Open fires and stoves are essential to see off winters with comfort. Whether it operates through firewood or uses electricity or gas, stove becomes a highlight of interiors during winters. However, the stove apparatus must not be standing directly on the floor. A fire-resistant platform called hearth is needed to put stoves in the pertinent spaces.
Unfortunately, the majority of homeowners are not familiar with this essential accessory of the fireplace. For that matter, we are going to provide a brief guide on hearths for stoves to our readers in this blog. Aside from its functional use, hearth can also contribute in defining the look of the interior. Let’s have a look on different aspects that come into play when you have to pick hearths for your fireplace.
The Need
A hearth is needed to provide a non-combustible platform and surroundings to the fireplace and free-standing modern stoves. It doesn’t matter if it runs on logs or gas. A hearth is an essential device to make the use of fireplace safe and secure. In short, you will definitely need a hearth if you have any type of fireplace in your house.
The Size
The size of hearth usually depends on the size of the stove for which it is needed. For open fires, you will need a larger hearth platform. On the other hand, free-standing stoves will need smaller hearth pieces. In general, the side and rear of the stove will need small hearth platforms. However, a bigger piece of hearth is needed in front of the stove door because that’s the spot from where there are more chances of a burning log to pop out. Any good hearth retailer can guide you better with the size of hearth you need for your stove.
The Material
There are two defining qualities of materials used to build hearths.
- They are perfectly non-combustible
- They are extremely resistant to wear and tear
From natural stones of granite, slate, limestone and marble to hard-wearing glass, manmade brick and concrete options, you are presented with a plethora of materials for hearths. As per the experts, granite and slate provide the best functionality. They have exceptional heat-resistant character. Moreover, they are scratch and stain-proof. This means a quality granite or slate hearth can serve you for decades. Marble hearths are good for aesthetics but they are prone to ash stains.
If you want to achieve the more modernized look with your choice of the hearth, then pick the glass. You can have them shaped according to your liking. Moreover, you can adorn it with paints that match with your interior theme. Glass hearths are thick enough to bear the weight of any type of stove.
The Assembly
According to the type of fireplace and space where it is set, you can get the hearth assembly. Single tile pieces are perfect for freestanding stoves whereas two piece hearths are recommended for open fires. You can ask for different textures, designs, and colors from your hearth retailer as per the given material.
