Roughed Fireplace

brickstretcher

Here's a pict of a herringbone box i did.

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masonlifer

Is that a Fire Rock kit? I put three of them in the house I am currently working on and wondered if there was any way to lay a herringbone in them without the horizontal joint. I will try to get some pics to post.

solarguy

I'm sorry. I wouldn't buy it. It's off center, the cuts throw it off, and the line is distracting. It also looks spotty.
I've attempted to do many trades. I don't atempt fire boxes for exactly this reason. I've found few masons that do a nice herringbone.

masonlifer

Here's some pics of one of the fireplaces. I laid the guts and the stone mfg. had their own outfit do the outside.
<img src="http://imgur.com/bK4L5.jpg" alt="Hosted by imgur.com" />

brickstretcher

This is no kit . Just using firebrick. The line is the start of the slope.

brickstretcher

Nice job!

masonlifer

Thanks. It was the first Fire Rock fireplace I've laid and the first herringbone. Been in masonry since '76, mostly commercial and I guess it shows if you stay around long enough there's always something you haven't done.

stuart45

Both really good jobs, especially for your first one. Herring bone can be a tricky bond, especially on large panels with hand made bricks. It can be really difficult to keep the patterns horizontal and vertical and the angles at 45 degrees.
I always draw it out on a large board first, make all the cuts and set it out dry.
I know others who lay it out first and then use a straight edge to mark the edges and then do the cuts.
If I try and do it freehand I usually run in to a bit of trouble.
How do you guys do it?

masonlifer

I laid out my pattern in TurboCAD. I have templates made up that I use on all my herringbone work. All I have to do is put the size of the opening on the template and then get the cut measurements from there. This fireplace was difficult because of the back wall going straight up for a foot and then sloping in toward the front. I hate the straight line where it bends, but can't think of any other way to lay it.

JD3lta

I've never done that herringbone pattern either. A secret though, I've seen it done laid out in sections on durroc with those auto spacers. Pointed without the spacer shiped and placed. But yeah bibadabubshhh

stuart45

The only way I can think of to avoid it is to cut the bricks on the bottom with an extra angle slightly upwards and resin bond the one above to it, dipping the joint in some brick dust.
Some brick companies here use this method to produce squints and doglegs, although this would be a more difficult cut and would have to be spot on for the top bricks to line up and make a flush face.
I don't know if the extra time and effort would be worth it for a fireplace.
If you were using soft red rubbing bricks you could round them off like when forming a niche.

solarguy

Stretchers are easier to curve.Starting the slope from the bottom will help as well. The center isn't where one would think it is. Shifted to just off center your cuts on the sides will be even where you probably had a bit of a problem laying the smaller, unsupported cuts.

solarguy

Now that is cool.

jshuatree

were u talking about rubbing these brick in a curve ...also would u mind explaining how u do this....also all the work i see looks good to me nice tight joints in the herring bone to....very difficult also whats the scale on this...

solarguy

Here is a picture I found posted by artisanstone. Not stretchers, but

solarguy

There is no line. The back cuts all are uniform and all have support so they don't slide when laid. Notice the layout is off center of what you would think it should be. This is the correct layout.
The curve is nice. The brick being flat don't curve so they will not be perfect. They will be very close. Stretchers are easier to use. Level and straightedge your points.

masonlifer

Solarguy, I have taken note of your points and will be sure to give them the consideration they deserve in my next herringbone firebox. It's obvious you have left a long and productive career in the masonry trades to move on to a lucrative career in solar pv.
I wish there were some way I could help you in this, but I have little knowledge in this field and; unlike some people, I learned long ago that if you talk about things that you know little about, you will end up telling experienced people how little you know.
Thanks for the advice and good luck in your new endeavor.

stuart45

It's quite a long explanation so I will put on some pages from my old College books which may help. Let me know if you have any more queries though.






Will put more on next post

stuart45

Here's some more about the basics of rubbed brickwork

stuart45

Here's the last ones.



This one is the last of the first for the niche.