How to Build a Brick Chimney for a Stove

Cut one full refractory brick in half using the chisel and hammer. Place the chisel at the halfway point on the brick and hit the end with the hammer. Split the brick crosswise, making two smaller bricks that are equal size.

Lay the split brick in the center of a clear, flat space. Set two full bricks on either side, so the long sides are touching. Across the top, lay one full brick across the left and one of the half bricks on the right, with sides touching each other and the first bricks. This is the first layer of the brick chimney.

Start the second layer of bricks by placing a half brick on the top left corner. Lay a full brick along the top right, so the ends meet. The bricks should be in the opposite order of the layer below them so the joints do not match up. Lay two full bricks on the left and right, directly on top of the full bricks below. These joints should match up.

Straighten the bricks between the first and second layer as needed, pushing them together so the edges touch and there are no gaps.

Start the third layer of bricks by laying a full brick over the opening so one edge is just resting on the lip of the left brick, crossing the opening made by the split brick and resting mostly on the right brick. Set the next brick to the left of that brick, so that it matches the full brick below it on the second layer. Contine around the third layer, laying two more bricks to complete the square.

Make a fourth layer the same way, but placing the bricks so the joints do not match up with the joints on the layer below.

Bend the sheet of metal with the pliers, about two inches in on two parallel sides. Set the metal piece so that it is two-thirds of the way inside the brick chimney.

Place a full brick flat at the opening, next to the metal piece, and then put kindling inside the stove. Start a fire, feeding it with wood until it burns down to charcoal.

Set four flat pebbles on the top of the brick chimney, near the opening. Place a cooking pot on the flat pebbles, which provide ventilation for the fire below and lift the pot up and over the opening for optimum heating and cooking.