I Need Fireplace Help

I thought one of the reasons a fireplace with a cast iron dampener had two lintels was that you could replace the dampener if cracked or rusted away etc... thus the main chimney lintel was coursed above the top of the dampener assembly...

Couldn't fab some foam firebricks the same size as the French ones your are waiting for and use them to build a temporary firebox to build the rest of fireplace around? leave out the dampener, smoke shelf , veneer and mantel till you build the firebox in and under the flues and structural walls.

Charging more of course, Did you price UPS etc.... for air freight?
I got 1700.00 $ for 2 day air for 100 kilos.... 4 packages of 25 Kg. fedex

JBM, one more quick question. Front to back, where are you putting the damper on these fireplaces. IE. 4" or 8" back from finished face?

@fourthgen: the firebricks and shipping cost are out of my hands. I wanted to build the backup that carried the smoke shelf now, but probably won't in case French firebrick are oversized or something. The only pictures I could find online look like splits.

I put it 4" behind the face.

What is up with french firebrick, different color?

why can't manufacturer/ jobber cough up dimensions, Firebrick HAVE to fit in millions of dollars worth of boilers and industrial applications, Worst case just saw EVERY unit to fit.....

I'd rather not saw every brick.

What is up with french firebrick, different color?

why can't manufacturer/ jobber cough up dimensions, Firebrick HAVE to fit in millions of dollars worth of boilers and industrial applications, Worst case just saw EVERY unit to fit.....

British fire bricks are 230mm x 114mm x either 32, 64, or 76mm,
Thus the "Split' at 230 x 114 x 32 mm....

Wiki has 'USA' brick at 229 x 114 x 32 or 64 mms

I'm guessing these are antique/reclaimed thus the point of shipping them. For all I know, they could be hand made.

my bet

JBMs pictures just clicked. Build the back and sides and use an angle iron across the front 8" above the damper to allow for install then close it all in after when doing firebox and facing

Correct?

yes

Yes Dom. Ill take more detailed pics on the next FP, just dont have one on the books right now.

Well, so far so good. We didn't get materials delivered til lunchtime, so I only have the thing chest high. I already crossed over the smaller one with an arch. Will do the other tomorrow. I ended up laying a shallow rise firebrick arch with the back corner clipped off if that makes sense. (8"W on top, 4"W on bottom) I will post pictures another time.

Pics,we want pics. !

So the french firebrick are essentially thin brick. I am going to build a slightly larger firebrick box, and add the french brick later using that adhesive mortar firerock makes.

I have both fireplaces up to roof height already.

Do they look any different or is it just a prestige thing?

They definitely look different. The picture I was sent seemed to be black and white, so I can't comment on color, but they are old looking. I'm a little disappointed that they are not 1.25x8 on the face, since I've not done one of those, but this will be easier.

Here's a picture on of my guys sent me. I'm too lazy to hook my phone to the computer. Maybe this weekend.

Interesting...why the ties in the firebox?

Is that an 8" back wall? If it is, you know this, but you could do block to the height of the smoke shelf and save a buck.

Do you have flues in those back corners?

It's 4" up to just below my walkboard. If you look, you can see it corbel out. I still could have put a couple courses of 8's in; sometimes I get going too quick to stop and think. Dommas, ties are for backup brick. There should be more (see above). I would have rather bonded the backup with the dividing wall, but I didn't have the firebrick info.