CONSTRUCTING THE FIREPLACE
I LOVE TO HAVE A BIG FIREPLACE IN A HOUSE AND BECAUSE I RE-ARRANGED THE LAYOUT OF THE FRENCH HOUSE AND ADDED A NEW 40 SQM LIVING ROOM WITHIN THE EXISTING WALLS THERE WAS NO FIREPLACE!
I IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE WONDERING WHAT THE HECK IS THE FIREPLACE DOING IN THE CORNER! THE EXPLANATION IS THAT THIS WAS THE ONLY PLACE IT COULD GO AS THE WEIGHT OF THE FIREPLACE IS SUPPORTED BY THE WALL AND IF IT HAD BEEN PLACED WHERE THE WINDOW IS, THE WEIGHT OF THE WALL AND THE FIREPLACE WOULD HAVE COME DOWN ON THE OAK BEAM BELOW WHICH FRAMED THE GARAGE DOORS. THE NEW WINDOW OVER THE BEAM TOOK WEIGHT AWAY FROM THIS BEAM |
I SAT DOWN AT MY DESK AND USING MY A3 "ROTRING" DRAWING BOARD I DESIGNED THE FIREPLACE. THIS WAS BASED ON A HUGE STONE BUILT MEDIEVAL FIREPLACE THAT I HAD SEEN IN A RUINED BUILDING WHILST SEARCHING FOR MY HOUSE. THE INTERESTING THING FOR ME WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING SOMETHING EASY, AS THERE WOULD BE NO DRESSED STONE NEEDED, AS WELL AS LOOKING AUTHENTIC AND ATTRACTIVE.
THE FIRST THING TO DO WAS TO SEARCH FOR THE MATERIALS
THE FIRST THING TO DO WAS TO SEARCH FOR THE MATERIALS
HERE MICHAEL THE MASON IS BUILDING THE FIREPLACE. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TWO STONE BEAMS THAT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT ARE CANTILEVERED OUT OF THE STONE WALL WHICH IS 600 MM THICK. THEN THE OAK BEAM SUPPORT WAS PUT IN PLACE AND THE FIRE BRICKS BUILT UP INTO THE REQUIRED SHAPE. AS IT IS IN A CORNER THE WALL IS WELL SUPPORTED AT THIS POINT.
THE SLAB IS ALSO CANTILEVERED FROM THE WALL AS I DID NOT WANT ANY WEIGHT TO GO ON THE NEW WOOD FLOOR |
I MANAGED TO FIND A PAIR OF STONE SUPPORTS FOR THE FIREPLACE AT A RECYCLE YARD NEAR MANSLE.
THE OWNER OF THIS YARD IS CONSTRUCTING A HOUSE WITHIN THE YARD INCORPORATING MANY OF THE MEDIEVAL WINDOWS AND FIREPLACES THAT HE HAS SALVAGED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE FINISHED PRODUCT ONE DAY.
THE OAK BEAM CAME FROM THE WEAK FLOOR WITHIN THE HOUSE THAT I DEMOLISHED IN ORDER TO CONSTRUCT THE NEW FLOOR.
THE OWNER OF THIS YARD IS CONSTRUCTING A HOUSE WITHIN THE YARD INCORPORATING MANY OF THE MEDIEVAL WINDOWS AND FIREPLACES THAT HE HAS SALVAGED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE FINISHED PRODUCT ONE DAY.
THE OAK BEAM CAME FROM THE WEAK FLOOR WITHIN THE HOUSE THAT I DEMOLISHED IN ORDER TO CONSTRUCT THE NEW FLOOR.
HERE YOU CAN SEE THE CONSTRUCTION MORE CLEARLY AND HOW THE WEIGHT IS SUPPORTED. BELOW THE FIREPLACE IS THE ORIGINAL LADDER ACCESS POINT TO THIS FLOOR WHICH ORIGINALLY SERVED TO STORE THE FOOD FOR THE PIGS AND DUCKS THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD KEPT IN THE GARAGE BELOW.
THE FIRE BRICKS ARE THE TRADITIONAL LINER FOR CHARENTAISE CHIMNEYS, BASED ON ORIGINAL ROMAN BRICKS THESE WERE IDEAL FOR BUILDING UP THE DESIRED CURVATURE OF THE CHIMNEY. I BOUGHT THESE FROM A LARGE RECLAMATION YARD IN THE VIENNE FOR ABOUT ONE EURO EACH. THIS YARD IS FULL OF VERY DESIRABLE STONE WINDOWS, DOOR PORTALS, ANIMAL DRINKING TROUGHS, OAK STAIRCASES, DOORS, IN FACT MOST THINGS THAT ONE WOULD NEED TO FIND TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE LOOKING AS IT SHOULD. THE PROBLEM IS THE PRICES WHICH ARE SKY HIGH AS THEY SELL THE STUFF ALL OVER EUROPE. I DID MANAGE TO AFFORD TO BUY SOME OAK PILLARS AND BEAMS FROM THEM AND THEY HAVE A LARGE SPECIALISED TRUCK IN WHICH THEY CAN TRANSPORT HEAVY ITEMS TO YOUR HOUSE. |
ABOVE LEFT, THE FIREPLACE DOING IT`S JOB AND IN THE CENTRE AN EERIE LIGHT TRANSFIXING POOR DANTE WITH IT`S GLARE. ON THE RIGHT THE WILD BOAR THAT LOOKS DOWN ON ME WHILE I`M SNOOZING IN THE ARMCHAIR OR COUNTING THE GLASSES OF WINE THAT i CONSUME. PICTURES TAKEN IN 2018.