On this page
What we provide for a custom masonry fireplace design
We are a chimney and fireplace company, not an architecture firm. When homeowners ask us to provide custom masonry fireplace design help, they get the working side of the project. That means sizing, layout and masonry that has to perform under heat, plus the installation and repair work itself. If you already have drawings from a designer, we build from them and point out anything that would hurt draft or clearances.
- Fireplace installation, including the firebox, smoke chamber and connection to the flue
- Chimney masonry, crown and tuckpointing work when an existing chimney will serve the new fireplace
- Chimney liner installation sized to the new opening
- Fireplace door installation and chimney cap installation to finish the system
- Fireplace conversion and gas log installation if you want the look of masonry with a gas flame
For a broader look at layout and style choices, see how custom fireplace design works, or compare options on our custom fireplace service page.
What the visit covers
The firebox is laid in firebrick and refractory mortar; the hearth and clearances to wood trim are set by the building code. Design choices — size, materials, a raised or flush hearth — have to fit the room and the chimney.
Design
The opening size, materials and look, matched to the room and to a flue that can serve it.
Plan
Footing, clearances to framing, hearth extension and permits are worked out first.
Build
Firebox, smoke chamber, damper, hearth and the chimney are built in sequence.
Cure and test
The masonry cures, then small fires come first and the draw is checked.
What gets checked
- Damper type
- Permit requirements
- Footing and chimney support
- Firebox depth and firebrick
- Smoke chamber shape
- Hearth extension and clearances to trim
- Opening size against the flue
How to prepare
- Ask your town about permits for new fireplaces.
- Note where the chimney can run and any existing flue.
- Gather photos of fireplaces you like and the room's measurements.
Clearances and curing
Wood trim, mantels and framing must keep the code clearances to the opening, and new masonry needs its full cure time before regular fires.
When to book custom masonry fireplace design
- A fireplace that has never drawn well
- A wish to change the look of the fireplace and its surround
- An old fireplace with a firebox or smoke chamber past repair
- A new fireplace planned in a remodel or addition
Planning a custom masonry feature that drafts well
A custom masonry feature can be a floor-to-ceiling stone wall, a raised hearth with wood storage, or a simple brick opening under a deep mantel. Whatever the look, the parts that decide whether smoke goes up the flue are mostly hidden. They include the ratio of the opening to the flue, the depth of the firebox, the shape of the smoke chamber and the height of the chimney. A wide, shallow opening on an undersized flue is one of the common chimney problems behind a smoky room.
Decisions to settle before masonry starts
- Wood, gas, or a fireplace that can be converted later
- Opening width and height, matched to the flue that will serve it
- Raised or floor-level hearth, and how far it extends into the room
- Surround and mantel materials, and their distance from the opening
- Doors or a screen, and how they mount to the masonry
- What sits on top of the chimney: a cap, a spark arrestor or an animal screen
If heat output matters as much as appearance, read about what makes an efficient fireplace before you settle on the firebox shape.
Custom masonry and hearth accessories brands
Many custom builds pair site-built masonry with manufactured pieces such as glass doors, inserts, gas log sets, grates and caps. We service a range of fireplace brands. Ask about the specific door, insert or log set you're considering during your estimate. We'll tell you whether it's one we work on and how it fits the opening you're planning.
Serving East Hartford and West Hartford homeowners
Custom masonry fireplace design in East Hartford
For an East Hartford home without a fireplace, the first question is where a chimney can go and what it will pass through on the way up. A free estimate starts there, before anyone talks about stone or brick.
Custom masonry fireplace design in West Hartford
Your West Hartford home may already have a masonry fireplace you'd like reworked rather than replaced. If so, we look at whether the existing firebox and flue can support the new design. Reusing sound masonry is often the simpler route, and we'll say so when it is.
