Stacked Stone Fireplace: The Ellis Family's One-Chimney Build

Step 1 of 6

Step 1: Lay the Block Base on the Patio

The Ellis family started right on their stamped concrete patio. They laid out the cinder block footprint, raised the block walls for the fireplace and the oven stand, and poured the hearth slab on top.

Step 2 of 6

Step 2: Lay the Firebrick Cooking Surface

Firebricks went down in a herringbone pattern inside a brick border on the hearth. This is the firebrick cooking surface the whole oven sits on.

Step 3 of 6

Step 3: Build the Firebrick Barrel Over the Foam Form

The Mattone Barile Grande foam form set the shape. Firebrick went up and over it, course by course, and the finished barrel was wrapped in ceramic fiber blanket.

Step 4 of 6

Step 4: Enclose the Oven and Light the First Fire

The oven was boxed in with buff block and topped with a stainless chimney cap. Then came the first fire, and the black oven door with wood handles.

Step 5 of 6

Step 5: Add the Fireplace and Chimneys

Next, a wood-burning fireplace went in right beside the oven. It was built in brick first, with a red brick chimney for the fireplace and another for the oven. This brick stage is the solid core the stacked stone goes over.

Step 6 of 6

Step 6: Finish It in Stacked Stone

Natural stacked stone wrapped the fireplace, the oven and both chimneys in one big stone mass, with a monogram medallion and lights up top. Capped seating walls frame the patio around it.

BeforeFinished

Drag across the photo (or just move your mouse) to go from a cinder block footprint to the finished stacked stone fireplace and oven.

Plan Yours

Stacked Stone Fireplace Ideas From This Build

Wrap the fireplace and the oven in one stone mass. Two fires, two flues, one big stacked stone chimney. See more outdoor fireplace with pizza oven ideas.

Build it solid first, stone it last. Block and brick make the structure. The stacked stone is the finish that goes over it.

Make the chimney the centerpiece. A monogram medallion and a pair of lights turn the chimney face into the focal point of the patio.

Frame it with seating walls. Low capped walls give everyone a place to sit by the fire. For another stone fireplace and oven combo, see this outdoor stone fireplace build.

Good Questions

Stacked Stone Fireplace FAQ

What is a stacked stone fireplace?

A stacked stone fireplace is faced in stone laid in thin, tight, horizontal courses, so it looks like dry-stacked rock. The Ellis family used natural stone veneer over a block and brick core.

Can you put stacked stone over brick?

Yes. The Ellis family built their fireplace, oven enclosure and chimneys in block and brick first, then covered all of it in natural stacked stone. Brick and block make a solid base for stone veneer.

Can a fireplace and a pizza oven share one chimney?

They can share one chimney structure, but each fire needs its own flue. The Ellis family ran a separate flue and cap for the fireplace and for the oven, then wrapped both in one stacked stone chimney.

Which oven kit did the Ellis family use?

They built a firebrick barrel over the Mattone Barile Grande foam form. Today the form comes with the insulation blanket, chimney kit and more in Mattone Barile Grande · Package 3.

How long does a fireplace and pizza oven project take?

It depends on your schedule. The Ellis family called theirs a two-year project, worked on here and there, and they love how it turned out.

How long do you cure a new pizza oven?

Plan on about a week of small, gradually bigger fires to drive the moisture out. Skip it and the oven can crack. See our pizza oven curing guide for the full schedule.