How did they build old chimneys?

Chimneys in ordinary dwellings were first built of wood and plaster or mud. Since then chimneys have traditionally been built of brick or stone, both in small and large buildings. Early chimneys were of simple brick construction. Later chimneys were constructed by placing the bricks around tile liners.

How were Victorian chimneys built?

The Victorians, seeing what a versatile substance it was, decided to not just build their chimneys out of bricks held together with cement mortar, they also lined their chimneys with a layer of cement mortar called parging.

Why do old houses have crooked chimneys?

The causes of masonry chimneys leaning are that they weigh many tons, and that weight is concentrated on a small area. That is why it is important that a chimney be built on a concrete footing. A chimney may be attached to your home for stability, but that’s not what’s holding it up.

Are chimney breasts brick?

Chimney jambs similarly project from the wall, but they do so on either side of the fireplace and serve to support the chimney breast. The interior of a chimney breast is commonly filled with brickwork or concrete. The construction and appearance of a chimney breast can vary according to function and style.

Can chimneys be curved?

Often a brick chimney is visibly curved or leaning above the building roof line. If the cause is sulphation the chimney curving process is well understood, but further inspection of the chimney flue and the chimney stability are in order since a badly damaged brick chimney may have an unsafe flue or may collapse.

What kind of house was built in 1910?

This lovely 1910 house was built in the Classic Box or Prairie Box Style more commonly referred to as the American Foursquare. (In fact,it has that rare commodity in most homes–four good-sized bedrooms on the second floor!)

What was the construction like in the 1900’s?

A construction crew from 1900 would barely recognize one working on a home in 1999, as the 20th century saw huge changes in the styles of houses and construction methods and regulations. As America moved into the 1900s, notable change began happening on the home construction and architectural scenes.

What was the change in architecture in the 1900s?

As America moved into the 1900s, notable change began happening on the home construction and architectural scenes. All of these changes reflected a shifting economy and population.

What was the building industry like in the 1950s?

A hallmark of the American building industry by the 1950s was the standardization of building materials and methods. Grading of lumber and use of standard sizes and measures became common after the Federal Housing Administration developed a minimum building code.

Why did people build chimneys in their houses?

In the northern colonies, builders tended to locate chimneys toward the center of the house, where the warmth absorbed by the masonry would radiate out and keep rooms cozy during long winters. In southern colonies, chimneys were near end walls or even built outside the walls so the heat could dissipate.

Where to put a chimney in a colonial house?

Double interior chimneys, such as those shown here, were often found on colonial houses built in the Georgian style. In the northern colonies, builders tended to locate chimneys toward the center of the house, where the warmth absorbed by the masonry would radiate out and keep rooms cozy during long winters.

Where are the chimneys located in a cracker house?

Chimneys were placed at each gable end of the house. The house was normally raised above grade and had large windows in each of the two front rooms, but lacked a front door. A child of sharecropper Ed Bagget walks in the dog-trot near Laurel, Mississippi.

How does a chimney work on a peaked roof?

When a chimney rises from the very center of a house with a peaked roof, it penetrates both sloping sides of the roof. To keep water from seeping into the seam between brick and roof, the roofer used a straight flashing instead of the traditional stepped flashing—separate pieces that line up with each shingle course.