Fieldstone fire pit - Contractor says it doesn't need fire bricks or refractory cement?

[tomgrinct]

Hi everyone, we have a pretty big masonry job going on right now, and so far, we are very happy with our landscape and masonry contractors.

But the planned field stone fire pit was (by our contract) supposed to be lined with fire bricks and use refractory mortar cement. While they were building it, my contractor decided that it would not need fire bricks or refractory cement. I pushed him on this, and said, "ok, but the workers used standard cement, not fire-safe as agreed to."

My question is, are they misleading me on their game-time decision not to include those?

There is still time to hold them to the agreement if I can support that we really need them, either for fire safety, or for long-term wear of the fieldstone and (what will be soon) the wet-set bluestone patio around it.

The deck boards are being replaced, and the fire pit area will be wet-set bluestone.

Here are pics of the fire pit. Thanks for your help.

 

[tomgrinct]

It's been a while, but I wanted to share this with anyone who finds it in the future. After a little bit of back and forth, the contractor agreed to make it right. They knocked out the interior field stones, used the refractory cement, and firebricks. We're very happy with the outcome. Thank you, everyone, for your feedback.

Next, I just have to determine the best way to achieve optimal fires in this pit, i.e., airflow intake and smoke management. Would you recommend using a fire grate to remove the logs from the stones? And should we consider a fire ring with air holes in it?

 

[Champz]

Glad they made it right! I'd definitely recommend a fire grate, it helps with airflow and cleaner burns. A fire ring with air holes could be a good upgrade too, especially for managing smoke better.

 

[TheStoneBuilder]

It's been a while, but I wanted to share this with anyone who finds it in the future. After a little bit of back and forth, the contractor agreed to make it right. They knocked out the interior field stones, used the refractory cement, and firebricks. We're very happy with the outcome. Thank you, everyone, for your feedback.

Next, I just have to determine the best way to achieve optimal fires in this pit, i.e., airflow intake and smoke management. Would you recommend using a fire grate to remove the logs from the stones? And should we consider a fire ring with air holes in it?

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Nice! Great to know they addressed your concerns and stuck to the plan! And yes, absolutely use a fire grate not just for better airflow but to protect the base and to make ash removal much easier! A fire ring with air holes is also an excellent idea especially if smoke is an issue. Both also work best in tandem for less smoke, hotter fires, and more efficient burning!