New Fireplace Progress...a couple of hurdles cleared

[Knottscott]

We've been talking about putting a gas fireplace in this room since we bought this house in 1999. The room screams for a fireplace, and the previous owners who built this addition actually went as far as putting the footer in but no further. Time and money have always been the biggest obstacles. About 5 weeks ago my wife said she'd really like to do it by this fall!

The progress so far includes choosing a fireplace (a 3 week process), building the chase frame, and today the town inspectors passed the rough framing! (a bigger deal in this town!)

Here's a few pics of the process..the outside of the frame is now temporarily shrouded with T-111 (not shown), and I'll frame in the rough fireplace opening, and shingle it tomorrow. A new mantel will follow, but will take me several weeks...heck it'll take that long for my wife to decide how it should look!

[drillman88]

Scott, It looks like your doing a nice job on the framing. I know you will enjoy your new fireplace on those cold NY days.

I am curious to know were the vent is going . Our codes say the vent needs to be 2' above roofline. I would consider putting in a vent even if your are going with a ventless log set. They make the air feel dry, at least that is the best I can describe it. I still open the vent with ours ventless logs because of this.

[Knottscott]

The vent is going to come out the back of the chase. It's dictated by the manufacturer, so it'll be 42-1/4" above the floor level. With this particular unit, we could vent up out the roof, straight out the back, or out the top with an elbow out the back...we chose the latter.

The fireplace should get a lot of use. We both prefer old fashion inefficient open face wood burning fireplaces, but they cost quite a bit more and obviously don't heat as well, not to mention aren't nearly as easy to operate. A coworker said something profound that made the decision pretty easy. "Yeah...you'd enjoy a wood burning fireplace every time you use it.....you'll enjoy a gas fireplace everyday."

[thestinker]

Lookin good!! Keep the pics coming man.

[Ed62]

Oh, you're gonna like that. I put a gas fireplace in when I built the addition. We spend 90% of our time in that room, and we only use the furnace at night. You'll find it's money well spent. Ours in between windows similar to yours, and I built an extended hearth. Good job so far.

Ed

[Tom Slick]

Looks like a good project.

No blocking required on the framing?

[Knottscott]

Looks like a good project.

No blocking required on the framing?

I'll need blocking where the vent comes thru, but I'm waiting until the final floor is down.

Ed - That fireplace looks great...you've got me thinking about an extended hearth now.

[thestinker]

My house was built in the 40s and originally had a gas fire place in the livingroom. The previous owners took it out to make room for a bug TV. Putting that back in has always been a project I wanted to do. Seeing this thread makes me want to do it. We just don't spend much time in there, and I don't think there is room in the den.

[Tom Slick]

Interresting. Around here all exterior walls need fire blocking between all of the studs.

[drillman88]

Our codes don't require fire blocking but do require the studs being tied together with furring strips through dadoes in the studs or blocking (purlines). My Uncles and Dad purlined every wall in every house they framed when there was no code for it. My Dad called it cheap insurance, it was one of the easiest ways to improve the integrity of the house.

[ragswl4]

I'll need blocking where the vent comes thru, but I'm waiting until the final floor is down.

Ed - That fireplace looks great...you've got me thinking about an extended hearth now.

Looks good so far. Will you insulate the chase? We recently completed our fireplace install and insulated the chase on all four walls. Required by the manufacturer and code.

[Knottscott]

Looks good so far. Will you insulate the chase? We recently completed our fireplace install and insulated the chase on all four walls. Required by the manufacturer and code.

Yep...code required R30 in the floors (and ceiling), and R19 in the walls. The chase will also be drywalled, then eventually sided with vinyl.

[billwmeyer]

Ed62,

That is an interesting piece of furniture on the left side of of your photo. What is that?
Bill

[chopnhack]

the photo makes it look odd, but looks to simply be a chair and ottoman to me

[cabinetman]

Scott, nice project, looks great. What kind of vent/stack/chimney will show from the outside?
.