Fireplace screen: varieties and features of choice

Nobody considers fireplaces a luxury and a sign of aristocracy. Now everyone can afford a fireplace in the house and even in the apartment. However, this decorative element can be a source of great danger, it is still an open fire. Therefore, it is important to install the protective screen in a timely manner, having previously selected it correctly.

The correct fireplace screen is a multifunctional design.

It should perform the following functions:

• Security - this is the most important point that should be considered first. Open fire can cause a lot of harm, endangering the safety of the premises and the lives of people. Moreover, the fireplace is of great interest to children and pets. Any careless action can cause irreversible consequences. A protective fireplace screen serves as a barrier to flames and sparks that emanate in different directions. The likelihood of a hazardous situation in this case is significantly reduced or even reduced to zero.

• Efficiency the use of thermal energy is significantly increased. This is facilitated by the heating of the metal / cast iron of the screen and the further transfer of this heat to the room. This state of affairs turns the protective element into an efficient heater.
• Aesthetic beauty - an integral function of fireplace screens. Now they are made from a huge range of materials, decorated in various ways and presented in the most unusual forms. The varieties of these structures will be discussed in the article below. Often it is the screen that is the determining factor for choosing the design and shape of the entire fireplace composition.

Modern craftsmen have adapted a large number of materials to create fireplace screens.

When choosing a design, first of all, you need to decide on the material:

• Bronze has a natural elegance, gives the screens a sophistication and makes it easy to fit into any interior. Such material will never lose its relevance.
• Profile iron is an affordable option that looks good in different interiors, provides decent protection, is durable and flexible.
• "Superizol" is produced in Denmark. It is a modern material that can withstand high temperatures, is lightweight and has good strength.

• Fine mesh metal mesh is a simple, affordable option often chosen for homemade screens. Such material is immune to high temperatures, tolerates strong heat well, does not impede heat circulation.
• Heat-resistant tiles can liven up the interior and give the right mood. To fix it, heat-resistant glue must be used.

• The combination of several materials in one element makes it possible to make the design expensive and unusual. If you still bring to life a complex composition, then it will be difficult to take your eyes off the screen and fireplace as a whole.
• Heat-resistant glass provides a high level of protection and allows you to admire the dance of fire without creating obstacles for this. Stained glass elements look magical, from which the room is filled with colorful live colors. This beauty hides a significant drawback - the delay in thermal radiation.

Fireplace screens can be made in various ways, which also determines their classification and influences the user's choice.

There are three main options:

• Welding allows the wire or rods, bent in accordance with the sketch, to be turned into a high-quality, reliable fireplace grate. The constituent elements are intertwined and welded at the points of contact. This method is often chosen for self-production.

• Casting usually involves the use of cast iron. This process is more complicated than the previous one, but it can well be done at home. Finished products do not differ in high cost, although practicality and reliability are at a high level.
• Forging - the most difficult way, such products are more expensive. Forging can be hot or cold. The first option is selected for creating bulk orders. The cold method is better suited for individual orders. It provides more freedom for the master.

Materials are not the only factor that determines the classification of fireplace screens.

These elements can also have different designs and sizes:

• Built-in stationary elements are one piece with the fireplace. They are not removable, but can be equipped with a collapsible screen, which is more convenient during operation. When the fireplace is not in use, for example, in summer, the screen can be removed, leaving a beautiful base around the fireplace.

• Composite screens are multiple local panels and secure supports that support them. There is no uniform surface here. A semicircle is created from the panels around the fireplace, thus providing reliable protection.
• For combined variants, a different number of flaps can be used. They are fixed on hinges. Such structures are mobile, quickly and easily folded, do not require a lot of storage space.

Grids are worth mentioning separately. These designs are one of the varieties of integral integral protective fireplace screens. There are enough models on the market, but still they are often custom made.

The most relevant are multifunctional models with height adjustment function. This advantage makes the designs versatile. The special design of the blinds makes it easy to close / open the screen depending on the situation.

The slightest flaw will stand out strongly and spoil the whole picture, regardless of its location and grid area.

The range of protective structures for fireplaces is huge, which allows you to choose a model according to many parameters, including in accordance with the chosen style and interior.

Fireplace screens are created in the following stylistic directions:

• Models with ornaments, plot elements and bas-reliefs in the interior acquire a distinctive look and set appropriate accents. Such elements must be chosen with care, they will not be harmoniously inscribed in every interior.
• Classic screens and rococo elements made of brass and bronze stand out from the rest of the models. These materials are especially relevant in the indicated stylistic directions. Depending on the construction and design, screens can be original or restrained, expressive or laconic.

• Stained glass screens look gorgeous in almost any interior. If there are mirrored, polished surfaces and metal objects in the room, then the reflections of the fire will be reflected in them and create a magical effect.
• High-tech style will best be conveyed in a glass composite screen. The most inconspicuous hinges will be appropriate, and even better hidden or disguised.Minimalism in a peculiar design is the main condition that must be observed in every detail.

• Modernity is best conveyed in flat figures. This means that the screen should be chosen with flat panels, vertical posts and horizontal hinges. Light colors are a prerequisite for an Art Nouveau screen.

To make the right choice of a fireplace screen, you must follow simple rules.

• The design is selected in accordance with the dimensions of the firebox. A too large screen will look bulky and ruin the appearance of the fireplace and the room as a whole. A small design will take on an absurd appearance, moreover, it will not be able to provide the desired protective effect.
• Now we decide on the material. It should harmoniously fit into the interior of the room and correspond to the chosen style of the fireplace. You also need to decide if heat will come from the fireplace. If this point is not important for you, then you can stop at heat-resistant glass. Otherwise, it is better to choose a metal mesh screen.

• In the case of using wood logs / briquettes with high heat dissipation as fuel, a very reliable screen is needed, which must be installed in strict accordance with safety requirements.

The range of protective screens is huge, it is very difficult to fully study it. But there are several worthy manufacturers and the most attractive models to whom it is not a pity to devote time and attention.

• Ragar Company originally from Italy, she produces a large number of accessories that are necessary for the owners of fireplaces. The company has earned the sympathy of users from many countries. This is due to the high quality, wide assortment, excellent performance, various style solutions. For example, the RGR C31206AGK model is made in the best traditions of the classics, and the RGR C01914AGK screen will successfully fit into the Baroque style.

• Alex bauman Is a Chinese company that exhibits surprisingly high quality. These products are affordable, have rich functionality, and are characterized by high reliability. It is not for nothing that we have singled out this company from all Chinese manufacturers.

For information on how to clean the glass of the fireplace from soot and carbon deposits, see the next video.