each subsequent row should be half a brick behind the previous one, forming T-shaped joints. Depending on the design of the fireplace, brickwork can be laid out in 3-6 rows.

Therefore, do not allow the walls of the cast-iron furnace to come into contact with the lining.

It is worth remembering that the cladding should not touch the walls of the cast-iron firebox.

Where to install a cast iron stove

Before installing a fireplace, it is important to make sure that the conditions in the room allow it to be used. The parameters of the room also determine the dimensions of the heater. The main characteristic of the furnace is its heat output. It is calculated as follows: 1 kW of thermal power per 10 square meters of floor space.

It is equally important to correlate the dimensions of the fireplace and the parameters of the room. To ensure a comfortable temperature in the room, a fireplace is sufficient, which occupies about 1 / 25-1 / 30 of the total area of the room. The distance from flammable objects, furniture, wallpaper and windows should be at least 30 cm. The best places for a fireplace are the corners of the room, as well as the wall that is opposite the door or on the left side of the window.

We recommend that you read more about the cast-iron stove on our website.

It is also advisable to calculate the weight of the future structure. If there is a stove with an area of contact with the floor of about 1 square meter, for example, it is located on the second or third floor, then its permissible weight with wooden floors is no more than 120 kg, and with concrete no more than 750 kg. If the weight of the fireplace exceeds these values, then care must be taken to reduce the load on the floors. You can redistribute the load over a large area by erecting a pedestal for the furnace and refractory-lined chipboard sheets. Such a pedestal is also necessary if the fireplace is installed in a room with a wooden floor.