Alright, let’s talk about this whole fireplace thing I did. I’ve always wanted a cozy fireplace, you know, the kind you see in movies, with a nice fire crackling away. So, I finally decided, “Screw it, I’m doing it.” I went with a brick fireplace and one of those log burner stoves. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
First off, I had to figure out where this thing was going to go. After pacing around my living room like a madman for hours, I picked a spot. Then came the fun part – picking out the bricks. I wanted something that looked old and had character, not those perfect, boring bricks. I ended up finding some reclaimed ones from an old building, which was pretty cool.
Next up, the stove. I did a bit of reading and found out you don’t even need a chimney for these things, which was news to me. I chose a simple, black log burner. Nothing fancy, just something that would do the job and not look out of place with the brick.
Getting down to building it
Getting down to building it. I got a mason to build the fireplace, I didn’t think I should try to be a hero and do it myself. Laying bricks is harder than it looks, trust me. Watching him work was pretty interesting, though. He mixed up the mortar, started laying the bricks, and slowly but surely, my fireplace started to take shape.
- The guy started by laying down a solid base.
- Then he built up the sides, one brick at a time.
- He left a space in the middle for the log burner.
Once the brick surround was done, it was time to get that log burner in there. I got a professional to install it, I had to make sure everything was up to code and safe. He got the stove in place, hooked it up, and just like that, I had a fireplace!
The first time I lit it up, it was awesome. I just sat there, staring at the flames, feeling like I was in one of those cozy cabins you see in magazines. I loaded it up with a bunch of logs, got the fire roaring, and then turned down the air vents once everything was burning nicely. It took a while, but I figured out how to keep it going for a good few hours.
Finishing touches.
The last thing I did was paint the brick surround. I originally liked the rustic look, but I decided to go with a light gray color. It brightened up the room and gave the whole thing a more modern feel, which I ended up liking more than I thought I would.
So, yeah, that’s my fireplace story. It was a bit of a project, but totally worth it. Now, whenever it gets cold, I just light up my log burner, and it’s the best feeling ever. If you’re thinking about getting one, I’d say go for it. Just make sure you know what you’re doing, or get someone who does!
