Product Description

For many, many centuries we have heated with wood.  In the 17th and 18th centuries, countries like Norway, Sweden, Prussia and Denmark came up with new designs for fireplaces, designed to store the heat from the wood fire and release over a longer period of time.  This was the birth of the Masonry Heater.  These unique heaters are often referred to as Russian heaters, German tiled stoves (kachelöfen and grundöfen), Finnish masonry or Finnish contra-flow fireplaces.

These early designs had to be built on site by a certified mason; they were always individually built to their own design.  In the late 20th century, some clever Canadians came up with the concept of a modular masonry fireplace, that could be installed into a modern home.  This gave birth to the Temp Cast Masonry Fireplace.  The design uses a number of concrete blocks that are placed in a proper sequence – we like to call it Fred Flintstone Lego.  We installed our first Temp Cast in our showroom in 1996.  We were (and still are) amazed at how the Temp Cast burns and we have cooked everything from turkey to pizza to pie in our showroom model.  The masonry heater concept includes many benefits such as unmatched performance, improved indoor air quality, healthy heating and reduced environmental impact.

Masonry Heater Product Information

• Temp Cast units can include a Bake Oven option.  When the fire is out, the bake oven holds excellent baking temperatures for several hours
• It’s been our experience that a finished masonry heater with Temp Cast will cost more than similarly-sized traditional masonry fireplaces with custom glass doors
• Temp-Cast heaters are installed in accordance with local and national building codes as site-built fireplaces.

Advantages Of Masonry Heaters

• They are amongst the most efficient ways to heat with wood
• If you plan for the location properly, you will be able to heat your entire home
• They work without power
• Less tending to the fire; typically you put 1 or 2 fires a day in a masonry heater
• Have a wood fired bake oven inside your home
• Design integrity; clad the exterior of the Temp Cast in almost anything; tile, brick, stone, etc.

Here is a great Time-Lapse Video of a Temp Cast Build:

For additional information, please download the Temp Cast Planing Guide or contact Friendly Fires today to see if a Temp Cast or masonry style heater may be applicable for your new home or cottage.