# Caulking around the fireplace



## cards66 (Jun 18, 2008)

I need to seal up the one side of fireplace on the inside of the house.   I am moving a insert into this fireplace this winter.  Can I just use regular caulk around it or should I use Fire Block Sealant?


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## begreen (Jun 18, 2008)

I'm not understanding what you are trying to seal. Where is the gap that you trying to seal and how large is it?


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## granpajohn (Jun 18, 2008)

When I was repairing the FP, a few years before the current insert, I used Rutland Fireplace Mortar
http://www.rutland.com/productinfo.php?product_id=19 ; so called, but it appears as a tube of caulk. I had never used it, but was quite pleased after it was all done.


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## cards66 (Jun 18, 2008)

I have gaps in between the fireplace and the drywall that I need to fill in as there is a draft there.    I didn't know if I needed the fireplace mortar since I am not bonding firebricks together but rather the fireplace and the inside walls of the house.


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## granpajohn (Jun 18, 2008)

cards66 said:
			
		

> I have gaps in between the fireplace and the drywall that I need to fill in as there is a draft there.    I didn't know if I needed the fireplace mortar since I am not bonding firebricks together but rather the fireplace and the inside walls of the house.


Hmmmm. In that case, I take back the Rutland comment, (I think). Sounds like drywall compound would be acceptable. But, I gotta wonder where the draft is coming from ultimately. (Assuming it's a significant draft)


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## cards66 (Jun 18, 2008)

Well last night I had my attic fa on and there was a pretty significant draft at the bottom of the wall.  I think some of the dry way has crumbled behind the base that is run up the wall by the fireplace.  I think that is where the biggest draft is.  However, there is some air coming in as far as about 4 feet up the wall.  I just want ot get it all tight.  I had just stuffed rags in the space up until now.  Since we are going to fire up the fireplace this winter I didn't thing the rags were a good idea to keep them there.


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## webbie (Jun 18, 2008)

Just about anything will do there - if it is between face and drywall...sounds like it might be pre-fab (metal) fireplace. Caulk should be non-combustible...we have used silicone, etc. which is good to 500F +. But the Rutland or even drywall stuff should do.


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## cards66 (Jun 18, 2008)

It is a stone fireplace.   I figured regular caulk would do the job but I figured I would ask around.


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## begreen (Jun 18, 2008)

Perhaps try sealing it carefully on both the exterior and interior. For the exterior use a flexible caulk designed for the job. DAP makes some good flex caulks like Alex Plus or DynaFlex. On the interior, there's often a slight movement between dissimilar surfaces, especially if they heat up and expand at different rates. I would be concerned that something like drywall mud or Rutland would crack over time. It may require a paintable silicone (Alex Plus) or Poly-SeamSeal on the interior crack.


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