Building a fireplace

**ultraviperman** · 07-30-2007, 05:42 PM

Hi everyone. I just joined this forum and had a question. Anyone know how you go about building a fireplace in the woods to put in a shelter out of natural materials?

I know you use rocks and mud, but the question is how?
Thanks, Mike

**albanian-american** · 07-30-2007, 05:49 PM

i believe that the best way is to first shape the mud into a hole like circle and make walls with the edges of the mud, then put stones around the mud walls,then make your fire in that, this makes sure that the forest doesnt burn , also clear the ground in a square area of like 5 feet

**Fog_Harbor** · 07-30-2007, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by ultraviperman

Hi everyone. I just joined this forum and had a question. Anyone know how you go about building a fireplace in the woods to put in a shelter out of natural materials?

I know you use rocks and mud, but the question is how?
Thanks, Mike

There is a great guide to chimneys in "Foxfire 1", which is available nearly everywhere.

Also, it would depend on the shelter - are you thinking of a cabin type of thing? If it's just a temporary shelter, maybe you should consider a wickiup or a tipi, the tipi being the better of the two to get rid of smoke.

**ultraviperman** · 07-30-2007, 11:24 PM

Thanks for the replies. Ok, I googled firefox 1 and didn't get anything. Is that a book or something?
Does anyone know of a link with some pics on how to do this? I didn't really understand the first explanation. Its hard when someone's just typing something to comprehend it. Your saying just make circular piece of mud and then put it in a fire to harden, then put rocks around it?? Oh and it would be put in a semi-permanent log cabin shanty.(like 6x8 cabin really tiny)

**RobertRogers** · 07-31-2007, 07:54 AM

Yes, I have seen them using clay which is impervious to smoke.

**trax** · 07-31-2007, 11:25 AM

You be cutting some really tiny trees to build that thing? That's a pretty small cabin. First settlers made their stoves out of clay, if it's available to you, it's a good bet. You might want to experiment with it a bit, there's different types of crushed rock and sand that will make the clay harden better and I don't know the geology of where you live, so it's on you. You can make a circular one in the centre of your structure or a rectangular one or semi-circular incorporated into an end wall and butt your logs up against it as you build. The centre one is going to give you better heat, but chimney construction will be more difficult. I recommend caving in to modern tech and buying stove pipe. You can also stack and fit rocks and use the clay for cement. Whichever you build, start a fire in it asap, the heat is only going to harden the clay for you. with the circular style, keep it flat on top for a cooking surface. I've built the stone ones with clay cement, not the clay all the way through ones, though I've seen friends hunting cabins with the completed deal, they worked good.

Also, if your cabin turns out to be a little bigger than a solitary confinement cell, you have two considerations, the size of the fireplace/stove and the overall size of the structure. Keep it one room, if possible, better heat circulation. Also, (this so depends on where you are and what nature has to offer) if you have chinking to do--gaps in the logs that need filling, mixing the clay with chunks of moss works really well. I hope some of this is helpful, I've used all of it myself except the completely clay fireplace. Good luck and have fun with it.

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