Glass fireplace

The presence of fire in the home throughout the history of mankind is inextricably linked with well-being. Centuries go by, and one of the unchanging and solid signs of comfort is a special kind of home fire - a fireplace. Unfortunately, in modern homes, fireplaces in their classic design are not always acceptable - this is due to the complexity of the design, ventilation equipment, fire safety requirements and much more.

In such cases, alternative solutions are indispensable, one of which is the use of modern glass fireplaces. Such a fireplace will fully allow you to enjoy one of the most pacifying paintings known to mankind - smoothly and calmly swaying tongues of a living flame.

Key design features

In addition to all the spiritual and aesthetic benefits, glass fireplaces are also distinguished by their safety, ease of use and the ability to install in almost any room. A variety of sizes, installation and design options opens up wide possibilities for their use both at home and in the design of entertainment and business interiors.

Glass fireplaces can be divided into several types, which differ in the type of installation and installation, as well as the type of fuel used.

A common feature of all glass fireplaces is the presence of a protective screen made of special refractory glass. Such a screen will protect both the room itself, the walls, the floor, adjacent interior and household items, and all nearby people and animals from direct fire, sparks, soot and soot.

Mantel glass technology makes it resistant to high temperaturesand low expansion coefficient and special spraying provide sufficient strength and prevent the appearance of cracks and scratches. In addition, the protective film based on iron oxide provides the simplicity and ease of cleaning glass from soot and soot, the appearance of which depends on various factors. These factors include the type of fuel used, quality of construction, wear of the components of the product.

Types of fuel

Traditional wood for a glass fireplace is quite acceptable, but their use involves some requirements and limitations. Take, for example, the need for a chimney - it is practically impossible to equip it in an apartment of a multi-storey building - it is very difficult constructively, but the main problem will not even be construction, but the receipt of all necessary permits and approvals.

Firewood gives the greatest amount of waste during combustion - This is ash, soot, soot, saturated with wood resins. And most importantly, firewood requires the largest volumes for storage, which makes them not the most practical and convenient type of fuel.

For the above reasons, for glass fireplaces, two main alternatives are preferred:

Gas. As fuel, both natural gas and a propane-butane mixture can be used. Depending on the quality of the gas and equipment used, the amount of soot emitted and other combustion by-products may vary. A gas burner, which is used as a flame source, can be decorated in a variety of ways. Often, imitation of firewood is used, which can look extremely realistic.
Biofuel. Alcohol-based biofuel in the form of a liquid or gel is non-toxic; it leads in environmental cleanliness among all the mentioned types of fuel. During combustion, water vapor and carbon dioxide are mainly released; the presence of other substances is very insignificant. This type of fuel is unpretentious in storage and very easy to use.

Types of Glass Fireplaces

The high-tech approach to creating glass fireplaces provided an extensive variety in the choice of both external design and internal structure. There are models that offer a partially open flame, but there are those where the fire is completely isolated in the device. In general terms, there are three main ways to integrate a fireplace into the interior.

Recessed fireplaces

Such fireplaces can have very impressive dimensions, including - completely repeating with their appearance the chic designs known from the interiors of the Middle Ages. There are a huge number of options for exterior decoration and design, using a variety of materials - metal, stone, ceramics. The choice depends on desire and imagination.

Often, gas is used for embedded solutions. The built-in area is quite extensive - it can be both walls and interior partitions. It is worth noting that the use of special heat-resistant and heat-insulating materials allows installation even when using drywall in the base.

Mounted Mounting

The name here speaks for itself. Such models are characterized by a lower weight, but, nevertheless, when choosing a mounting location, you should focus on the strength of the supporting structure - wall or ceiling.

Both gas and biofuel are suitable as fuel; the choice depends on the size of the model and on the owner’s desire. A variety of shapes, sizes and colors allows you to organically complement the interior of any style and direction and will not leave indifferent even the most sophisticated buyers.

Portable glass fireplaces

There are a variety of sizes and volumes of portable fireplaces - from a few cubic centimeters, the size of a table lamp, to large structures. Their main advantage is that they are not tied to a specific installation point and can be placed arbitrarily in the room.

Many types of design, from classic styles to hi-tech, will allow you to enjoy the view of fire in any environment. For example, few people will be indifferent to a coffee table, in the center of which tongues of a living flame curl.

Terms of Use

Despite everything that has been said about the high safety of glass fireplaces, one should not neglect the rules of their operation and elementary precautions, as, indeed, with any other devices and devices. It must be remembered that it is not recommended to leave a working fireplace unattended for a long time.

We must not forget about the regular ventilation of the room, because any combustion process uses oxygen from the environment.

Maintenance should be left to specialists, but in domestic services glass fireplaces are quite simple. As a rule, it all comes down to cleaning the surface of dust and possible soot. The materials used in the manufacture are resistant to household chemicals and will not need specialized daily maintenance.

So, if a standard fireplace, due to its features, is unavailable, and an electric fireplace does not give the sensations you would like, then the best choice would probably be a glass three-sided fireplace with gas or biofuel. For example, a round narrow mini-variant that has a fence looks very stylish.

What kind of glass for a fireplace to choose, see the video below.

Design and types

A fireplace, for which glass is used in the production as transparent and extremely refractory as possible, can be placed not only in the house, but also in the apartment. The advantages of such models include the absence of the need to connect to the system of chimney ducts and hoods. Such fireboxes most often operate on biofuels and are called bio-fireplaces. No less popular are easy-to-use and use electric fireplaces, the operation of which requires the supply of electricity and an outlet.

A modern glass fireplace mainly has a decorative function and is used for decoration. The heating function may either be completely absent or present, but not bring a huge effect. An electric fireplace, as well as a bio hearth made of glass, can have a different arrangement in the interior of a house or apartment. The fireplace can be wall, built-in, island, corner, hinged or table.

Refractory glass in the presence of skills, special equipment and tools is quite simple to use. With it, you can give the fireplace portal and hearth any shape. A fireplace made of glass can be round, triangular, oval, square, rectangular, trapezoidal, asymmetrical, multifaceted.

Two-sided, four-sided and three-sided firebox are very popular. The viewing angle in such models is the most advantageous from any angle, and the design itself can be installed both in the center of the room and near walls and partitions.

A wood-burning fireplace, as well as electric and bio fireboxes, can differ not only in their shape and type of fuel, but also in size. Do not place a bulky fireplace in a small room. It is best to install a corner or desktop model, it will look the most harmonious and profitable.

In the assortment of domestic and foreign manufacturers, you can find glass fireplaces of various shapes, in an interesting design. Modern models include table fireplaces, small fire chambers that can be rearranged from room to room, structures with interesting additional cladding with metal, ceramics, stone and other materials.

An electric fireplace operating from a standard electric network does not have a burning flame in the hearth, which is undoubtedly a drawback of such variations. However, it is safe and easy to use. In addition, thanks to the use of modern technologies, an electric fireplace with an imitation of a burning flame looks quite stylish and realistic.

If you want to enjoy the view of a burning flame, pay attention to models that work with liquid fuel and gas. The safest are biofireplaces without a chimney. Ethyl alcohol is used for their work, which is safe for health and does not emit hazardous and harmful combustion products. The second option is a gas fireplace. For its operation, a chimney is required, as well as obtaining permission in the relevant authorities of your city. The disadvantages of gas fireplaces include the presence of an unpleasant odor, the difficulty in construction.

To create a more realistic project, you can buy and equip your hearth with various accessories and devices, such as: decorative firewood, embers, lights.

Functionality and aesthetics

The functions of traditional fireplaces include the presence of a real flame in the combustion chamber. In modern furnaces this function is completely absent. However, for all this, it is qualitatively imitated. Such electric and bio fireplaces have primarily a decorative function.

A glass door allows you to enjoy a view of the imitation of the flame and enjoy relaxing near such a decorative hearth in a house or apartment. The fireplace, whose door is completely sealed, also allows the safe use of wood stoves. In this case, the owners not only enjoy the fire in the furnace, but also protect their home from sparks and fire.

A classic fireplace may not only be closed. The stove, the door in which carries not only aesthetic and decorative, but also a protective function, may be completely absent. Non-door models are open hearths. In order to protect them, it is recommended to equip them with a special damper or grille.

If you want to install not only a stylish, but also a functional unit in your home or at the cottage, we recommend that you pay attention to the classic stoves, in the hearth of which a real flame burns and there is a full heating function.

A feature of any fireplace is its original and stylish appearance. A correctly selected device will look harmoniously not only in a working state, but also in a disconnected, unheated state. To decorate it, you can supplement it with various accessories, decor, make stylish lining, think through the portal.

a fireplace insert should be part of the interior, partially or fully repeat it in its shapes, materials or color. Thus, the room will look as harmonious and holistic as possible. For large living rooms, a fireplace can become an object with which zoning will be carried out, dividing the space into several rooms or plots.

At the heart of modern foci is high-quality and durable tempered glass, which has high strength, tolerates strong heat, sharp temperature changes. The glass fireplace in the production can be given any shape and shape. The material can be not only transparent, but also colored, tinted, made like wood, stone, leather and other surfaces.

You can supplement the furnace with special stones, logs, coals, a fireplace set and other elements. You can either buy them or make them yourself with imagination or by using the instructions that can be found on the Internet.

Comfortable and safe use

Many consider glass bio fireplaces to be very safe and do not consider it necessary to dwell on such a point as safety of use. However, in the hearth of such an aggregate a real fire burns, which is dangerous and if the safety standards and rules are not followed, it can lead to a fire or burns.

If the design of your fireplace is open, and there are children or animals in the house, you need to buy or order a special glass shutter for the firebox. Its presence does not appear in any way on the appearance of the equipment, but will make it safer.

If you bought a glass fireplace in a specialized and trusted store, do not worry about the quality of the material. Glass, even with prolonged and regular use, will not lose its attractiveness, strength, will not melt, deform, will not burst or crack.

The best option is a fireplace equipped with a closed firebox and high walls on all sides. You can also buy a partially enclosed hearth, equipped with glass sides or sides on several sides. If you intend to purchase an open hearth, make sure that sparks during its operation do not get on furniture or textiles.

How to care?

It is no secret that the glass surface is quite simple and quickly dirty. It is important to timely eliminate these contaminants and prevent them from penetrating deep into the pores. For cleaning fireplaces from refractory tempered glass, many tools have been invented, which can be purchased in a specialized store.

It can be both powders and pastes, and sprays that need to be applied to the surface, and then simply wipe with a sponge, soft cloth or napkin.

Also, in the absence of purchased glass cleaning products, cleaning can be done using improvised tools. To clean the glass you need a newspaper and ash. Ash is previously diluted in water and applied to glass. Next, wipe the fireplace with a crumpled newspaper. At the last stage, the glass is wiped until the stains and stains are completely eliminated.

Also, if you don’t have any special powder or spray for cleaning glass at hand, you can do this with vinegar, napkins, newspapers and plain water. Next, you will need to do the following manipulations:

In a deep and sufficiently large container, mix water and vinegar in a one to one proportion. For example, in 200 ml of water, you will need to add as much vinegar,
The fireplace must be completely cooled, so that its walls are sufficiently cold,
After we apply the prepared composition to the glass and leave it for 5-10 minutes, depending on the intensity of pollution,
We wipe the surface first with a crumpled newspaper, after a dry soft cloth, eliminating all residual stains and stains.

The advantages of all tools for cleaning fireplace glass include availability and low cost, in contrast to more expensive purchased compounds, the consumption of which is also quite large, especially if you use the fireplace regularly.

The modern fireplace presented in this video has a door based on fireproof glass. About all the features of such models and glass fireplaces, see below: