Category Archives: Uncategorized

It really is beautiful. I had a steel fabricator replicate the legs the stove sits on and attach that as a pot rack to the ceiling. And then we made legs for the soapstone sink, too. I haven’t plumbed the … Continue reading →

Now to catch up with the chimney construction – the last post, about the stove, showed how the stove was tied to the chimney, and this post will show how the heater was tied in. And outside, a beautiful chimney … Continue reading →

The flue from the stove flue damper assembly to the chimney was very carefully done to insure it would never crack and leak exhaust. Angle irons and fiberglass-reinforced concrete made a stable platform for the steel pipe, then the pipe … Continue reading →

The soapstone was quarried in Quebec, got cut and polished in Maine by the Maine Wood Heat Co, and then delivered along with fire brick. The trailer was left for a couple of days as each slab of stone and … Continue reading →

We didn’t have a concrete mixing truck for this pour; the masons mixed all the concrete by hand and carried buckets up to the kitchen. The concrete set up over the weekend. Monday, they pulled out the wood framing, and … Continue reading →

First, you shift the piping for the forced hot water system, which is being replaced, but is still necessary. When I envisioned building the form for the bridging slab, I figured a piece of plywood would lie across the top … Continue reading →

Robert Leet, the structural engineer from Whetstone Engineering, Wendell, MA, says, “Compact the soil!” So we compact the soil. But it’s really grim using a combustion machine in the house. We opened all the doors and windows we could and … Continue reading →

Basic safety and building code requires removing all flammable material from a certain area around any wood-burning site, whether fireplace, cast-iron stove, or masonry heater, and this area includes the floor under and the wall behind those things. Therefore, we … Continue reading →

This is the chapter in the story where everything goes cold and dark, there is great disruption and trepidation, there are delays and blockages thwarting a quick and easy journey, but each reverse makes us stronger; “it’s character-building.” I’m sure … Continue reading →