 
We built this masonry heater in the Portland area in autumn of 2011. Our clients had collected many beautiful bricks dating back to 1883 (a long time from our West Coast perspective!), local basalt rock, and cobble stones that originally paved the streets of Portland.
This masonry heater (based on the Swedish 5-run design) has a see through firebox, a bake oven, a three-sided heated bench, and a place for wood storage.
This project brings together our understanding of the technical aspects of combustion and heating efficiency and our experience with design and use of recycled building materials. The heater is currently curing and the exit flue will be installed shortly. We plan to update this post once the heater is fired and make new posts about the process of this build and about the use of polished “concrete counter tops” for benches and other elements of mass heaters. Check back on this site, join our mailing list, and see more about this project on Facebook.
Thank you to Norbert Senf and Doug Hargrave for their development of the Norccore and for generous technical assistance in preparation for this project. Thank you also to Jerry Frisch for continual support and inspiration.
Read more….
- What is a masonry heater?
- Other masonry heaters we have built
- Excellent DVD about natural building!
- The wonderful wood-fired barrel oven!