# Existing single sided wood burning fireplace into double sided in/outdoor - Can it be done?



## JoyW (Dec 30, 2006)

Hello,
I have a wood burning fireplace in my living room. We just added a screened porch to the fireplace wall and would like to turn our single sided wood burning fireplace into a double sided fireplace that can be used on the porch. Can this be done? I'd like to be able to securely close each side when not in use.
Thanks for any advice.
Joy


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## elkimmeg (Dec 30, 2006)

Besides having about 6 tons of brick and motar above you , cutting out support can be dangerous if one does not know what they are doing.   That said
 the answer is yes and no. Your flue liner is sized for the opening that esist now. If you double that opening size you have to double the flue size, meaning rebiilding the entire chimney
Another possibility is you may be able to install a Pre bab fire place that can use your existing flue that opens to two sides. 

 One can not just  cut out the rear side and expect the smoke shelf  damper ah and flue liners to work  the damper size would also have to be increased the throar size increased the smoke shelf configuration altered then supporting the new cut out.  This is not a job for DIYers  given your setup probably cannot be done


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## PaulD (Dec 30, 2006)

Two sets of glass fireplace doors would solve your 'sizing' problem and help eliminate low draft or cross draft issues. I don't know anything about the smoke shelf so I can't comment on that and I would agree that this is probably not a simple project with proper support over the new opening being extremely important.


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## webbie (Dec 30, 2006)

Elk is right about the flue size and smoke shelf design. I have seen this job attempted and the results are usually not good.


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## elkimmeg (Dec 30, 2006)

If it could work most of the time, it drafts so poorly, they end up smoking out the home. Second the glass door ideas seems top solve the closing off the other side, but
 the doors are not the tightest fit. Tremendouse amounts of air will escape around those doors, so much so ,your existing flue capacity will not exit the smoke ,but blow it back into the open side.
 That said,. because glass doors are not adquetate seal again,  and can be opened ,,it is not a permanent seal and the chimney has to be designed,  factoring in the total opening,
 meaning larger flue capacity resulting in a total rebuilding. One may be able to brick off the existing side and open it to your porch, but the throat smoke shelf damper areas would require being re worked.  This wll be an expensive job. there is a lot more going on than just cutting a opening.


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