Fireplaces, Chimneys and Fireproofing 



127 



The fireplace facing can be of stone, brick or tile, as desired, and show an 

 8-inch or, better, a 12-inch face clear of the woodwork. There should be an 

 iron cover to the ash dump provided at the back of the fireplace which connects 

 with the ash pit in 

 the cellar. This ash 

 pit should extend 

 to the first floor, 

 and should have a 

 12 x 1 6-inch iron 

 door with frames 

 (in cellar), built into 

 the chimney during 

 its laying up. Thus 

 the ashes can be 

 dumped into the pit, 

 which is cleaned out 

 when necessary. 



The hearth is 

 built on a trimmer 

 arch which extends 

 from 20 to 24 inches 

 from the chimney 

 breast to the "skew 

 back" attached to 

 the header beam. 

 Two inches of con- 

 crete are laid there- 

 on and brought to 

 a level, on which 

 rests the tile or brick 

 hearth. As the prov- 

 ince of the "skew 

 back" is to keep 

 the trimmer arch 

 from falling when 

 the header shrinks, 

 it should not be 

 omitted. The "tail 



beams" or short floor timbers which butt against the "header" between the two 

 "trimmer" or side beams, are usually tenoned into the header, and further 

 supported by an iron stirrup carried under them and turned over the header beam. 



As fire spreads readily through the flues made by the hollow partitions, it is 

 absolutely necessary that such flues be cut off by the insertion of some non- 

 combustible material. In brick walls courses of brick between the flooring and 

 plastering are projected from the wall face, so that fire cannot pass up the flues 

 between the furring and the wall. A rough stone wall should be lined with brick 



Old mantel from the Lee House, Marblehead. An interesting and effective treatment, 

 with a touch of French in its design 



