Want to build a mason chimney

 
Chancey P.
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Post by Chancey P. » Sat. Feb. 29, 2020 9:58 am

Looking to build a mason chimney this summer, nothing but trouble with a Metal-fab stainless insulated chimney.
The new chimney will be fresh construction on the outside of the house, so I will need from the footer to the cap. Anyone have recommendations on a book to read or a web link so I can learn how to build a proper chimney?


 
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Post by Den034071 » Sat. Feb. 29, 2020 11:26 am

Chanc for starters dig footer below frost line for your state . Chimney block are 16 by 16 inches square and cheaper then brick .For your Harmon 6 inch round flue pipes are inserted in chimney block .Fill balance around flue with vermiculite .Connect each flue with fire caulk looks like Black Toothpaste . Stack each chim . block and use 4 foot level to keep block plumb and level .Now listen go to brickyard and Purchase Small Bag of Wall Ties .These are 7 inch metal strips you insert in mortar and also nail the ties to your house to prevent chi. from pulling away from your house .Don't be afraid to do this .P M me I was a mason .jackGlad to help you .jack

 
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Post by coalder » Sat. Feb. 29, 2020 11:37 am

Chance, I too was a mason for many years. & just did a block chimney this fall for a friend. I would highly suggest that unless you have done this before & have the experience, tools, scaffolding planks ect; that you hire someone with experience & be their helper. Trust me, this ain't like hanging wallpaper.
Jim

 
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Post by Chancey P. » Sun. Mar. 01, 2020 8:59 am

coalder wrote:
Sat. Feb. 29, 2020 11:37 am
Chance, I too was a mason for many years. & just did a block chimney this fall for a friend. I would highly suggest that unless you have done this before & have the experience, tools, scaffolding planks ect; that you hire someone with experience & be their helper. Trust me, this ain't like hanging wallpaper.
Jim

My thought was no more than one or two teirs per day or two days, so it has time to dry and I can check for any problems as I go.
I plan on starting late spring early summer so I have plenty of time.
Not very good at watching others do the work I need to and want to learn.

 
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Post by coalder » Sun. Mar. 01, 2020 11:06 am

OK, but here are some things you should be aware of. I take it that the chimney is for your new boiler in the basement. So now you are go have to dig down to existing footing & attach new footing to existing footing. A hammer drill is needed to pin said footing. Now you are going to have to cut 2 chases through the foundation wall. One for clean out & one for thimble & if poured walls this is a bitch. Two ways to do it. One get a big ass hammer drill & drill a series of connected holes slightly bigger than the outline completely through the wall & then beat out with a sledge. God forbid you hit a re-rod. Drill bit destroyed & possible injury when the bit binds & now the drill gets twisted from your hands. Or rent a concrete chainsaw with diamond blade. Code in NY is blocks 1" off framing on exterior. You will now need a .22 cal nail gun for fastening wall ties to concrete, a large demo saw with a diamond blade for cutting chimney blocks & a 4" angle grinder also with diamond blade for cutting hole in flue for thimble. Refractory cement for flues & type S mortar for blocks. DO NOT use type 'N' mortar. Any flues that get cut lengthwise the cut goes down; this is because flue is no longer glazed at the cut. Don;t matter how high ya go per day, but at 94 lbs per unit you will know when you have had enough. The top cap should be two parts sand to one part Portland cement. & once cap is on try to shade to prevent cracking. Good luck.
Jim

 
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Post by Chancey P. » Sun. Mar. 01, 2020 8:28 pm

Coalder,
Yes for the boiler, and I failed to mention that it will be a two 6" flue chimney I probably will want to put a backup boiler (gas, oil,etc.) in someday.
The foundation walls are block. that shouldn't be to awefully bad. So I did read a little bit of the icc code it says the footer only has to be below the frost line for here that's 4 1/2' down, I also hit hard clay about 1 foot down of digging. However I do agree with your method and prefer to connect it to the house footer, it's more work but seems like a much lower possibility for problems in the long hall. Any additional thoughts on that?
My next big concern is connecting it to the house, now that I'm looking at chimneys on other houses I'm seeing some of them are at least 1inch away, an air gap between the chimney and siding is that what I should have when I'm done? Do I just connect it at the foundation and the eve. Or do I connect to the side of the house as well and if so how would I go about that? Doesn't seem like the 4" studs in the wall would do much to hold the chimney laterally. Is it wrong if I use tapcons or lags verses nails for connecting it to the foundation wall?

 
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Post by McGiever » Sun. Mar. 01, 2020 9:59 pm

Jack said to get 7"wall ties to connect to studs.


 
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Post by coalder » Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 8:19 am

OK, blocks are much easier to penetrate. The reason for deep footer is thimble must be 18" below floor joists, clean out about 2' below thimble & footer 4' below finish grade. As long as you can accomplish this you are fine. As you come up with blocks fill them solid to clean out, Shoot wall ties into block & fill solid between chimney block & foundation. Once you meet framing keep 1' away, use wall ties every 2-3 courses & try to nail to studs. The one inch rule is code in NY, however engineers don't take into consideration lateral movement towards the house in windy days. Wall ties help chimney movement from house, but not towards. What I have been doing is when I reach the rafters I fasten 2 layers if 1/2' dur-rock to the rafter, giving me 1", lay that chimney block tight to the dur-rock & wall tie the piss out of it there. Is this code? Hell no but it should be!! The chimney is now stabilized!! I've seen guys make metal brackets, cut & bend metal floor bridging use a dozen wall ties across one block & fill ,with mud just trying to prevent lateral movement. Well it now sounds to me like "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead"!! :yes:
Jim

 
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Post by Chancey P. » Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 9:32 am

Alright,
Thanks to all of you for the education. Now I can start to plan while waiting for warm weather.

 
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Post by coalder » Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 10:06 am

Chance, keep me posted as you progress, & I will do my best to walk you through it. Another thing to consider is where you position the thimbles. Don't try to cut through the center of one block. When you get to that point, stack 2 blocks dry, & center the thimble where they meet & trace the thimble. Cut half of bottom block & half of top block. Also avoid cutting thimble holes in flue tiles where they meet.
Jim

 
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Post by Hoytman » Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 8:00 pm

We need a chimney build with pictures.

 
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Post by McGiever » Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 10:59 pm

Not a mason, but do remember that the mortar is to keep the blocks 'apart'...not 'together' ;)

 
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Post by Chancey P. » Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 11:41 pm

Hoytman wrote:
Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 8:00 pm
We need a chimney build with pictures.
I will see to it that I keep you informed with pictures, explanations and likely, more questions.

 
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Post by Chancey P. » Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 11:45 pm

McGiever wrote:
Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 10:59 pm
Not a mason, but do remember that the mortar is to keep the blocks 'apart'...not 'together' ;)
So, I figure I have about 4 blocks to get good before I'm above ground and can't cover up any flaws.

 
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Post by McGiever » Mon. Mar. 02, 2020 11:56 pm

Liberal use of a Joint Striking Tool can fix any short-comings as for appearance... :)


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