Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

[gjbingham]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

I've got a similar situation on the left side of my oven that you have on your right. I have the house close by and have limited space for a counter there. I was just looking at it again today and I think I will just skip that counter. If I could go bigger, I would. The hearth of the oven pretty much blocks access to that space, at least in my case. A couple more feet of counter to the right, in your case, would make that area much more useable.

[james]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

One of the things I like about FB is that you get to learn new things and compare different approaches to similar situations. We've decide to frame the fireplace with concrete blocks and the oven with metal studs. Side by side. It's a good learning experience. I cut a lot of metal studs today, and I'm proud to say that I did not cut the heck out of my hands.

Both enclosures are going to be hipped roofs, covered with stucco. The wood stores and openings are going to be cut limestone -- including the limestone we salvaged from the ugly fireplace that was here when we got the house.

It's funny. This is the part of the project where you start getting nervous about the design aspect of the kitchen and hoping its all going to look good (as well as work well). Interesting.

James

[Inishta]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

Great work...........looks nicely balanced. Love the treatment of the fireplace chimney. It would have been so easy just to go straight up with it and lose the effect.

[james]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

Trevor,

Your photo with the raised firebox and arched wood store was the model. We're going to build the mantel, the angle the front back from mantel to the clay flue liner.

We'll see.
James

[gjbingham]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

Wow James! Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words. That last shot is like a disection photo. Everything about the masonry is revealed. That ones a keeper!

[james]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

We're having 50+mph winds and a lot of rain. Hopefully, another tree won't come down and squash our oven. :-)

The good news is that we finished the metal studs and hardibacker and got a tarp over the oven. At least it won't keep getting wet from now on.

One interesting note. After I cut the metal studs with snips the first day, the masons used a grinder with a metal blade to finished the frame up yesterday -- it was a lot faster. Noise and smelly, but I think it was faster. Worth noting.

Here's the tarp.
James

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

coming together nicely James, can't wait to see how you finish it off.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

James,

For metal studs, I've used a just about worn out chop saw with a metal cutting blade. Noisy and smelly, true, but a lot faster and more accurate. When cutting metal this way, it's always a good idea to use a spray lubricant on the blade. Jig-a-Loo (sorry, not my name) works fine, and you can get it at Home Cheapo.

Jim

[james]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

Here are the oven and fireplace with the forms removed from the counters.
James

[Bacterium]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

nice work....the makings of a good entertaining spot

[james]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

Here is the latest photo. I we are getting close -- and of course we have already started cooking. Grilled pork loin last night, while fighting my way through concrete dust. The hanging out part will come when we clean up! Our neighbors are starting to come by and we are planning our first parties.
James

[Frances]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

Very cool! I love the shape of the pizza oven...

And btw, I don't think there are too many different materials involved at all, its coming together very nicely.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

Nice project James.....

and where is the chimney completion design from? I've been thinking about taking pics of the many different chimney completions I see here! Some are pretty creative. Should we do a stickey or do we have one on chimneys?

[james]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

Here's a funny one. The thick stone on the stand works just right for the oven, and makes the stand a little wider than the upper oven enclosure -- and I think the proportions are pretty good. That was the plan.

But then, I didn't allow for the thicker material on the fireplace when we designed the stand, so the fireplace base it a little more squatty than I wanted.

These things get complicated.
James

[Inishta]

Re: Time to finish the oven; add fireplace

James ............the oven and fireplace relate very well to each other. I really like the terminal treatment of the chimneys.

Just looking at the fireplace it looks from the photo that floor to fireplace and fireplace to lintel are exactly the same height. IMHO that proportion is exactly right. The base arch stone looks to be approx the same height as the fireplace arch including the lintel. This has the effect of foreshortening the base and making it appear "squatty". When all is finished and the area cleared you probably wont even notice.