[l dingman]

I want to build a fireplace outside. I have no worries about catching anything on fire. I will build the firebox out of firebrick and refractory mortar. I would like to know if I can build the surround, throat ,smoke chamber and flue out of cement board and steel studs? uhhhhh, if I do will it last? Most likely I will build a few fires a year. The exterior will be stucco.

:huh:

 

[jomama45]

I don't see why you couln't build the surround with steel studs & durock, but it's definately more work than just using concrete block, & nowhere near as strong. There is no way you can build the throat, smoke chamber, & flues from tile board! They wouldn't make it thru 1 good fire. :no: Depending on the size of firebox you planning, you can get these components fairly cheap. Throat sections (3) with coved ends to meet firebrick = about $350. 13" x13" x 24" flues = about $25 a peice. You can also make your own smoke chamber out of 2 flues to save yourself about $100. Check out rumford dot com for a ton of info on fireplace kits. I've done quite a few rumfords, & am in the process of building a 32" outdoor at my own house right now, and can verify that the fires can easily reach over 1500 degrees, probably closer to 2000 degrees at times. I have a good infared pyrometer, & it always maxxes out when aimed into the fire. This tells me there's no way the durock & steel studs will work.

 

[Termite]

I have no worries about catching anything on fire.

That's a good thing if you implement this design, because firebrick and refractory mortar are still going to let a lot of heat get past. Your design is a poor idea and will never meet code, no offense intended.

There's a lot of code giving the minimum requirements for masonry fireplaces. R1003.5 requires 2" of firebrick and 8" of solid masonry at the firebox walls or 10" of solid masonry alone, for instance. The smoke chamber must be 6" thick solid masonry. Etc..........................