| Fireplaces are found in homes across the world in all | | | | decorative purpose rather than a functional use. |
| countries that witness severe cold during the winters | | | | Building a fireplace |
| and rains. A cozy and warm fire in the fireplace is | | | | If you were the kind of person who likes the old |
| enough to warm anyone's heart on a chilly cold day | | | | world charm of a country house, you would want to |
| or night. Traditionally built with either stone or brick, | | | | have a fireplace in your home. A fireplace is sure to |
| these fireplaces had brick faces and wooden mantels | | | | provide warmth and heat and is a great place for a |
| with ornate and carved designs on them. The entire | | | | family get-together or an evening party with friends. |
| fireplace could take up an entire wall of the room. | | | | You can build a fireplace in your house if you already |
| This was considered all right as rooms too were large | | | | don't have one. |
| sized. | | | | What to do before you build a fireplace |
| Creating a rustic charm | | | | Before you begin building a fireplace, you must find |
| Brick fireplaces are generally found in great numbers | | | | out if your house can have a fireplace in the first |
| in rural houses and cottages in the countryside. With | | | | place. You need to get the necessary permissions |
| winters being severe and no gas or electricity to | | | | from Building Regulations authorities or from anyone |
| provide heat and warmth, fireplaces were an | | | | else that would be concerned with smoke bellowing |
| important structure in every home. These fireplaces | | | | out of the chimney of your house. |
| usually had a wooden mantel, which was decorated | | | | Once you ensure legalities are in place, you need to |
| with carvings or with other prized treasures by the | | | | find out if a fireplace can actually be built in your |
| members of the house. | | | | house. Since fireplaces take up a lot of space, you |
| Since the fireplace was generally considered as the | | | | must make sure that the fireplace looks like a part of |
| place where all the family members gathered, one | | | | your room and not otherwise. |
| finds many old paintings, which feature a brick | | | | Materials for building a fireplace |
| fireplace when depicting a village scene or portrait. | | | | Brick and stone fireplaces need materials such as |
| Brick fireplace designs | | | | concrete, bricks and stone besides chisels, hammer, |
| Brick fireplaces were designed and built along with | | | | mortar mix, grates and surrounds, water and a |
| the other structures in the house. There are few | | | | professional to help you build the fireplace and the |
| examples of houses, which added a brick fireplace | | | | chimney. Most old houses would have traces of a |
| later on. A brick fireplace also meant a chimney as an | | | | fireplace. You can build the fireplace at the same |
| outlet for the smoke and soot that was generated | | | | location. |
| from the fireplace. | | | | In case there exists an outlet for the chimney as |
| Any thing wrong with the fireplace meant that the | | | | well, the job becomes easier. If you can find a |
| room could be filled with soot that could darken the | | | | chimney but no grate available, all you would need to |
| room and make it difficult to clean up the place. The | | | | do is to get a professional to install a grate and a |
| size of the room and its location were considered | | | | sweep to advise you on cleaning it up. In case the |
| before a fireplace could be built. | | | | fireplace has been blocked, a builder is the right |
| Replacing a brick fireplace | | | | person to advise you. |
| When wood was the only available material for | | | | Replacing a brick fireplace |
| burning, fireplaces were much in demand. Hence the | | | | You can also build a new fireplace in the place of an |
| idea of replacing a fireplace would never arise in the | | | | old one. Using materials like cast iron and supplying |
| first place. But the invention of gas and electricity led | | | | gas and electricity, you can combine the rustic charm |
| many households to stop using and building brick | | | | of a fireplace with clean and easy maintenance. |
| fireplaces and adopt newer ways of heating up the | | | | Replacing old fireplaces can be done easily with |
| room. Newer cities and towns also adopted gas and | | | | minimum destruction of existing wall and with the |
| electricity and brick fireplaces came to serve a mere | | | | help of professional builders and designers. |