Question About My Chimney Flue

[DaveDQ]

I set my flue in place the other day and am debating on whether to surround it with courses of brick or to actually put a mosaic on the flue from some stone that I have left over from covering my kitchen counter tops.

This stone withstands heat very nicely. I'm always placing a pan right off the stove onto the stone with no problems or concerns. My question is, does the flue have to be separate from anything to allow it to expand?

I would really like to do this as I think the mosaic would look much better than a traditional chimney look.

Thanks.

[jerrycook]

I insulated and stuccoed my flue. Tiles were put on the suucco. No problem.

[david s]

My second oven developed a crack because I used castable refractory around the flue. The xpanding steel flue cracked the castable. I now insulate around the flue before applying the stucco.

[DaveDQ]

Thanks for the replies. What did you insulate it with?

[jerrycook]

I used ceramic blanket wraped in wire mesh then covered with stucco.