Need some Fireplace suggestions
Need some Fireplace suggestions
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Discussion

blinkythefish

Original Poster:

972 posts

279 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
Hi All,

In my lounge I have a fairly large fire surround, with a big hole where the grate should be:


The size of the hole is:

To the wooden surround H:1140(44.5"), W:1050(41")
The actual hole(edge of concrete): 920 x 920.

I have done various work around the house, but with this fireplace I have no idea what I want to do with it, or what it should be like. Some options:

1. Put a cast insert in. The problem with this is I can't find one which is 44" high amd 41" wide, which is the size it would need to be to go to the surround. There may be some leeway on the height as I can raise the hearth.

2. Put a cast insert in which is slightly too small, say 40"x40", and make up the gap with tiles/wood. This is easy to do as there are loads of inserts this size, but I suspect it will look horrible.

3. Tile the visible concrete in the photo. Clean the brickwork/repoint and put in either a basket, or log burner. This could look effective but I'm not it's what I want. On the plus side its not too hard to do.

So the reason I'm posting is to ask if anyone has ever seen, or knows where to get, an insert 44"x41"? Or do you think that options 2/3 would look ok? Or do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance

Graham

P.S. The solution does not need a functional fire - i.e. heating comes from central heating and it's in Edinburgh city centre where they are not too keen on coal fires. Although I may try to make it operational if installing a proper insert/basket.


Edited by blinkythefish on Thursday 3rd December 15:58


Edited by blinkythefish on Thursday 3rd December 16:00

PGM

2,168 posts

271 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
In the same position myself actually.

I've done a lot of work throughout the house, but the hearth has me beaten for ideas!

I have a load of old roofing slate left behind by the previous house owner so going to cut these into 3 different sizes, sqare edged with a diamond tile cutter and lay them random with no joints and see what it looks like.

If it's no good, it's out with the breaker and put in a solid slate hearth stone or reclaimed yorkstone (I did this in a previous house and it was nice).

Yours might suit some herringbone bricks?

Edited by PGM on Thursday 3rd December 16:21

blinkythefish

Original Poster:

972 posts

279 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
PGM said:
In the same position myself actually.

I've done a lot of work throughout the house, but the hearth has me beaten for ideas!

I have a load of old roofing slate left behind by the previous house owner so going to cut these into 3 different sizes, sqare edged with a diamond tile cutter and lay them random with no joints and see what it looks like.

If it's no good, it's out with the breaker and put in a solid slate hearth stone or reclaimed yorkstone (I did this in a previous house and it was nice).

Yours might suit some herringbone bricks?

Edited by PGM on Thursday 3rd December 16:21
I was originally thinking slate hearth too, but it may look cluttered - tile, brick and slate at the same time will be too much. I hadn't considered a herringbone brick hearth, but it might go well with the brick back. I think I'll start by cleaning the back bricks up and seeing whether they are any good.


Dover Nige

1,308 posts

265 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
That's begging for one of those lovely wood burning stoves to be slotted in...

K50 DEL

9,625 posts

250 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
I'm in the same boat as well, my initial thoughts were either a log burner or perhaps remove the fire aspect completely, mount the LCD TV on the wall above and then plasterboard the hole and have some custom glass shelves made and mounted in the fireplace to put the A/V kit on.

shirt

24,967 posts

223 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
can you find a cast back thats larger than you need, then cut down to suit?

or perhaps a new surround to fit a smaller back?

doesn't have to cost the earth. i sourced a brand new cast adam-style fireback, carved surround and marble hearth for under £200. took me a bit to accumulate the bits but it was worth it.

Sixpackpert

5,045 posts

236 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
Can I have your Lego?

Dover Nige

1,308 posts

265 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
blinkythefish said:
1. Put a cast insert in. The problem with this is I can't find one which is 44" high amd 41" wide, which is the size it would need to be to go to the surround. There may be some leeway on the height as I can raise the hearth.

So the reason I'm posting is to ask if anyone has ever seen, or knows where to get, an insert 44"x41"? Or do you think that options 2/3 would look ok? Or do you have any other suggestions?
Graham, there's a guy down here that does all sorts of sizes and is a bit of a fireplace expert. I can go on a recce and see if he has a 44x41 insert if you like? Trouble is, Edinburgh is a long way from Dover...!!

blinkythefish

Original Poster:

972 posts

279 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
Dover Nige said:
blinkythefish said:
1. Put a cast insert in. The problem with this is I can't find one which is 44" high amd 41" wide, which is the size it would need to be to go to the surround. There may be some leeway on the height as I can raise the hearth.

So the reason I'm posting is to ask if anyone has ever seen, or knows where to get, an insert 44"x41"? Or do you think that options 2/3 would look ok? Or do you have any other suggestions?
Graham, there's a guy down here that does all sorts of sizes and is a bit of a fireplace expert. I can go on a recce and see if he has a 44x41 insert if you like? Trouble is, Edinburgh is a long way from Dover...!!
Well so far I've limited my search to a radius which is driveable, which might rule Dover out. Although it would be worth it if he had the right size and a nice insert.

I started off leaning towards a cast insert. But I am now wondering if the suggestion of herringbone hearth, cleaning up the back bricks and the log burner could work quite well. I'm going to go home tonight and discuss this alternative with the OH.

If we decide that we definitely want a cast insert I'll give you a PM and see if a recce is possible. Either way, thanks for the offer.

blinkythefish

Original Poster:

972 posts

279 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
Sixpackpert said:
Can I have your Lego?
You would be popular with my OH if I said yes, but I think her son and I would be less happy.........

FlossyThePig

4,138 posts

265 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
Dover Nige said:
That's begging for one of those lovely wood burning stoves to be slotted in...
Not with a wooden fire surround, I'm afraid. Modern regs say no!

The people who supplied the fireplace in our sitting room came to measure up for their smallest wood burner for the dining room. The distance to the fire surround was too small so we couldn't have one without changing to a stone surround.

CO2000

3,177 posts

231 months

Thursday 3rd December 2009
quotequote all
Have you tried any Fireplace centres ? as they will be able to get pieces cut to size of various stone type material

Certainly our local one was going to a year or two ago

http://cinders-fireplaces.co.uk/index.php

Just a couple of hrs drive up to the deen !

Other option would be a stone mason's yard & have granite inlays/hearth but it would be ££££

blinkythefish

Original Poster:

972 posts

279 months

Friday 4th December 2009
quotequote all
FlossyThePig said:
Dover Nige said:
That's begging for one of those lovely wood burning stoves to be slotted in...
Not with a wooden fire surround, I'm afraid. Modern regs say no!

The people who supplied the fireplace in our sitting room came to measure up for their smallest wood burner for the dining room. The distance to the fire surround was too small so we couldn't have one without changing to a stone surround.
Hi, I don't suppose you remember what the minimum dstance is? Or where the regs can be found? I did a quick google, but nothing obvious came up.

The wooden surround is pretty large, and it has a layer of stone between where the fire would be and the wooden surround, so it might still be ok. Although I'll check up before I make a decision on the final fire design.

FlossyThePig

4,138 posts

265 months

Friday 4th December 2009
quotequote all
blinkythefish said:
FlossyThePig said:
Dover Nige said:
That's begging for one of those lovely wood burning stoves to be slotted in...
Not with a wooden fire surround, I'm afraid. Modern regs say no!

The people who supplied the fireplace in our sitting room came to measure up for their smallest wood burner for the dining room. The distance to the fire surround was too small so we couldn't have one without changing to a stone surround.
Hi, I don't suppose you remember what the minimum dstance is? Or where the regs can be found? I did a quick google, but nothing obvious came up.

The wooden surround is pretty large, and it has a layer of stone between where the fire would be and the wooden surround, so it might still be ok. Although I'll check up before I make a decision on the final fire design.
Try this or this pdf file

pmanson

13,388 posts

275 months

Friday 4th December 2009
quotequote all
Some friends have recently made a slate hearth using the slate from a snooker table. Nice and thick, fairly cheap and looks good to boot.

PGM

2,168 posts

271 months

Friday 4th December 2009
quotequote all
Did mine today with the roofing slate as described in my earlier post. It looks fantastic.

I'll try and get some pics up in the next couple of days.

davidspooner

24,059 posts

216 months

Saturday 5th December 2009
quotequote all
Hello there,

Can you tell me what this is please?

Many thanks.


DBSV8

5,958 posts

260 months

Monday 7th December 2009
quotequote all
had a similar problem

removed a horrible plastered 70s fire place to find the original stone hidden underneath ,the only problem was the fireplace had a gaping hole where the flue should have been



rebuilt the stonework and installed a Rudloe stone ""country manor"" fireplace



then installed a new flue , liner and ESSE 200 burner



Would reccommend fitting an Esse 100,200 as they are very compact width wise

http://www.stovesareus.co.uk/catalog/esse-100-mult...

blinkythefish

Original Poster:

972 posts

279 months

Monday 7th December 2009
quotequote all
davidspooner said:
Hello there,

Can you tell me what this is please?

Many thanks.

It is a clock, which belongs to my girlfriend.

I did suggest cleaning the mantlepeice before she took the picture, but a few things have managed to creep in.

Edited by blinkythefish on Monday 7th December 10:27

blinkythefish

Original Poster:

972 posts

279 months

Monday 7th December 2009
quotequote all
DBSV8 said:
had a similar problem

removed a horrible plastered 70s fire place to find the original stone hidden underneath ,the only problem was the fireplace had a gaping hole where the flue should have been



rebuilt the stonework and installed a Rudloe stone ""country manor"" fireplace



then installed a new flue , liner and ESSE 200 burner



Would reccommend fitting an Esse 100,200 as they are very compact width wise

http://www.stovesareus.co.uk/catalog/esse-100-mult...
Looks really good. Did you do the work yourself?