Most of my buildings require a chimney stack or two, if not a brick one they will certainly have a stove pipe added.

The most complicated are the brick built ones. I model the early days in Colorado, when bricks were hand made so you can vary the size a bit; generally they were about 8” long, and 2.5 inches deep on the front with a depth of about 3”.

I make a base for the main stack that is fixed to the roof, and the upper portion of it has some bricks added; this is so that I can then add the (roofing felt) shingles around the stacks, adding the flashing in position as I go. This is made from 5mm thick PVC ‘free foam’ sheet, and glued in position with Evostik.

The main stack can be made from either 3 or 5mm PVC sheet, and is internally strengthened with strips of scrap glued inside. I then wrap this with plastic card which allows me to glue the bricks on with liquid cement. Add a cap to the top. In the photos I have used for the bricks some very old coloured ½ mm sheet, it was becoming rather brittle so needed using up!

Add the extra courses with 1mm thick strips where required, and complete the top with some more strips. There can be single or multiple flues, but generally mine have two flues. Add the bricks onto the plastic card working from the bottom, and keeping them in a reasonable system, match the sides to ends on the corners and I try to keep opposite sides the same. With these small chimneys there is a lot of cutting bricks up as you cannot have a run of brickwork. The trim pieces do not necessarily follow the main brickwork design (they are larger). Work your way up to the top.

I paint my stacks whist they are loose; it is easier. Don’t forget to paint their bases at the same time so they have a rough match. The top is finished off as a cement or concrete cover (use a light grey with a small amount of yellow added). Paint the flues a sooty black First use some gray and a small amount of yellow for the mortar, and immediately wipe it off the bricks: I use acrylic paints so a damp tissue will remove the still wet paint. Let the motar colour dry, and add the brick colour from red oxide, and a couple of browns for variety, Don’t’ forget to add some smoky gray & black to the upper portion to represent the deposited soot from smoke.

I finally fix the upper part in when the roof is complete – they are somewhat vulnerable till then. When finally glued in add the sloped rain deflector top onto the lower base section: I use a wood filler on top of a layer of glue. Paint it your cement colour over the fillet of filler when dry. To seal the stacks give them a coat of satin finish Varnish.

Stove pipes are much easier, especially now that ‘Bendy straws’ are available. I keep a varied selection in stock for my stove pipes; the tops can be made from the tiny cones on cartridges of sealant (you cut them off the use the sealant) or larger ones are from some children’s drink canisters, other cones can be found as well. Don’t forget that a small piece of half tube can also be used and there are many variations of the angle this is fixed at. I generally add into the top a small piece of plastic tube that can give a space for glue to fix these tops onto. Seal both ends of the tube with some plastic glued inside, and where the pipe goes through the wall of your building add a square plate; they can be also in a diamond shape as well. I generally use 1/2mm black plastic card for them, (it saves painting, though some weathering can be added) you can add bolt heads at the corners for greater detail. I have made a long double bend stovepipe from a couple of bendy straws – this runs up the long slope of a church roof. To secure it there are a couple of wire pegs through both the straws (a couple of pieces of plastic are inside where the pegs is fitted) and through the shingles and into the under roof. There is also a solid piece added at the join between the straws. All the above fixings are covered with paper strips to replicate the fixing bands.

In photos from Colorado there are several views of a steel top added to some chimneys – this I think is to either enhance the draught or to keep snow out: possibly both. These can be made from 3/4mm plastic card. – work out the shape of the square edge cone with cardboard, and then use it as a pattern to cut the sections out. Assemble it in location to ensure it fits OK. I use a large diameter straw (McDonalds size again!) for the top pipe, again fill the (straw) pipe with plastic card to give it some strength, and seal the top especially with glue to stop an water getting in. I then add a wrapping of paper, which is well glued to start with and then sealed with paint. This will give you an ‘edge’ to replicate the steel pipe join. Paint it to choice, and weather it with both rust and the brown/black mix as well. If it is tight enough it can be left loose, otherwise glue it in position to avoid it disappearing in the wind!

Here are a couple of photos of a pair of my chimney stacks being made and also the ‘Colorado top’. These are fitted to my new station (or depot) building.





The first shows a completed and weathered stack, and the ‘Colorado top’ in position. The last photo is of a newly bricked stack, before any painting has been started. It also shows the lower stack section that is glued to the main under roof. This is added and a few bricks glued on (it is made from my ‘free foam PVC sheet), and it still requires the metal flashing (made from cut open aluminum beer cans), Then the roofing felt shingles will be added.