Installing a cast iron fireplace
Discussion
A day of stripping and I'm happy to say I've come across two revels for fireplaces in the bedrooms. The chimneys below will have a wood burner and a gas fire in them. I'm going to pick up a couple of cast iron fireplaces to put in these holes. Any guidance on their fittings? I assume:
Make the surrounds good
Plaster
Tile the hearth(s)
Screw fires to wall.
Anything missing?
Make the surrounds good
Plaster
Tile the hearth(s)
Screw fires to wall.
Anything missing?
Missed a massive part of that didn't I. These will just be decorative.
Something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...
No intention of using them.
Something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...
No intention of using them.
when youre buying and fitting check out the tabs on the bottom and sometimes near the mantle shelf they need to be mortared into the wall/hearth and sometimes the screw points are made to be screwed on and then plastered over.
I found ford graphite car spray a good paint finish that looked right and sealed surfaces in those being used for decorative only.
Oh and try not to knock it over as the cast shatters into lots of pieces, expensive pieces!
you can find pattern books that show what would be period for your property if thats something you want to get right.
I found ford graphite car spray a good paint finish that looked right and sealed surfaces in those being used for decorative only.
Oh and try not to knock it over as the cast shatters into lots of pieces, expensive pieces!
you can find pattern books that show what would be period for your property if thats something you want to get right.
We've done this a number of times in a number of properties.
The key it to secure the fireplace to the wall. I know that may seem like an obvious statement, but they're damn heavy and the last thing you want it to have it coming off the wall. It's unlikely that you'll get hold of exactly the same dimension fireplace as the original one based on the opening you've got in the wall, so you'll probably need to build a timber frame to be inset behind the lath/plaster. There are usually four lugs (2 top and 2 bottom, I can see the 2 top ones in the eBay item you've listed). These will need a suitable fixing point.
I can guarantee that the union between house and fireplace will not be square, hence the suggestion for a frame and some judicious fettling of plater and frame alignment to get an acceptable fit. You may need to accept that some filling is required between the fireplace edge and the wall. The main reason will be to stop draughts.
We've done both tiled hearths and also ignored a hearth and carpeted. It depends on which you'd prefer. In two bedrooms we figured that the tiles would get in the way, be cold underfoot and make life difficult for the carpet guy. All for the sake of a square meter, so we ignored it. In this instance, we carpeted first then plonked the fireplace on top so the carpet didn't have to be cut round.
Dr Rick
The key it to secure the fireplace to the wall. I know that may seem like an obvious statement, but they're damn heavy and the last thing you want it to have it coming off the wall. It's unlikely that you'll get hold of exactly the same dimension fireplace as the original one based on the opening you've got in the wall, so you'll probably need to build a timber frame to be inset behind the lath/plaster. There are usually four lugs (2 top and 2 bottom, I can see the 2 top ones in the eBay item you've listed). These will need a suitable fixing point.
I can guarantee that the union between house and fireplace will not be square, hence the suggestion for a frame and some judicious fettling of plater and frame alignment to get an acceptable fit. You may need to accept that some filling is required between the fireplace edge and the wall. The main reason will be to stop draughts.
We've done both tiled hearths and also ignored a hearth and carpeted. It depends on which you'd prefer. In two bedrooms we figured that the tiles would get in the way, be cold underfoot and make life difficult for the carpet guy. All for the sake of a square meter, so we ignored it. In this instance, we carpeted first then plonked the fireplace on top so the carpet didn't have to be cut round.
Dr Rick
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