Firespeaking

04/12/2026

Masonry Heater Association (MHA) Annual Meeting at WildAcres, North Carolina ‘26. These projects are the result of three days of work by people who gather for love of the craft!

03/06/2026

https://forums.firespeaking.com/t/wildflour-bread-bakery-oven-7-x-9-hearth/351

Check out this post in the forums about this MASSIVE wood-fired oven!

One of the fun things about my job is the correspondence I get to have with people about their projects. Jed Wallach of Wild Flour Bread in Freestone, CA sent me this photo of their recently rebuilt oven. With a hearth measuring 7’ x 9’, this is the largest wood-fired oven that I have personally...

01/29/2026

What you are looking at is not just a fireplace
It is a masonry heater
One of the most efficient, comfortable, and sustainable heating systems humans have ever engineered

And the most surprising part

This ancient design often outperforms modern metal stoves in fuel efficiency and heat retention

Here is why masonry heaters are so impressive 👇

• A fire that burns hot, fast, and clean
The firebox is built from thick stone
Wood burns at extremely high temperatures
This means less smoke, fewer pollutants, and more usable heat from the same amount of fuel

• A long stone maze inside the walls
Instead of letting heat escape straight up the chimney
The hot gases are guided through a series of horizontal stone channels
A built in maze that forces the heat to travel and transfer warmth into the surrounding masonry

• Thermal mass is the real magic
Stone, earth, and brick absorb the heat deeply
And then release it slowly for hours
Sometimes all day
You burn a fire for a short time
Then enjoy steady, gentle radiant heat long after the flames are gone

• Radiant heat = human comfort

This is not hot dry air
It is warmth that heats your body, your walls, and your floors evenly
No hot corners, no cold corners
Just stable, natural comfort

• Cleaner, safer, longer lasting
These systems
Use less wood
Produce less smoke
Have simple maintenance
And are built to last generations

• Smoke exits only after giving up its energy
By the time the gases reach the chimney, most of the heat has already been captured
The chimney sits low and stable, improving airflow and preventing backdraft

Why this matters today

As energy prices rise and climate challenges grow
People are rediscovering masonry heaters because
They are low tech
Ultra efficient
Sustainable
And incredibly resilient during power outages

A single well built masonry heater can warm an entire home with a fraction of the wood an open fireplace burns

Ancient builders understood something deep
Heat should be stored, not wasted
Moved slowly, not blasted upward
Felt gently, not in spikes

This is not outdated technology
It is timeless engineering catching up with modern needs

Save this 📍
Old wisdom is often the smartest energy solution we have today

01/19/2026

US Manufacturing. This is what small scale family enterprise looks like. We are trying to build an industry that starts one product at a time. These are trim plates being painted for 8mm and 1/2” shafts to operate bypass dampers to allow for easy priming of the flue before drawing gases through a longer heat exchange pathway. Masonry heaters store the heat generated by efficiently burned firewood and radiate this warmth for the next 24 hours.

12/25/2025

Everyone needs a good set of masonry heater plans!… including Santa so he can get down the chimney and through the efficient heat exchange channels. Browse our website for masonry heater plans and hardware!

12/21/2025

The stages of a fire in a masonry heater! A top down fire with kindling in top is a very clean burning way to load a batch burn. This batch is 44 lbs (20 kg) of mixed fir and oak fuel at ~10% humidity. It is very important that wood be properly seasoned (dried down after cutting) in order to obtain clean combustion. This masonry heater stores the heat generated in its mass therefore acting like a thermal battery. The launch of our core kits is imminent!

12/12/2025

The Hybrid Cookstove Masonry Heater takes the best of Rocket Mass Heater-style combustion and combines it with technically designed thermal batteries and radiating surfaces including ovens and cooktops. The device can also be used for heating domestic hot water in a regular gas- or electric- heated water heater/tank if plumbed properly. See our website for more details.

12/01/2025

Max is giving an introduction to Masonry Heaters this Wednesday, 6 pm at Gratitude Brewing in Eugene, OR!

Come learn more about this clean-burning sustainable form of residential heating! Help get the word out by sending along to friends and groups you think could be interested.

07/18/2025

“We are sooooooo happy with our stove, the way it regulates the temperature in the room all night and even the next day." -Claire

Claire & Tony contacted us to design and supply components for a custom heater for the new home they were building. They wanted it to include a bake oven, heated benches, and the ability to heat hot water. We love how this heater demonstrates what’s possible when a flexible design system is brought to life by creative minds and skillful hands.

See the full post and learn more:
https://www.firespeaking.com/masonry-heaters/river-rock-masonry-heater/

12/19/2024

Stone Masonry Heaters are both beautiful and functional. The heat from one clean burning 2-3 hour fire in the evening radiates warmth for the next 24 hours. No more feeding a woodstove all day nor worrying how to stay warm when the electricity goes out! Visit our website to learn more about masonry heaters and our design approach.

https://www.firespeaking.com/masonry-heaters/stone-faced-masonry-heaters/