Metal fireplace: 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 warmth, the fireplace also brings an atmosphere of coziness and zest to the interior. As a rule, they prefer to put brick fireplaces in houses, but it is not always possible to install such a unit at home, since there may not be enough space or strength for it to care for it.

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

A metal fireplace is an excellent device that can heat a room and relieve you of the cold. The heat output of such a stove depends on the level of preheating and the amount of wood inside. The metal fireplace, due to its special qualities, will not let you freeze even in the winter cold. Another advantage of this stove is the ability to make it an elegant addition to your interior. Thanks to its varied design, it will fit into a room 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 decorate their homes.

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

A huge advantage of a metal fireplace, which will delight the housewives of the house, is the ease of maintenance. They are easy to clean and with regular maintenance they will not lose their original appearance at all. During cleaning, it will be enough to clean out all the soot from the inside and outside, wipe with a damp cloth and lightly polish to give an additional shine. As a rule, for the above actions, no special means are required, you can clean everything with improvised means that are in every home: soda, vinegar or citric acid. If desired, special household chemicals are purchased for cleaning fireplaces, which are presented in household stores.

However, in addition to a large number of advantages, metal stoves for the home also have a number of features that must be taken into account before buying. Perhaps the most important drawback of such a fireplace is the increased fire hazard - if used improperly, the fire can spread to other objects.

Another disadvantage is the very fast cooling of the unit. after all the wood has burned out, in contrast to the fireplace stove, which continues to produce heat even after the fuel has burned out.The body of the fireplace is very hot and can cause severe burns if touched carelessly, therefore it is strongly recommended to wear special thick gloves when working with it.

There is a classification of metal fireplaces according to material and installation method. Let's consider each one separately.

According to the material, the furnaces are divided into completely made of metal and combined of two types. One of these is a fireplace with a brick body and a metal insert. 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-burning unit will look great in any interior, and with careful installation, you can save on finishing it, since brickwork is very fashionable now.

The metal firebox, in turn, increases the efficiency of the unit by heating the material, which turns into an independent source of heat. In addition to all the other advantages, the principle of slow combustion should be noted, which allows you to save on fuel, since the wood will burn out more slowly and give off more heat.

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

Metal fireplaces with a wood burning stove have another classification.

The first type is wall-mounted, which implies installation against a straight wall. It is usually located in the middle of the room to distribute heat evenly. If earlier such fireplaces had to be faced in a special way in order to correctly fit into the interior, today 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 by installing in a corner.

The appearance of the fireplace, as well as its location, are very important for premises in a country house, since this unit will set the tone for the entire interior. You should immediately decide on the place where it will be placed, and only then think about the rest of the objects. The metal fireplace is a unique unit as it can be placed anywhere and will look organic. Some people install a round-shaped stove 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 you to furnish the place around to the taste of the owner. In this case, there will be no difficulty with the output of the chimney, since it will be adjacent to the wall. It is recommended to use fireproof materials for wall cladding behind and next to the fireplace, so that they do not smoke and lose their attractive appearance.

Significant fireplaces come with a special partition that can be made to order with a special pattern for your interior. In addition to beauty, this partition also performs fire-fighting functions.

Modern design solutions include the location of the stove in the corner of the room, which is considered one of the most optimal options, since the angular arrangement not only saves space, but also visually increases it.

Before proceeding with the manufacture of the furnace, you need to develop a drawing or layout on which the dimensions and component parts will be indicated. You should draw step-by-step instructions from the pedestal to the chimney. Be sure to consider the layout of your home and the location of the structural floors. If you draw up the instructions correctly and correctly follow each point, you will get a high-quality fireplace, whose assembly is not difficult.

The heating of a metal fireplace is very strong, therefore, before installing it, you should prepare the floor and walls. If the laying takes place on a wooden floor, then it is necessary to provide thermal insulation, which will help basalt wool. After that, a pedestal is made of chipboard sheets, and a layer of ceramic tiles or any other refractory base is applied on top of it. This is necessary for safety reasons, especially if the walls are covered with wallpaper.

When the preparatory work is completed, you can proceed to the next step - assembling the oven. 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 part, a hole is cut in it in the middle to equip the fireplace with wood and at the bottom to clean it from ash. A denser metal piece of sheet should be welded to the finished part, which will become the bottom of the barbecue. Previously, legs should be attached to it, whose height should be 9.5-13 centimeters, and the thickness should be at least 6-7 centimeters. The dimensions of the legs vary according to the total weight of the oven body to give it stability.

The next step in making a homemade fireplace will be to install an overlap for the combustion chamber and ash. The first is recommended to be made in two layers to separate it from the walls of the fireplace. Further, in the gap between the body 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 fireplace insert doors, as they will become the basis for the grate.

Finally, a cover with a hole for the chimney is installed on top. After the body is built, you need to check the entire unit at the building level for irregularities, if any are found, the fireplace will need to be assembled first.

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

After being taken out on the roof, barrels or a fungus are placed on top of the chimney, which will protect it from precipitation. Upon completion of all stages of installation, you can start decorating the oven. It can be decorated with gilding, a wrought-iron screen with patterns, or furnished with figurines.

In this case, a wall-mounted fireplace is built into a portal made of artificial stone that imitates the brickwork of a house. A wooden shelf is installed on top of the entire structure for a small amount of decorative items such as photographs, candles and figurines. Next to the fireplace there are details for cleaning it, made in a similar stylistic direction.

The corner fireplace fits perfectly into the interior of the room.With its sleek design, the black fireplace looks great on a silver plinth. An excellent solution was the space for storing firewood directly under the body of the stove.

A semicircular metal fireplace is set against a partition in the middle of the room. The contrast of colors gives originality to the interior. In this case, the best solution was to build the chimney inside the partition, so the pipe is disguised under the finish and does not distract the eye from the main subject.

A laconic metal fireplace in dark cherry color perfectly complements the overall design of the room. Transparent glass doors add sophistication to the unit. It fits perfectly into the classic interior of the room. A pedestal imitating an artificial stone also looks appropriate indoors, despite the classic design. A wrought iron stand for the statuette complements the overall look and makes it attractive.

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