Okay, guys, let’s talk about something I did recently – building a brick wood stove.
It all started when I saw this video about making a stove out of a plastic bottle. I thought, “Man, I can do better than that.” So, I decided to build a real wood stove, a brick one.
First, I needed bricks. I mean, that’s kind of obvious, right? You can’t build a brick stove without bricks. I went to the local store, the guys were super helpful. They had all sorts of bricks – new ones, used ones, different shapes and sizes.
Then, I started laying them out. I’m no bricklayer, but I figured, how hard could it be? It’s like building with LEGOs, just bigger and heavier. I started with the base, making sure it was level. I had to check my owner’s manual for where to find the model number but it was not very helpful.
The base was important
- Laying the base: I put down a layer of bricks, making sure they were all snug and tight. I used a level to make sure everything was, well, level.
- Building up: Then I started building up the sides. I made sure to stagger the bricks like I saw on some program – you know, for strength and stuff.
Some of the bricks had cracks. I read somewhere that if a brick is held tight on three sides, it’s probably okay. So, I used some of those. But if it looked like it was going to fall apart or if I could see through it, I tossed it.
The whole thing took me a few days, working on and off. It wasn’t perfect, but it was solid. I even managed to find an old metal door at a scrapyard and fit it on the front. It was a bit rusty, but it worked.
Finally, I built a fire in it. I’ll be honest, I was a bit nervous. But it worked! The fire drew well, and the stove heated up nicely. It was a great feeling, seeing something I built with my own hands actually working.
So, that’s my brick wood stove story. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely rewarding. If you’re thinking about building one yourself, I say go for it! Just make sure you’ve got the right stuff and you know how to use it.
