Whether you are homeowner looking for the most resilient and efficient way to heat your home with a renewable fuel source, a designer looking to provide comfort for your clients, or a mason looking to add masonry heaters to your repertoire, it is helpful to understand how masonry heaters work…. (Please note that while social […]
It is important for someone installing a masonry heater core to be familiar with working with refractory mortar and laying firebrick. For the purposes of our installation instructions, we will refer to the use of commercially available pre-mixed refractory mortars which are typically a combination of clay, very fine aggregate, and sodium silicate (aka waterglass)
The Compact Tower design represents the smallest footprint for our modular firebox design. All of the heat exchange is stacked on top of the firebox making for a compact unit that leverages but does not maximize the heat exchange potential of this 40 lb. capacity firebox. It is perfect for masonry heaters in smaller, tightly
This series of drawings shows design work creating a masonry heater with an efficient firebox, oven and extended day bed which could also serve as part of a dining nook. Further Reading
Videos of the Experience This gathering continues to be a seminal gathering point for masonry heater builders from the United States and Canada. The focal point of the meeting are the three days of hands-on workshops designed to meet you where you are at in your masonry heater building journey. There were beginning, intermediate, and
This post contains both general planning guides and detailed installation instructions for 5R and 5RO masonry heater construction.
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This planning guide illustrates how to integrate a masonry heater into the architecture of a home, including foundation and chimney requirements. It also includes an important budgeting and materials worksheet.
Providing outside or “make-up” air directly to a masonry heater is a modern technique to ensure that the firebox receives the air it needs for efficient combustion and does not compete with other appliances such as kitchen exhaust hoods for adequate venting. The Firespeaking Masonry Heater Design System features an internal crossover between where outside
The Molalla Masonry Heater is a custom masonry heater which includes an oven, extensive heated benches, wood storage, and a full masonry chimney.
This article complements the Masonry Heater Foundation Details article by providing real-world process examples. All framing is placed 2″ beyond the heater footprint to meet clearance requirement. Only the subfloor bridges across that clearance (since it is a membrane that can dissipate heat and is necessary practically in construction). Although pink board was used in
A tutorial on how to order replacement glass for masonry heater firebox doors including a table of measurements.
The 5-Run with Oven (5RO) is a versatile, symmetric, top-venting masonry heater design. The post includes an overview of the design, drawings of possible bench additions and provides basic dimensions for planning.
