Fireplace Design Basics

Prior to starting the design of any fireplace, there are a some basic considerations that are usually addressed in order to come up with a complete fireplace design. For the most part, there are three important parts to fire place designing, and great care should be taken to ensure they all blend well with each other so that the the entire design will flow well with each other.

The three central elements to fireplace design include the hearth, the firebox and the opening between the firebox and the room where the fireplace is.

So let's begin with the hearth. A hearth could be true with the room's floor, raised a bit above the floor, or found below the level of the floor. Additionally, there might not even be a hearth incorporated into the fireplace design. In that event the firebox should probably be raised a few inches above the floor, as the hearth protects the flooring from the intense heat that the fire can produce. Another type of hearth might include hearth seats of various kinds. The most traditional and popular type of fireplace with hearth seats are the kinds that feature simply two blocks on both sides of the opening of the firebox.

Complimenting the many styles of of fireplace hearths, the designs of fireboxes usually affect the relative height in relation to the floor and / or the hearth. You'll find raised fireboxes, flush fireboxes built level in height with the floor, in addition to dropped fireboxes that are somewhat lower than the hearth and / or floor in front of the fireplace.

Finally we have fireplace openings, which is otherwise known as the fire place surround and where the mantle is generally located. The design of the opening can vary dramatically; from straight, flat rectangular and full arch along with more traditional fireplace openings with a u-shape design. We'll discuss a few of the deviations below:

• The most common type of opening is rectangular openings. Generally, this kind of opening will be just that - shaped in a rectangular form. However, even with this style of openings, the sides commonly open towards the firebox from the outside of the fireplace.
• Flat arched fire place openings, with straight sides, although the top of the opening has a slight arch to the shape. As with more traditional rectangular shaped openings, the edges often times open outward from the fire box towards the face of the fireplace.
• In addition to flat, there are also full arch openings which have no straight lines. This kind of opening usually have a continuous curve around the fire place opening. This is the kind of opening you are used to seeing in American Southwestern designed fireplaces.
• Corner fireplaces allow for two open sides to the fire place. Just as the name suggests, corner openings are built in a manner that the entire corner part of the firebox to be revealed.
• Finally, u-shaped openings in which the firebox is exposed on a total of three sides: the face, as well as the two side areas. These final two styles of openings will usually create improved CFM of heating. If you plan on providing warmth for your living room, these are likely the best openings for your fireplace to take a look at.

Clearly, they're quite a few fireplace designs. There are advantages and disadvantages with all of them, therefore choose wisely while selecting the hearth, firebox and fireplace opening. By choosing the right combination, you will not only increase the warmth of your home, you will also make your home much more enjoyable, in more ways then one.