entp

About 20 years ago I put up a simple, single flew chimney on the outside of my house for a basement wood stove. I dug down below the frost line, poured a footing and laid up chimney block and round flue liner. It took lots of hard work to put up but it was simple to design. It's still standing and in use today so I must have done it right.

I own some farmland in northern ME. The property has a small two room house on it. The house is about 25 or 30 years old and was built on the ground on blocks. It was starting to sag in places and so last summer I had a full foundation poured adjacent to it and the house moved over on to the new foundation.

I had the contractor extend a footing from the outside wall of the foundation for a two flue chimney and this summer I'd like to try to build the chimney base up to the sill so I can backfill. To provision for a boiler in the basement, a knock out was put in the foundation wall for a flue thimble. Another knock out was put in adjacent to the thimble for a cleanout for the second flue. This second flue will eventually service a wood stove on the ground floor.

I'm thinking that when I eventually come up above the sill, I'd like to build a masonry hearth for the wood stove. I'll frame a hole in the wall and build the hearth through the wall. I'd like to do the finished exterior and the hearth in old brick.

Obviously this project is much more complex than the chimney I built twenty years ago, but I'd like to try to tackle it on my own anyway. I've been scouring the net and even bought a used book on Amazon "Masonry Skills" by Kreh, but I don't think I have nearly enough detail yet to make me feel comfortable enough to proceed. Am I nuts? How much trouble can I get in to? How should I get started?

Getting connected with a retired mason to be Yoda to me for a few days would be ideal but I'm not sure if this will be in the cards.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Thanks...Chris.

inspectorD

I would call around to some masons in the area. There is always an old timer who does not do the physical stuff anymore, but loves to be involved. These guy's still get up early , and like to hang around, usually find em in the local coffee shop. You could throw in a couple of bucks ...it's worth the training they have.
Besides.... making friends with the new folks in town is always a plus for future projects.

Worth more than any book.

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glennjanie

Boy! How true "D". I would love to be an intermitent advisor on a job where someone else does the work.
Glenn

inspectorD

But you are already a good advisor right here...you don't even need to leave the house.

Sometimes we are right in the midst of it all and forget we are still helpin out.

I have learned the most valuable info from the old, wise learned, ornery,(insert thesaurus here) timers....they have experienced it, not talked about it.
Good luck finding a mason,it should be easier than you think.
Dont forget about learnin all you can, and yes... you have to share later.

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entp

I think I'm going to take the advise. Thanks to both of you. It'll be a few months, but I'll touch base as things unfold.

Thanks again!