How to Measure for a Fireplace Mantel and Surround
If you are ordering a fireplace mantel and surround for your new direct vent fireplace, here are some tips on how to measure to make sure you order one that will fit perfectly. Your gas fireplace can be a lovely feature in any room and can be accented with just the right mantel and surround. Choosing the finishes for these will complete the design element you are looking for.
If you happen to be like me, you’ve seen home gardening
shows where outdoor fireplace kits were used to install a wood or gas burning
outdoor fireplace. In search of a system that I could possibly construct myself
that wouldn’t appear to be a build-it-yourself project, I swiftly discovered several issues to consider that made my choice easier.
First of all, it would have to be figured out if we needed the outdoor fire
source to be moveable or stationary. There are tons of selections for each. I
do like chimineas, yet wished the piece to make a statement in my landscape so
I decided to choose an outdoor fireplace. The subsequent choice was even
easier, we chose to look at wood burning units simply because there is no
natural gas where we reside and didn’t wish to learn how to deal with
attempting to keep propane tanks or lines unburied from the snow. There is
something about wood smoke that enables you to create the complete experience
of an outdoors fireplace. We can use any kindling or dropped wood we locate without
needing to plan ahead of time and make sure the gas supply is sufficient. No
running out of propane mid-burger barbecuing.
Since we live in a non-urban place and outdoor fireplace retailers are few and
far between, it made sense to order online and we found a
beautiful outdoor fireplace kit we liked. We decided upon one that would arrive
in pieces that lock together so we could simply build it with no mortar. We
investigated one with a couple open sides so that the fire can be viewed from
other locations, but since it would be sited at one end of the stone patio, we
went with a model where wood could be stored in a compartment located right in
the fireplace unit itself.
The style and surface gave us even more choices. The company we purchased from
made available several different concrete finishes especially manufactured to
weather extreme outdoor conditions. Some were available painted pewter,
sandstone, tan, taupe, copper on tan or tan on copper. Other products could
possibly be custom faced with stone. We wanted to be able to cook and heat our
outside surroundings with it, yet largely we wanted it to be the center point
of the back garden. It couldn’t be too deluxe looking simply because our yard
is pretty rustic. We didn’t like the look of plain concrete because it’s
unnatural in our setting and we ended up deciding on a open fireplace that
burned wood, could cook dinner and had a terracotta plus a quartz finish on
concrete.
The kit was very easy to set up, in spite of out modest DIY skills. All we
needed was some really standard tools like a spatula, masking tape and gloves
plus the watchful eye of a brother-in-law who is a carpenter and knows the
right way to use a level. The fireplace went together fast and easy and we
could put it to use soon after.
This video has a great idea for a party around your outdoor fireplace:
Looking at outdoors fireplace kits that we could put together ourselves turned
into a great idea. It completes our outdoor property area and is the
initial thing just about anyone notices. It really looks professional and rich.
We have used it for big family get togethers and when only a couple of us would
like to relax, cook marshmallows and watch for fireflies. The only regret we
have is that we didn’t order an outdoor fireplace kit much sooner.
