Made of refractory material - cast iron of dark, silver, gray, greenish and other types of shades, fireplace inserts for the most part of French and Spanish brands (Godin, Ferlux, Laudel, Fabrilor) inspire such feelings as solidity, reliability, durability, safety. The heating system is protected by a direct front glass. Decorated with engraved drawings, symbols, there are fire chambers simple for perception of the eye - without drawings. Choosing a classic cast-iron firebox, you will create comfort and coziness in your home, which will also be an excellent decoration of the room, harmoniously blending into the interior.
Types of fireplace inserts for a fireplace
Before considering a variety of furnaces, let's recall that the design of the fireplace includes the main 3 elements:
- chimney,
- outer facing part,
- firebox.
The main elements of the fireplace
There are two types of fireboxes: open and closed.
The first option is more comfortable and romantic. It is so pleasant to sit in front of an open fire on a cold evening, admiring the logs burning in the fireplace. But this design has several disadvantages:
- Insecurity. Such a fireplace cannot be left unattended.
- Inefficiency. About 15% of the heat remains in the room. The rest - disappears through the chimney.
Therefore, the open type design can be safely called decorative luxury, which allows you to create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort in the house. In addition, to regulate the burning power of the fuel in such a fireplace does not work. The only way to adjust is the view, which allows you to open or close the chimney in the chimney, controlling the draft. As a heating system, such a design will not be used efficiently.
Open type firebox
But a closed fireplace is much more efficient to use for heating a country house in cold winter or in the off-season. It will perform not only a decorative function, being the main decoration of the living room, but also provide effective heating of the room.
Stylish fireplace with closed hearth
The efficiency and high performance of a fireplace with a closed firebox is due to a completely different principle of operation compared to an open design. Heat accumulates inside the furnace, and does not go out with combustion products. Thanks to this, a high efficiency is achieved. With a correctly mounted fireplace - the efficiency reaches 90-92%.
In addition, modern manufacturers equip closed fireboxes with a long burning system (firewood smoldering system), due to which heat can be maintained up to 12-15 hours after one bookmark. It is not only effective, but also very economical. You can adjust the degree of oxygen supply, which affects the intensity of combustion, using the knob.
With such a heating system, you can safely go to bed, and the fireplace will slowly give off heat. The next morning, the house will have a good temperature and atmosphere.
The advantages of a closed type of firebox include:
- High performance (up to 92% efficiency).
- Residual products of combustion (ash and ash) are collected in a special ash pan, which guarantees cleanliness in the house.
- High fire safety. There is no likelihood of sparks on the floor or furniture.
- Long term of operation.
- Fuel economy.
- The fireplace can work automatically without the constant presence of a person and control of the flame.
- The ability to adjust the intensity of combustion.
The disadvantages of a closed type of firebox are narrow glass in budget versions, which makes it impossible to admire the open flame.
Closed Cast Iron Firebox
It should be noted that a closed type of fireplace from an open structure can be made. For this, it is necessary to insert a closed-type cast-iron firebox into the overall design of the fireplace. The firebox itself is a fireplace insert (cassette), which is closed by a glass door.
This insert is connected to the chimney, from which combustion products are then removed.
A cast-iron firebox has a price slightly higher than steel, but its service life is longer!
They have the form of glass: straight, two glasses, three glasses, pass-through, four glasses.
Recently, it has been very fashionable to buy a cast iron firebox two glasses and three glasses.
If you want to save money and not lose much in quality, then this is of course Russian-made cast-iron fire chambers. This is Ardenfire. Customers call them Meta fireplace inserts.
They are not entirely Russian, because spare parts are imported from France, and they are assembled in our Moscow region (Moscow).
Russian cast-iron fire chambers are also with excellent heat dissipation, they really take longer to heat up than steel ones, because they keep heat longer.
In our store you can buy cast iron furnaces for fireplaces inexpensively! Huge range! Chimney fire chambers pig-iron sale! Installing a fireplace insert in 1 day!
Advantages and disadvantages of a cast iron firebox
Now that we have decided on the type of fireplace design, we need to choose the material for the furnace. The firebox can be laid out of fireclay bricks or made of cast iron, steel. Unlike steel structures, cast-iron fire chambers are inexpensive and practical.
Cast iron fireplace in the country
The advantages of such cast-iron furnaces include:
- fire resistance
- resistance to deformation,
- ease of installation
- low price
- high performance,
- good thermal conductivity
- excellent tightness of the chamber,
- the ability to warm a room up to 300 square meters,
- high heat storage capacity.
The special design of the cast iron closed firebox with glass allows you to accumulate thermal energy and give up to 70% to the room.
The outer part of such a furnace is covered with a special protective paint that can withstand high temperatures of up to 700-700 degrees Celsius. The front side is equipped with a glass door, which allows you to monitor the intensity of the flame, admire the hearth and toss firewood.
And the lower part of any combustion chamber suggests the presence of an ash pan. This is the place where combustion products accumulate: tar, ash, ash. Also this part of the fireplace performs another function. As you know, the combustion process cannot occur without oxygen. It is through the ash pan that air enters the cast-iron combustion chamber.
The disadvantages of cast iron furnaces with glass include:
- a small overview of the viewing window,
- the window is quickly covered with soot, which further reduces the visibility,
- all products are made in black, which does not allow you to vary the design of such a fireplace.
But the last point is easy to fix if you install a decorative grill on the fireplace in the form of a bronze openwork mesh.
How to choose a firebox?
Having decided on the type of construction and the material of manufacture of the furnace, it remains a matter of little - choose a model. By what parameters should you choose a cast-iron firebox, given that the market today offers many different models and manufacturers.
This is perhaps the main parameter on which the effectiveness of the fireplace will directly depend. In order to choose a fireplace that will really heat the room, and not just perform a decorative function, you should correctly calculate the area of the room. The required power of the furnace will depend on this parameter.
The power of the furnace depends on the area of the room
Also, the power of the furnace determines its weight, diameter and length of the chimney.
We calculate the total area of the room according to the standard formula:
We measure the length and width of the room in meters, multiply the results. Now that you know the quadrature of the room, you can determine the necessary power of the furnace.
We measure the area of the room
Important! Consider not only the total area of the room, but also the number of windows, their width, the presence of doorways. All this will increase power requirements.
We take into account the number and width of window openings
For a room area of 50-100 m 2, the power of the furnace should be at least 10-12 kW.
For rooms over 100 m 2, select a furnace power of at least 15 kW.
- Door material. The door is one of the most important parts of the furnace. In order for the door to withstand a high temperature of 750-800 0 C, it is made of quartz heat-resistant glass or a ceramic crystal.
Attention! Fireplaces with a transparent glass door are made of refractory ceramics. But models with a dull yellowish glass are made of quartz heat-resistant glass.
The door is made of glass
Today on the market you can find budget models with a small glass door, or you can buy more expensive fireboxes with double or curved glass doors. Of course, the difference is purely in decorative functions, because it is much more pleasant to admire the gleam of fire when the fireplace is equipped with a firebox with a large glass door. Advanced fireboxes are equipped with doors with automatic window cleaning. Due to the supply of hot air, the glass is easily cleaned from dust, soot and soot.
- Fire chamber shape: regular (frontal) and angular. Here the choice, of course, depends on the location of the fireplace. The front firebox, in turn, can be in the form of a trapezoid or a rectangle.
The advantage of a conventional frontal firebox is its affordable price and high performance. Due to the fact that the chimney is located next to the furnace, without unnecessary bends, the draft in such a fireplace will be better. But in a corner firebox, this performance is reduced due to the remote location of the chimney.
- The shape of the glass door: flat, circular or segmented. Of course, the most budget option is to buy a flat-door firebox. But if you want to give originality to your interior, then pay attention to stylish models with a circular glass firebox of a spherical shape.
Semicircular fireplace shape
You can also find a combined type of door, when one part is made of steel, decorated with decorative forged elements, and the glass part provides an overview of the fire. This style of stained glass will help to bring a special shade of comfort and antiquity to the interior.
Features of glass doors for cast iron furnaces
As mentioned above, for installation in a furnace chamber of a glass door, ordinary glass will not work. It should have a high heat-resistant index.
The main task of such glass is to protect the house from fire, because a fireplace always represents an increased fire safety. No matter how beautiful and romantic the process of lighting a fireplace and admiring an open flame, there is always a risk of fire from the slightest spark.
Cast Iron Fireplace Glass Door
The installation of such glass in a cast iron firebox requires certain knowledge and skills.
The main difference between heat-resistant glass for the furnace and ordinary tempered glass is the casting expansion during heating. It does not form cracks, chips during operation. When purchasing glass for a cast iron furnace, pay attention to its maximum temperature. A material of 600 degrees can withstand a long period, but if it is affected by a temperature of 750-800 degrees, then such glass will not stand for several hours.
The performance of the glass for the furnace is affected by the type of fuel. Each type of fuel has its own technical characteristics and maximum combustion temperature. This must be considered before buying and installing.
Cast Iron Fireplace Glass Door
To extend the life of the glass for the furnace, you must adhere to the basic safety measures:
- You can not fill the flame with water in the fireplace. A sharp temperature drop can affect the technical characteristics of the glass.
- Do not use harsh abrasives when cleaning the door and the combustion chamber. The scratch itself will not violate the technical characteristics of the glass, but soot will collect faster at the place of its formation, closing the view.
- The correct installation of the door also affects the service life. If the draft in the fireplace is broken and the flame constantly acts on the glass, then for a long time such a door will not stand, no matter how durable heat-resistant glass it was made.
Attention! To ensure a beautiful aesthetic appearance of the glass door, you should monitor the quality of firewood. If you use well-dried logs, then the likelihood of soot formation will be minimized. If you throw extraneous garbage into the fireplace and use firewood with a high resin content, the door will be constantly covered with soot, violating the beautiful appearance.
Features of installation of a cast iron firebox
Of course, installing a fireplace and installing a firebox is a very tricky and tricky business. If you are not confident in your abilities and knowledge, then it is better to entrust such a matter to professionals. Indeed, improper installation of the furnace can be fraught with serious problems, ranging from poor traction and ending with the danger of fire.
If you are confident in your abilities and want to independently mount the cast-iron firebox with glass, then we suggest you follow our detailed step-by-step instructions.
The finished design of the cast iron firebox can be purchased at the store, or can be made in advance. The latter option requires serious skills and a professional tool. Therefore, in this article we will dwell on the installation and installation of the finished construction of a cast iron firebox.
The installation option also depends on whether you are installing the firebox into the already prepared fireplace design with a chimney or equipping the fireplace from scratch. If you have decided for yourself to replace only the old furnace with a new cast iron with glass, and the fireplace portal is ready for you with the exhaust system for combustion products, then go ahead to step 3.
We offer here detailed instructions on how to equip a fireplace with a cast-iron firebox from the very beginning.
Install a cast iron firebox: step by step instructions
Cast iron furnace installation work
Before starting work, prepare the following tools and materials:
- building level,
- building tape
- electric drill,
- trowel,
- rubber mallet
- cast iron firebox.
From the materials you will need:
- cement-sand mortar,
- refractory mastic,
- brick,
- insulation
- screws and screws,
- a metal sheet,
- waterproofing material.
Step 1. Preparing a place for the fireplace.
- We determine the place where the fireplace will be installed. It depends on a number of factors: the location of the doors, the area of the room, the features of the roof, etc. It is important not only to think about where it will look more spectacular, but also immediately take into account the installation of the chimney system, which can be done in two ways: through the wall or through the roof.
We determine the place under the fireplace
Attention! If you do not have much experience in masonry, then before starting construction work it is recommended to lay the bricks dry. So you will see how much material you need, and you can correct any of your shortcomings at this stage.
- We carry out the foundation under the fireplace. According to technical standards, the width of the foundation for the fireplace should be 10-15 cm larger on each side than the structure.
Therefore, making markings on the floor under the fireplace, draw an additional line under the width of the foundation. We create formwork from boards. The depth of the foundation for a cast-iron firebox should be at least 50 cm. If the fireplace is installed in a house with wooden floors, then the foundation should never be placed on boards. We cut the size of the fireplace with an electric saw or a jigsaw and deepen the foundation.
Mounting the furnace on a pedestal
The base must be perfectly flat.
Step 2. Install the pedestal under the furnace.
- When the foundation for the fireplace is ready, we proceed to the construction of the pedestal for the furnace. We lay out 4 rows of red brick, forming a U-shaped shape.
Fire pedestal
If desired, the rows can be increased if a higher fireplace design is assumed. Laying the rows of bricks, connect them with a cement-clay mortar, and so that they sit well, use a rubber mallet. After laying each layer, check the level of slope with a building gauge. Proceed with laying the next level only if the level shows "0".
Why is it necessary to mount such a complex pedestal? This design will increase the heat transfer of the fireplace.
Convection of air masses works in such a way that warm air from under the firewood will come out, mixing with the cold.
- Now on the side parts of the brickwork we install metal corners with the ribs up.
Overlap from metal corners
On them will be bricks that perform the function of the base for the furnace. We take bricks and make grooves in them using a file.
Firebox base
We place the bricks on the metal corners. We strengthen all this with cement-clay mortar. We check once again with the construction level the horizontal slope. And for vertical we use a plumb line. Allow to dry well and harden the solution.
This is an important element of the fireplace, in which ash and ash accumulate. Access to it should be convenient so that the operation of the fireplace is easy and practical. The ash pan should be equipped with a special door through which it will be necessary to systematically clean the fireplace. In some models of cast-iron fireplaces, an ash pan with a door is supplied, but you may have to purchase it separately.
Step 3. Installation of the furnace.
Now that the base for the fireplace is ready and the solution has hardened, you can proceed directly to the installation of a cast iron firebox.
- We prepare the prepared base of the brick with refractory mastic and carefully install the cast iron firebox. You will need help, since the design has considerable weight.
Install the furnace on the base
Step 4. Installation of the chimney.
When the firebox is securely installed and fixed on a brick base, you can proceed with the installation of the chimney. Its design and location were determined by you before the start of work, so use a pre-designed construction scheme.
Sandwich pipe installation
The most simple and practical installation option is a chimney made of double-circuit sandwich pipes.
The store sells finished designs. You only need to buy the right amount of elements and put together the whole structure. Keep in mind that the fewer bends the flue structure will have, the better the performance of the fireplace will be in the future.
Attention! When designing a gas exhaust system, consider the technical fire safety standards. According to SNiP, if the height of the chimney does not exceed 5 meters, then the vertical deflection angle should not exceed 45 degrees. If you ignore this fact and make it bigger, then this will affect the traction. Also during operation, smoke may enter the room.
- Before installing the entire chimney, connect the structure of two pipes (outer and inner layer). Each knock of the elements must be carefully treated with sealant, otherwise the smoke may enter the room, and the heat will go outside.
- The first chimney pipe should be worn on the outlet pipe of the furnace with a cap method. Close all joints carefully with sealant.
- Use a splitter to direct the smoke flow.
- In order to clearly fix the design of the chimney in an upright position, you must install the bracket on the outside of the house.
- Connect the tee, the lower part of which acts as a condensate collector.
Chimney mount to bracket
Metal box around the chimney
All branches and bends create an additional obstacle for traction, worsening the operation of the fireplace, so it is best to avoid them whenever possible.
Attention! A prerequisite for installing the frame around the chimney is to make a hole, because the heated air inside the metal box must go somewhere.
Video. Do-it-yourself fireplace lining with a cast iron firebox
When the design of the chimney is assembled, and the furnace is installed, you can proceed to the finishing work, which consists in a decorative lining. Facing a firebox with a brick solves not only a decorative task, it improves the heat transfer to the fireplace, allows heat to remain longer, warming the room. In addition, with a brick, you can achieve any shape of the fireplace, giving it the most intricate shape.
Brick fireplace mantel
If the interior of the room does not involve the installation of a massive stone fireplace, then you can limit yourself to installing a stylish cast-iron firebox with glass and its connection to the chimney. In this case, you just need to decorate the base under the combustion chamber beautifully.
If you want to enjoy the beauty of a classic fireplace, then red brick or decorative stone is suitable for these purposes. It all depends on your individual preferences, interior and budget size.
The most practical solution for the external facing of the fireplace is the choice of fireclay bricks. It has high heat-resistant properties and is able to withstand up to 1000 degrees Celsius. In addition, due to its low thermal conductivity, it can retain heat for a long time. Even after complete combustion of the fuel, the fireplace, faced with fireclay bricks, can give off heat to the room for another 2-3 hours.
If fireclay brick will simultaneously perform a decorative function, and no other decoration is no longer assumed, then before laying, it is necessary to carefully sort this material. Lay out on the floor those parts that will be the front part of the finish. Pay attention not only to the shape of the bricks, but also to their color, structure. This will allow you to get beautiful seams and achieve excellent decorativeness.
If you chose aerated concrete blocks for the exterior decoration of the furnace, then their inner part must be insulated with basalt cotton, because such a material does not have high heat resistance.
Otherwise, during operation, aerated concrete blocks may crack, violating the technical properties of the fireplace and general aesthetics. It should be understood that aerated concrete blocks are not a final coating and then they will have to be covered with decorative plaster or artificial stone.
Another cladding option is the installation of a metal frame followed by plasterboard cladding.
From the inside, this design is also laid with basalt fiber, to give fire resistance. This option is simple and economical installation.
We propose to consider the classic version of cladding with chamotte brick.
- For a facing of a fireplace the usual step-by-step order is used. If you need to make additional decor by decorating the fireplace with supports, then it will be necessary to adjust the brick in shape, making it semicircular.
Clearance of chalk with firebox and masonry
Treat all joints of masonry with sealant or refractory mastic.
- As a finish, you can use plaster or just open the red brick with varnish.
As a decoration, you can also install a beautiful wrought-iron grate, which will serve as an additional barrier, and increase the fire safety of the fireplace.
The final touch will be the stylization of the fireplace with accessories in the form of candles and stylish objects in the form of poker, tongs, firewood, which can also be made with your own hands.
Fireplace decor
Black wrought iron elements give a very stylish and beautiful look to the suburban interior.
For the first time, kindling a fireplace, keep in mind that for the first days there may be an extraneous smell from the factory sealant of the cast iron firebox. But if you feel a burning smell and an extraneous smell in the room, then the fireplace installation technology may have been violated.
In this case, check the tightness of all joints, draft in the chimney.
The fireplace adds coziness and sophistication to the cottage
It is not necessary to lay a large amount of firewood during the first kindling; let the firebox heat up well and “burn” for some time. And the next time, use the amount of firewood that you need to create warmth and comfort in the house.
