Brick Outdoor Fireplace Construction in Broken Arrow: Traditional Masonry That Lasts
There’s something enduring about a brick outdoor fireplace. Built correctly with proper masonry techniques, the right materials, and a foundation engineered for the load, a brick outdoor fireplace becomes a generational feature — something that’s still standing and performing long after every synthetic alternative has been replaced. VistaScapes Design builds brick outdoor fireplaces throughout Broken Arrow and northeast Oklahoma using traditional masonry methods that have stood the test of Oklahoma’s climate for decades.
Why Brick for Outdoor Fireplaces?
Brick offers specific advantages for outdoor fireplace construction:
- Proven durability: Properly fired clay brick has been used in construction for thousands of years. Its performance in Oklahoma’s climate is well-documented.
- Aesthetic versatility: Brick comes in dozens of colors, textures, and sizes. Old Chicago reclaimed brick, traditional red brick, buff brick, and dark charcoal brick all create distinctly different aesthetic characters.
- Thermal mass: Brick absorbs and slowly releases heat — outdoor fireplaces built with brick masonry radiate warmth long after the fire dies down
- Workability: Skilled masons can work brick into curved forms, corbeled details, arched openings, and decorative patterns that block cannot replicate
- Repairability: Individual bricks can be replaced if damage occurs, and mortar joints can be repointed as they age
The Components of a Properly Built Brick Outdoor Fireplace
Reinforced Concrete Footing
An outdoor fireplace is a heavy masonry structure. The footing must be sized for the load — typically 12–18 inches deep, extending beyond the fireplace footprint, and reinforced with rebar. Broken Arrow’s clay soils require a footing that reaches below the frost line and is engineered for the specific soil conditions on site. Cutting corners on the footing is the most common cause of fireplace settling and cracking.
CMU Core Structure
While the exterior appearance is brick, the structural core is typically CMU (concrete masonry unit) block reinforced with rebar and filled with grout. This gives the structure the rigidity and mass needed for a safe, durable chimney stack. The brick exterior is applied as veneer over this structural core.
Firebrick Firebox
The firebox — where the fire actually burns — must be lined entirely with firebrick, a dense refractory material rated for sustained high temperatures. Standard face brick will absorb water, expand during firing, and spall (chip and crack) rapidly under repeated thermal cycling. Firebrick, properly mortared with refractory mortar (not standard mortar), handles thousands of fire cycles without deterioration.
Firebox geometry matters for performance. The firebox opening ratio to firebox depth determines draft quality. We size fireboxes using established engineering ratios to ensure proper draft without smoke problems.
Smoke Chamber
The smoke chamber sits between the firebox throat and the flue. Its job is to compress and direct combustion gases smoothly into the flue while preventing downdrafts from pushing smoke back into the firebox. The smoke chamber walls must be parged — coated with a smooth, sloped layer of refractory mortar — to eliminate turbulence that causes poor draft and smoking problems.
This component is frequently omitted or built incorrectly in cheaper outdoor fireplace construction. A fireplace without a proper smoke chamber is a fireplace that fills your patio with smoke.
Ceramic Flue Tiles
Ceramic (clay) flue liner tiles protect the chimney interior from combustion gases, carbon buildup, and thermal stress. The flue must be correctly sized for the firebox opening — typically following established area ratios for the specific design. We install code-compliant clay flue tiles in all our outdoor fireplaces.
Chimney Cap
The chimney cap protects the flue from rain, prevents nesting by birds and insects, and provides the finishing detail at the top of the chimney. Caps should be mortar-washed around the flue tile and project beyond the chimney crown to direct water away.
UL-Listed Spark Arrestor
A spark arrestor is a mesh screen over the chimney opening that prevents burning embers from escaping onto surrounding combustibles. In Oklahoma’s fire-prone conditions — especially during dry fall months — a spark arrestor is essential safety equipment. We install UL-listed spark arrestors on every outdoor fireplace we build.
Design Styles We Build
Traditional Symmetrical
Classic proportioned fireplace with centered firebox opening, brick pilasters on either side, corbeled mantel shelf, and a straight chimney stack with cap. This style works with virtually any home architectural style.
Old Chicago / Reclaimed Brick
Reclaimed brick — salvaged from demolished commercial buildings — has warmth, character, and history that new brick can’t replicate. Old Chicago brick in particular has become increasingly sought-after in Broken Arrow’s premium outdoor living market. Its irregular surface, varied color, and aged character create fireplaces that look like they’ve been part of the landscape for a century.
Contemporary with Clean Lines
Modern outdoor fireplaces with crisp geometric forms, minimal ornamentation, and large firebox openings. Often combined with a linear fireplace insert rather than a traditional open firebox. Works especially well on contemporary-style homes and clean-lined outdoor living spaces.
Fireplace with Integrated Outdoor Kitchen
Extending the fireplace structure to incorporate an adjacent outdoor kitchen creates the complete outdoor entertainment complex — fire and food in one cohesive masonry structure. The most requested premium outdoor living configuration in Broken Arrow.
Schedule Your Free Consultation
VistaScapes Design builds brick and masonry outdoor fireplaces throughout Broken Arrow, Tulsa, and northeast Oklahoma. Call us at 918-779-1317 for a free on-site consultation. We’ll discuss your vision, evaluate your site, and provide a detailed written proposal with material specifications and timeline.
