How To Purchase The Right Fireplace Screens For Your Home
- Feb 16, 2010
- My Review, arts, design, family, Fireplace Accessories, Fireplace Screens, home, Home Decor, house, Interior, My Review, parenting, product, reviews
- No Comments
Part of what makes a fireplace so beautiful is the accessories which go with it. You can purchase tools which make it easier to stoke the fire, tools which make it easier to add wood when the fire is blazing, even tools which can add oxygen and make it burn hotter. Fireplace screens act as a shield to prevent damage to the room that your fireplace is in.
A fireplace screen is made up of a metal frame that holds metal mesh or screening. You may notice that a screen is normally only used with wood burning fireplaces. Other types of fireplaces, such as pellet stoves or natural gas fireplaces use fire doors or other screening methods. They do not depend as heavily on a fireplace screen to keep embers and sparks in where they will not cause any damage.
Fireplace screens need to be stable and made of metal that is fairly thick and hard. You want to make sure that there is no chance that the screen will fall over if it is accidentally bumped or moved so that you can get at the fire inside the fireplace. You also want to make sure that a very hot fire will not melt or warp the frame of the screen since this can make it unusable. It should not be lined with a solid liner since this can keep necessary air flow from reaching the fire and allowing it to burn properly.
You can pick different shapes and styles of fireplace screen. The style you pick has more to do with personal preference than with how the screen functions. A three panel screen is most common. It has two legs or side screens that hold up a larger central screen.
If a screen has more than three panels, it is often because the front panel has been divided up into multiple smaller panels. The individual panels may be ornamented with metal scroll work, flowers or other decorative elements. Different decorations will give different looks. Keep in mind that there is a difference between a fireplace door and a fireplace screen. A screen is generally movable and designed to be set in front of the fireplace whereas a door is often a more permanent installation.
It can be hard to access the fire with some screens. They may be too heavy to move. If you plan to be making a fire that will burn for some time, remember that you will need to be able to prod the fire. You want to think about purchasing a screen that can be drawn to the side in order to let you access the flames. Or, you may need to think about a different style of fireplace screen if you find it is too difficult to get at the fire itself.
Fireplace screens are sold in most fireplace stores. This can be a great way to make sure you have a screen which fits properly and can block the entire front of the fireplace. You can also purchase screens in home decorating stores, or have one custom built by a blacksmith. There are also many websites dedicated to selling fireplace screens and some of these can be an excellent way to get a great deal.
Jeff Bridges has always enjoyed the warmth received in front of the fire he currently runs a website where he sells fireplace screens. There they promote many differently styles, colors, and designs of fireplace screens.