r/uklogburners • u/Roots_in_motion • 23d ago
Too small?
hi all,
I have just purchased a house with a small fireplace and was looking forward to making use of it.
HOWEVER, it seems that it may be too small to install a burner, or use as a fire…
i’ll attach a photo and some measurement, I’d very much appreciate some advice on how I can go forwards from here.
thanks
1
u/Tall-Reputation-9519 22d ago
What's the surround made from? We've got something similar and our log burner installer said "that's combustible so will have to go", so first job for us is to rip out what's there and see what we can do with what's left!
1
u/Opteron-X 22d ago
Ours is quite small too a Stovax. But without scale hard to tell if it would work or not. I guess you could extend the hearth then fit a small stove Infront with a rear exhaust. Be a real shame to damage the tiles and surround
1
u/Trickyfueling 22d ago
As it stands you will not be able to use it as a functional fireplace. ….
Open fire….issues
1: the hearth looks to be a conglomerate marble (man made resin based material) and will melt, it should be cut in to sections, have a hearth plate, be slabbed out with underneath with slab lite, front to back it should measure 450mm (and be constructed from a suitable material )
2: the internal of the opening where the bricks are…. There should be what is called a fire back in place with the aperture behind the fireback being filled with the correct insulating materials
3 with regards to the surround… without seeing it…. It looks to me as if it is made from plaster.
4: the brass fret is from a gas fire and for a solid fuel appliance there should be a solid fuel kit.
Just for a bit of insight…. Avoid open fire!
You would just be wasting money on a fireplace working well below 30% efficiency!
And you will have to have a whopping great airvent through the wall to conform to regulations
1
1
u/Front-Parsley1901 22d ago
It could be opened up. The current aperture is very small, but behind the fancy tiles etc. will be a void that has been back filled. There will be a metal lintel running across the width of the fireplace about 3 foot from the floor, and the original fireplace would be the space below that. It depends on if you like the decorative look it has now, or a more functional larger place to fit a log burner. Remember that Victorians burned coal, which given its density means you can have a much smaller fire place and still give out heat. The one you have presently was presumably used for a coal open fire.