Metal fireplace: the pros and cons

 Metal fireplace: the pros and cons

A beautiful fireplace that brings warmth to the house is the dream of every owner of a private house. In addition to heat, the fireplace also brings an atmosphere of comfort and zest to the interior. As a rule, they prefer to put brick fireplaces in their houses, but it is not always possible to install such a unit at home, as there may not be enough space or care for it.

A great alternative to a brick fireplace can be a metal, which has a lot of advantages, as well as location options, besides, it can easily be built with your own hands. In this article we will touch on each of the above items.

Special features

A metal fireplace is an excellent device that can heat a room and free you from the cold.The heat output of such a furnace depends on the level of preheating and the amount of firewood inside. The metal fireplace, due to its special qualities, will not let it freeze even in the winter cold. Another advantage of this furnace is the ability to make an elegant addition to your interior. Due to the diverse design, it will fit into the premises of any stylistic direction.

A metal fireplace is considered an invention of the Land of the Rising Sun. The Japanese have always been considered very practical, wise people with a high sense of style and the ability to competently design their homes.

This heating product is the full embodiment of all the qualities of its authors, it has a small weight, especially in comparison with its stone counterpart, it is easy to transfer it from room to room, as well as dismantle it. Due to the lightness of the design, the metal fireplace does not need an additional foundation, which will allow you to save a considerable amount.

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Such a unit is very easy to operate, even a person who did not have to deal with a fireplace before that can cope with it, but it also has a high efficiency.He gives a lot of heat and will be able to warm the room at the right level, even if there is very little firewood inside. It warms up very quickly, so it is considered economical, not only in terms of fuel consumption, but also time.

A huge advantage of the metal fireplace, which will please the housewives, is ease of care. They are easy to clean, and with regular care they will not lose their original appearance at all. During cleaning, it will be enough to clean all the soot from the inside and outside, wipe with a damp cloth and lightly polish to give extra shine. As a rule, for the above actions do not require any special means, you can clean everything with improvised means that are in every house: soda, vinegar or citric acid. If desired, special household chemicals for cleaning fireplaces are purchased, which are presented in household stores.

However, in addition to the large number of advantages, metal furnaces for the home have a number of features that should be taken into account without fail before purchase. Perhaps the most important disadvantage of such a fireplace is an increased fire hazard - if used improperly, the firemay spread to other items.

Another shortcoming is very fast cooling of the unit. after the burning of all wood, unlike the fireplace stove, which continues to give heat even after the combustion of fuel. The fireplace body is very hot and if you touch it carelessly it can cause a severe burn, so it is strongly recommended to wear special thickened gloves while working with it.

One of the features of such a unit is the uneven distribution of heat, that is, it can be very hot near the firebox, while on the opposite side of the room it is cooler.

Kinds

There is a classification of metal fireplaces by material and method of installation. Consider each separately.

According to the material of the furnace are divided into made entirely of metal and combined from two types. One of these is a fireplace with a brick body and a metal firebox. Despite the lack of popularity of this type, it is very practical and combines all the advantages of both types. The classic appearance of the wood unit will look great in any interior, and with a neat installation you can save on its finishing, as the brickwork is very fashionable now.

The metal furnace, in turn, increases the efficiency of the unit due to the heating of the material, which becomes an independent source of heat. In addition to all the other advantages, the principle of slow burning should also be noted, which allows saving on fuel, since firewood will burn out more slowly and give off more heat.

The second type is a fully metal furnace., which can be used without preliminary work. Such an option with a drovnitsa is considered the best option for a Russian country house or a country house, since it does not need a foundation and can be easily moved. The chimney is easily masked with cladding. You can use any material for it. However, when finishing the case itself, you should use only heat-resistant materials.

Metal fireplaces with woodsheds have another classification.

The first type is the wallwhich implies installation at a straight wall. As a rule, it is located in the middle of the room for even distribution of heat. If earlier such fireplaces had to be veneered in a special way in order to correctly fit into the interior, today the stores offer a wide range, among which you can find a stove for any room.

The second type is angular.It is considered more practical for small rooms, as it saves space due to installation in the corner part.

Another interesting option is a hanging fireplace. It will give the room a zest and a more interesting look. Such a unit is installed in a special way. Attention should be paid to the location of the firebox, which for safety reasons should not be adjacent to the wall.

Design

The appearance of the fireplace, as well as its location, is very important for rooms in a country house, since this unit will set the tone for the whole interior. It should immediately determine the place where it will be put, and only then think about the other objects. Metal fireplace is a unique unit, as it can be placed anywhere and it will look organically. A round-shaped stove is installed in the middle of the room, but this is a fire hazard, so this installation is not recommended for families with small children.

The best option would be a fireplace built into the wall., it will not only save space, but also allow furnishing a place around to the taste of the owner. In this case, there will be no difficulty with the withdrawal of the chimney, as it will be adjacent to the wall.It is recommended to use refractory materials for wall cladding behind the fireplace and next to it, so that they do not bloat and lose their attractive appearance.

Visible fireplaces have a special partition in the set, which can be made to order with a special pattern for your interior. In addition to beauty, this partition performs fire-fighting functions.

Modern design solutions provide for the location of the furnace in the corner of the room.that is considered one of the most optimal options, since the angular location not only saves space, but also visually increases it.

It is not recommended to install a metal stove near windows or doors, as they can reduce its efficiency and fire safety.

How to do it yourself?

Before proceeding to the manufacture of the furnace, you need to develop a drawing or layout, which will be indicated dimensions and component parts. Draw step-by-step instructions from the pedestal and ending with the chimney. Be sure to consider the layout of your house and the location of the supporting ceilings. If you correctly draw up instructions and correctly follow each item, you will have a high-quality fireplace, whose assembly is not difficult.

Heating a metal fireplace is very strong, so before installing it you should prepare the floor and walls. If the installation is done on a wooden floor, then you need to provide thermal insulation, which will help the basalt wool. After that, a pedestal is made of chipboard sheets, and a layer of ceramic tile or any other refractory base is laid on top of it. This is necessary to ensure safety, especially if the walls are covered with wallpaper.

When the preparatory work is completed, you can proceed to the next step - the assembly of the furnace. First of all, you need to weld the side walls of the unit, and then weld the back and front walls to them. Before attaching the front of it, a hole is cut in the middle in order to equip the fireplace with wood and at the bottom to remove ash from it. To the finished part should be welded a more dense metal piece of sheet, which will become the bottom of the barbecue. Previously, legs should be attached to it, whose height should be 9.5-13 centimeters, and thickness - at least 6-7 centimeters. The parameters of the legs vary depending on the total weight of the furnace body, in order to give it stability.

The next step in making a homemade fireplace will be installing a ceiling for the combustion chamber and ash. The first is recommended to make a two-layer, to separate it from the walls of the fireplace. Further, in the interval between the housing and the ash chamber, a special grate is installed. The next step is to install the doors and weld the corners 11-12 centimeters below the doors of the fireplace insert, as they will become the basis for the grate.

At the end of the top is installed a cap with a hole for the chimney. After the hull is built, you need to check the entire unit with a building level for the presence of irregularities, if any, you will need to assemble the fireplace first.

The second stage will be the installation of the chimneythat will go out through the roof to get smoke out. It can go outside as straight, consisting of one pipe, and zigzag, including two or three knees. The chimney is inserted into the hole, pre-cut on the upper part of the body, then it is carried along the wall until reaching the open part of the roof. If the pipe consists of several parts, their joints will need to be treated with a sealant.

After putting it on the roof, barrels or fungus are placed on top of the chimney to protect it from precipitation. Upon completion of all stages of installation, you can proceed to the decoration of the furnace. It can be decorated with gilded, forged screen with patterns or furnish with statuettes.

It is not recommended to paint the fireplace, as the paint may peel off or melt.

Beautiful examples in the interior

In this case, the wall fireplace is built into the portal of artificial stone that simulates the brickwork of the house. A wooden shelf for a small number of decorative elements, such as photographs, candles and figurines, is set over the whole structure. Next to the fireplace are the details for its cleaning, made in a similar stylistic direction.

Corner fireplace fits perfectly into the interior of the room. Made in a laconic design, the black fireplace looks great on a silver pedestal. An excellent solution was the space for storing firewood directly under the furnace body.

A semicircular metal fireplace is attached to the partition in the middle of the room. The contrast of colors gives originality to the interior.In this case, the best solution was to embed the chimney inside the partition, so the pipe is disguised under the finish and does not distract the view from the main object.

Laconic metal fireplace dark cherry color perfectly complements the overall design of the room. Transparent glass doors give the unit a delicacy. It fits perfectly into the classic interior of the room. A pedestal that imitates an artificial stone also looks appropriately indoors, despite its classic design. The forged stand for the statuette complements the overall look and makes it attractive.

In the next video you will find an example of mounting a metal fireplace.

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Information provided for reference purposes. For construction issues, always consult a specialist.

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