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Complete Selection of Fireplace Screens, Tools and Hearth Accessories

Coordinated Fireplace and Hearth Products are the Secret To Making Your Fireplace the Focal Point of Your Room

By nature, fire places attract attention to an area, which is a reason the hearth is a common gathering point for so many people. The addition of a couple of wall sconces on each side of the mantle is a wonderful way to draw attention to your fireplace. But for a truly unified look that can’t help but make the fireplace mantle the focus of your room, try using coordinated fireplace hearth products made of similar materials and decoration. Log holders, accessories, firescreens, rugs, and wood baskets can be coordinated to unify the hearth space and make it the envy of all your guests.

Firebacks

Even though firebacks were popular throughout the 18th century in North America, they were actually invented in Europe with roots going much further back. But, in both the New and Old World, their popularity faded to all but collectors and true fireplace fanatics. However with energy costs sky rocketing to record breaking levels, everyone is looking to extract more of their heating needs from different sources like fireplaces, although they’re also looking for the most effective fireplace available. Fireplace firebacks are constructed with cast iron and retain heat (and therefore provide warmth to the room) for a long time after a fire has burned out.

Fireplace Grates

Fireplace grates are a requirement if you like to burn a wood fire in the fireplace. The grate is elevated above the surface of the hearth floor to allow air to feed the flame from underneath. It also alllows the ashes from the burning wood to fall so they do not smother the flame. When picking a grate for the fireplace it is extremely important to measure your fireplace opening correctly. You’ll need the width of your fireplace opening in the back and front (if it tapers) plus the depth of the opening to find the perfect fireplace grate. Allow a 1 to 2 inch clearance on each side.

Hearth Accessories

The amount of fireplace accessories on the market for the fireplace hearth seem only to be limited by your creativity with some of the more popular choices being: wood holders, firesets, and firescreens. But do not forget about the other accessories such as fireplace rugs that can add extra pleasure to your evening in front of the fireplace. They are also good presents for people who have everything already. Who couldn’t use a fireplace bellow ?

Fireplace Tools

What fireplace hearth isn’t more complete with some fireplace tools neatly placed to the side? While people may use them just as a stylish element in a room, firesets are some of the most necessary fireplace accessories especially if you plan on burning a real wood fire in your fireplace. In general, fireplace tool sets come with a poker, tongs, a broom, and a shovel. Everything that’s necessary in order to keep the fire burning and the hearth clear of wood debris. Keep in mind, not all fireplace tool sets are created equal. You will find a huge selection of styles, materials, finishes, and prices. If you’re looking for a tool set that is reliable enough to last a long time, then a wrought iron or brass set will be the way to go. Once you have chosen the level of quality you are looking for, then decide on a finish that will go with the rest of your other decor.

Fireplace Screens

While we all love to sit and relax by our fireplace after working hard all day, the truth is that our hearth space is an extremely dangerous placeparticularly for those of us who have both kids AND animals! Trapped gases inside the wood might cause sparks to fly from your fire. Wrought iron fire screens are necessary to safeguarding your family and house from the hazard of flying embers. They’re essential, but when coordinated correctly with your decor, it adds an individual sense of character and style to the space. So while you can get the standard screen for the fireplace that simply protects your floors and family, you can also match and coordinate the design features with the other decorations in the house for a more distinctive and full look. With that in mind, fireplace screens become decorations in their own sense.

Log Baskets and Wood Holders

Keep your firewood stored neatly with a log basket or log holder. These popular accessories for the fireplace typically appear to be more ornamental than practical, and many people use them to store their favorite magazines. But don’t undervalue the functionality of the wood basket. Lets face it, if you are burning a wood fire, where do you plan to hold your wood for the evening? Wood holders have a built in handle so you will be able to take them to your wood pile for an easy refill when needed. Standing log holders generally have a detachable log tote made of thick cloth or leather that can also be used to easily move your logs from the log pile to the log holder. Match the design and finish with your other fireplace accessories for a more complete look.

For more information and tips on fireplace gloves or fire glass screens, please visit FireplaceScreensEtc.com and sign up to receive a FREE Quick Guide to buying appropriate fireplace accessories for your home.

Man’s use of fire can be traced as far back as one million years ago. The fires then were built on the ground. While the ancient people were inside their huts, smoke accidentally escaped through holes in the roof. Approximately half a million years ago, fires were already built on a solid hearth and holes were deliberately made in the roof so smoke could exit.

Fires were traditionally placed in the middle of the room to allow maximum accessibility and heat output. The advancement of the first two-storey buildings led to the fireplace being relegated to the outside wall. The only material available then for building the floor of the second storey was wood. Obviously, it was unwise to build a fire on a wooden floor, so the fireplace was moved into a cut-out in the wall. The flue was placed horizontally so extraction of smoke was poor. Smoke would frequently have blown into the room. In the end, they discovered the principle of the chimney.

The means of using wood to heat homes and offices is almost as old as dirt. It can be traced back to the 1700s when Abraham Darby used procedures of smelting, where it was found out that iron provided a cost-efficient way of producing heat.

It was during the Victorian age when fireplaces began to grow popular. During this time, people discovered that aside from producing heat, fireplaces added a hint of elegance. It somehow gave homes a comfortable and traditional environment. Through the years, housing designs evolved and so did the fireplaces, along with the technology. Fireplaces changed and became more fashionable, offering sand casting systems. This provided a chance for makers to create even more superior designs.

In spite of all the changes and the advancement, the basic fireplace is still made up of two components – the surround and the insert. The surround part of the fireplace is composed of the mantle and sides. It is typically made of wood, granite, marble, and sometimes iron. The insert is the part of the fireplace where the fire is burned. This part is constructed using cast iron and is frequently adorned with stylish tiles of different colors and designs.

Benjamin Franklin had an important part in the discovery of fireplaces. He found out that fireplaces lose a significant amount of heat through the wall. It gave him the idea to make the first freestanding firebox, which came to be recognized as the Franklin stove. He put his first stove in the middle of the room, which solved his problem on how to look for means to heat a room. The outcome of the experiment was that the whole room was heated completely and equally. His other finding was that by using heavy cast iron, the heat continued being produced even when the flames had died out.

Still, with all his excellent discoveries, Franklin’s effort had a defect. The hitch was that air cannot be drawn in. This is because the smoke was vented from the bottom. David Rittenhouse, from Philadelphia, decided to utilize Benjamin’s invention but innovated it by putting in an L-shaped stovepipe as a means of moving the air through the fire and then emitting the smoke out through a chimney. This add-on proved quite successful. It was in the late 1700s that these freestanding stoves were being used all over the country. Although David Rittenhouse made the stove a success, people still identified it by the name Franklin Stove.