All ready for that winter weather

August 13, 1996

The fireplace was installed in just a day. In most cases adding a fireplace to a modern log home is more of a cosmetic feature then a functional necessity, and an expensive one at that! We have friends that built a log home and left out the fireplace since it was so costly, but in our case we knew we would always regret not having a fireplace so here it is. I know this photo is not very clear but I promise to post a nicer photo when the fireplace is completed. We still need to add a firebreak, which is a piece of 5/8" drywall placed horizontally about halfway up the chase. As further fire proofing it is also a good idea to sheetrock the inside wall of the chase and in some cases this is code. Then you insulate the inside wall of the chase, cover it with OSB or plywood, tar paper or Tyvek the outside of the chase and finally brick or rock the chase, this last part is usually the expensive part. In order to cut down on the masonry cost we will be using cultured rock which is cast imitation stone. Its less expensive, easier to install (I may even try this job myself), and only your local geologist will know its fake rock!

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