EXPERT ADVICE
BRICK-BUILT FIREPLACES
“Ensure that your indoor braai matches the style of your home, or it could be an eyesore,” says Dirkie Kotze of DKR Builders in Wellington. Follow his tips:
• A fireplace that is intended only for generating heat can have a smaller opening that is closer to floor level. It would be best to invest in a cast-iron stove as it will be more efficient for this purpose.
• For a hearth used as a fireplace, braai, pizza oven and for making potjies, the ideal opening is 1200mm wide and 725mm high. A depth of 800mm will prevent the cook from getting too hot. Our fireplace is 780mm from the floor, which is a comfortable height for a braai grid.
• The most important aspect of a brick-built indoor fireplace is that it shouldn’t smoke. To avoid this, the ratio of the fireplace opening to the chimney opening is of utmost importance. A general rule of thumb is a ratio of 1:10. Our fireplace opening is
1200 x 725mm, which relates to 0.87m². Hence, the chimney’s opening surface should be a tenth of the fireplace opening, which is 0.087m².
• It’s also important that the chimney is higher than the tallest point of the roof to ensure that the warm air is extracted by the chimney. The chimney must be built as smooth as possible on the inside to help with the extraction of the smoke.
• Add a fireproof light to the inside of the fireplace so you can see what you’re doing when cooking.
• If you use klompie bricks or any other fired clay bricks on the inside, it’s advisable that the base bricks are laid on a bed of sand on top of the lintels. Use cement only for the front row to prevent it from cracking.
• Before taking on a DIY project like this, talk to a professional to find out what kind of foundation is required, and which design will best suit your home.
CONTACT 083 644 1241, dkrbuilders.co.za >>