Curing a Clay Chimenea

If you purchase a clay chimenea it is important to follow the step by step curing process outlined below. Curing your chimenea hardens the clay and accustoms it to the heat ensuring that it is much less likely to crack when being exposed to high temperatures.

Step One: Build a small fire using small balls of paper, allow this fire to extinguish naturally and the chimenea cool.

Step Two: Line the chimeneas bowl with sand and build a slightly larger fire using small pieces of wood or kindling. Again, allow the fire to extinguish naturally and the chimenea to cool.

Step Three: Repeat Step Two a further three times gradually increasing the size of the fire. It is important that you allow the fire to burn out naturally each time.

Over Fired Chimenea

After following these three simple steps you are good to go. It is advisable that you line the base of the chimenea with sand or lava rocks to further protect the clay from the high temperatures it will be exposed to.

We recommend that you burn firewood or kindling in a clay chimenea as they burn at a lower temperature to charcoal or briquettes.

Even after your chimenea has been cured, it is vital to regulate the size of the fires that burn. If the chimenea is over loaded with fuel and the resulting fire is large it could cause damage to the chimenea.

For more information about over firing and the necessary precautions you can take please read Over firing a Clay Chimenea