I am building a house in Greenwood SC and I can’t find consistant information as to the dimentions a fireplace should be with an opening around 40″ wide and a raised hearth. Rumsford states to be as high as it is wide, very shallow, and no raised hearth.  Olin’s Construction states 40″ x 29″ x 16″ deep, but this seems really low. Online building sites state 42″ x 32″ x 16″ deep. The fireplace I had at my last home was 44 1/2″ wide x 39″ tall x 33″ deep. It worked great after I put a hood over the opening to lower the height. I love to fell trees, split firewood, and sit on the hearth while the fire burns. Any suggestions?

Thank you, Robert