Thanks Coast Road. I think when Louie said "less than a thermal window" he was talking about the exterior barrier/closure. The way I interpret him you're both on the same page with this issue. Louie if I'm wrong would love to know.

im in Houston. ..yes it doesn't get cold down here like midwest. however, the fireplace has a option to allow the pilot light to stay lit "cold weather option". this firebox has three pieces of glass. and a area on the out side stainless framing to insulate..

I think Louie is quite aways off base on the complexity of this project. The idea that you can just cut out the damper and parge the smoke chamber greatly under represents the amount of work need to convert a masonry fireplace from one-side to two-sided. The most basic chimney top fan alone is going to set you back close to $3k wired and installed - so the cost estimate for the project of $3k - $4k is not realistic at all.

what about taking an indoor fireplace on an exterior wall in a 1960's hours and closing it up on the inside but opening it up on the outside so we can have a fire on our patio in the existing fireplace/chimney?

@dawnvaldez, if the original fireplace flue was designed properly for the inside fireplace opening, you should be able to close the interior and open the same size opening on the exterior without any functional issues. It will take some good, professional masonry work, but it is definitely possible.

Assuming you are in the USA, I'd suggest getting in touch with a local Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) professional to discuss your options. You can find one here: http://www.csia.org/search

thanks COASTROAD, I would hire the pros for that project, so I'll look into it.

I have a fireplace in the family room, it backs up to the patio. Iwould like to close it off inside and open it up onto the patio. Can this be done.?

yes. it can be done. the breast of the new firebox will be quite larger in depth and depending on existing construction the firebox might be smaller...but yes it can be done.

We recently purchased a home with a fireplace in the family room with a backside that extends out onto the patio. But instead of closing off one side, I would love to open up the other side so we have a double fireplace but I want to maintain a barrier between inside/outside. Is this possible and what are up/down sides to such an endeavor? Thanks!

@flipperchick, the best way to do something like this is to install a solid ceramic glass panel on one of the sides ( assuming you are starting with a masonry fireplace). The ceramic glass can take high heat and still preserve your building envelope.

I have two fireplaces that are back to back. Can they be converted into one fireplace that is double sided?

@Susan, the answer is a definite "maybe". If you don't suffering through my other answers in this thread, you'll see why and how.

What about doing this with a double sided wood stove?

@fitzhugh_shaw, I'm not sure what you're asking, but I'm only aware of one double-sided woodstove that is commercially available:

http://www.supremem.com/vision.php 

I don't recommend modifying a wood stove to make it see-through.

Yes, I could have been more clear. We now have a one sided fireplace cutout (is that the right word?) in our living room that holds a wood stove. I would like to cut out the other side of the chimney (in our dining room) and replace our current stove with one that has two sides.

@fitzhugh_shaw, without seeing the details, it is hard to say whether what you suggest would work or not, but I am not aware of a stove/insert designed for what you are describing.

Having said that, I know there are companies out there that will build just about whatever you want. I'm not suggesting you do it, but they're out there. :-)

For a professional opinion on your particular application, I suggest that you contact a local NFI (National Fireplace Institute) or CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) professional. Both websites have locator pages.

thank you!

We have a Lenox gas fireplace in the LR, on what was originally an outside wall of the house. The back of the fireplace goes through that wall and is enclosed in a floor to roof "bump out". The wall is now an inside wall due to turning the screened in porch into a 3-season room and the bump-out is in that room. So I'd like to turn the fireplace into a see-through 2-sided fireplace.

I've scanned all the msgs in this thread. Does the fireplace being gas (and I mean to keep it that way) ease some of the problems described earlier like draft issues and size of the flue? The current fireplace does circulate warm air into the room. I don't think I want that with the replacement - particularly due to the large room / small room heating difference problem. Thanks for any info.

@pegfayfeder, your best option is to install two back-to-back fireplaces. Here are several reasons why.

1. All gas fireplaces are manufactured fireplaces and cannot be modified, so there's nothing you can do to make the existing one see-through.

2. The depth from the inside wall face to the outside wall face is likely deeper than any gas see-through available, making for at least an awkward (if not impossible) installation.

3. As you mentioned, the heat differential is a factor. If you are using only one side, it will take twice as long to heat that room.

Having said all that, direct-vent gas fireplaces, singled sided or otherwise, don't have the draft issues we talked about with wood burning fireplaces.

Hi - I installed a wood burning double-sided fireplace during my first renovation, 29 yrs. ago. A fan was also installed to help blow out the heat. I never burned the fireplace. The glass was never put in place and the screens are still wrapped. It's a long story and I want to keep this short. Currently, I'm renovating again. Living in DC, lots of row houses, I thought inserting an electric log set would be safer, so I had the flue removed. Recently, I learned I might have to install two electric log sets back-to-back? I still want to use the blower for heat. Other than ethanol, what are my options to get the warmth and ambiance for my double-sided fireplace. I hope I did not overlook a previous response, if so please copy and paste. It will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

depending on local code you might look into a vent free set of gas logs. I like r.h.peterson brand

Help- Do we have any options other than replacement in this situation: we have a pre-fab peninsula wood burning fireplace (Superior brand) from the 1980's, that has a gas log insert. We want to simply make it a see-through fireplace, keeping the existing glass doors on both sides and building a wall next to the inoperable side - of course using non-combustible materials like steel studs and cement board and tile/stone. Manufacturer says we can't build next to the end glass panel even though it's fixed, because some heat does escape through the glass. Suggestions anybody? We're in California.

Sorry to brutally snatch off this bandaid, @homemom60 . . . No, you do not have any other options other than replacement.

The good news is that there are much nicer see-through fireplaces now to replace that old Superior. Believe me, you do not want to try to rework around a manufactured fireplace older than fifteen years old. It would be like remodeling your whole kitchen and leaving a 30-year-old dishwasher - and dishwashers are easy to replace. Fireplaces are not so easy to replace.

Get a new fireplace. Please.

I have gotten quite a few response to some of my post.. allow me to clarify
when you add value to a home ie. appraisal value it is A Fact that taking out a wood burning fireplace and installing a ethanol is a down grade. not a design down grade but a value to the home down grade.. ask any builder.
I will make a film and post the link to YouTube here when I done turning a single side to a see through.. it's not too difficult if you know what your working with.
the fan I talked about where some other poster had said I missed judged the pricing. I have receipt from my supplier. the exhausto (enervex) fan is 1400.00 for rs9
so my pricing if fair and accurate... again I will always welcome critiques but encourage that we stick to facts.
good luck with future endeavors. more soon to come

Is it a challenge to open up a one sided fireplace to two sides if its a gas log fireplace? do you need a larger chimney?

did you completed opening the one sided to two sides project into a gas log fireplace? This is exactly what I would like to do to me tradition masonry fireplace

Caroline...did you turn your fireplace into a double sided. Looking at doing the same thing and would love to see how yours turned out.

looking to build a 42" wood burning 2 sided exterior fireplace that is framed at a reasonable cost. what vendors makes this? this is new construction in michigan and will have a covered patio on one side and yard for the backside? it will have a gas log starter. the only vendor ive been given is Isokern. any other reasonable options?
should i add glass or metal doors to control draft issues pushing smoke a certain direction. love wood burning. not interested in gas option. thanks.

Marielle, Supreme fireplaces makes 2 all stainless steel wood-burning fireplaces, with doors, that are suitable for installation outside. This is the one I prefer: The Supreme Duet. It even has a drop down BBQ grill!

The glass doors on the Supreme fireplace are ceramic glass and are designed to be closed during operation, so you will get better radiant heat and definitely reduce smoking issues. Doors on typical wood-burning fireplaces are tempered glass and not designed to be closed during regular operation - they'll will break.

To the best of my knowledge, no one makes an outdoor manufactured (metal) fireplace that you can use with a gas starter. You would have to go to a masonry fireplace.

You can use a prefab masonry model (like Isokern) to make the installation a little simpler in wood framing. Here's one I'd recommend: Mason-Lite see-through . Standard doors and a gas lighter can be added to the Mason-Lite.

thank you! i will look into. i just wanted a second option to compare prices and comments given to me. its not a common option making it difficult for us to understand (we are the general contractor managing our house and doing/overseeing all the work). i have never built one like this and am learning what is needed. thanks for your referral and advise.

I have completed a project that shows what I did to turn a one sided into a see-through.. I have pictures and will make a short video explaining what needs to happen to ensure structure soundness and operationa

ok great thanks! would love to see.

I would love to see it, too, chim-tex. We are in Northern Virginia and have a center fireplace between the living and dining rooms in out 1960 ranch which I would love make two sided with a gas insert. The brick chimney goes into the basement where there is also a fireplace. It would be nice to have a insert there, too, but not sure his complicated that would be. The furnace room is on the other side of the basement fireplace. I could live with never using that one if necessary.

We have a giant 1960s wood burning fireplace in between our living room and kitchen. I'd love to make it double sided and run gas to it. Is this even possible?

To open it up like this:

Or this:

@cgec, the short answer is “Maybe”. The long answers are above.

I plan to add a wood burning insert into my fireplace (facing family room). I'd like to simply add some sort of venting on the opposite side (facing sunroom) to allow heat into that room. Not looking for complete double view/sided fireplace. Would this be effective in allowing heat into the rear side room? Or will brick warm up enough to provide any heat into that room? Thanks

Chuck. Brick will not warm up. Some inserts will have heat relief via ducting powered by a small fan

If I had my stove on all day at my old house the brick above it would be too hot to touch. I don't think that it was just the heat riding up the surface of the brick.

I hope this makes sense. Might not to a lay person but a mason should see it. Most important is safety. Then breast and smoke chamber.

Chuck. The insert to which you refer to. Do you have a model number that I can reference. Also the insert should have several layers of insulation factors that should prevent the brick on the back part from not getting hot. Essentially I have always thought of it as a box within a box with the venting going straight up inside the old chimney via its own pipe..

Is it possible to flip around a gas fireplace with a fully vented chimney 180 degrees from one side of an interior wall to the other side of the interior wall? We have two rooms that are back to back, sharing the fireplace wall. The study houses the fireplace right now with the formal living room side just being sheetrock. But I want the formal living room to have the fireplace instead of the study. Can I flip it?

Hi Rebekah - not knowing the situation, I'm about 90% sure you would be able to "flip" your fireplace around. If you want to send me some photos of what you have, I might be able to tell you something about that last 10% :-) My personal email is tom@coastroadoonline.com .

My question involves a double-sided fireplace between the living area and the master bedroom. We want to close off the fireplace on the master bedroom side. I am trying to figure out what is involved in such a project and how pricey (or not) it is. Would love to get some advice.

Hi Carl - as you have probably noticed from this thread, there are a number of variables to the equation, and it is difficult to answer intelligently without knowing a lot more about your situation. You can post here or email me directly ( tom@coastroadonline.com ), but I would have to know whether it is a manufactured or masonry fireplace, how big it is and what the finish material is on each side. Some photos would be great.

I have a wood burning fireplace in the living room. On the other side of the fireplace is an atrium. Is it possible to change to fireplace to electric and have it two sided, so I heat the living room and atrium?

Hi Carol - without knowing your exact situation, it's hard to say, but generally you'd be better off with two back-to-back electric fireplaces in a see through, if possible. There just aren't many worthwhile see-through or double-sided electrics.

It still won't be much heat, especially if you have tall ceilings, but it might be a more convenient solution.

I'm getting ready to begin a two-story addition and would love to incorporate a fireplace that opens to both the inside FR and outside patio on the first floor, along with a second floor opening in the MB. Any suggestions?

Hey Christine - You can do one indoor/outdoor see-through on the first level and a single-sided fireplace upstairs sharing the same chase. You need to know what you want them to look like when they are finished and your local fireplace people can find the product that matches the look you are going for.

Thanks so much!