Cast Iron Fireplaces - Information on Types and Usage

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Cast iron fireplaces are just as popular today as the were in the Victorian times. As the name suggests these types of fireplaces are made from pouring molten iron into casting boxes usually filled with sand. When the iron has cooled they are removed from the sand boxes, polished to remove all 'slag' residues (the top layer of iron present after it has cooled and iron splatters) and coated with a protective heat resistant black coating. Any details that need to be highlighted are then polished, removing the black coating in the areas that need to show through. Alternatively manufacturers coat only the areas that need to be black and leave the details exposed. A polished or un-coated cast iron fireplace is suitable for a gas appliance however for solid fuel fires you should choose a black cast iron fireplace as the higher heat that is generated by a real fire can cause the polished ( or unprotected) surround to discolour and loose it's polish.

The' Full Polish' Capri Cast Insert . This cast iron grate like all full polished cast iron fireplaces is only suitable for gas fires. The temperature of a solid fuel fire may discolour the polished finish.

The 'Highlighted Capri Cast Iron Grate' has detailing picked out whilst the majority of the surround is black. Like the 'Full Polished Capri' it is recommended that 'HighlightedCasts should only be used with gas fires, for the same reasons

The ' Black Capri Cast Iron Grate' is suitable for both solid fuel, or a gas fire. The coating is designed to withstand the heat of a solid fuel fire. All details are still present but are not polished to stand out.

A' Combination Fireplace is a fireplace where the grate and the surround are cast as one piece. With a bolt on cast iron back and mantle shelf. Shown above is the Primrose combination fireplace with a highlighted polish finish.

A 'Cast Iron Grate' is usually fitted with a stone, marble or wooden surround. Again if a solid fuel fire is to be used it is better to steer clear of a full polished cast. Shown here is the 'Sutton Cast' with the "Victorian Corbel" Marble Fireplace.

A 'Cast Iron Surround' Is a separate piece of cast iron that surrounds a grate or a fire opening with slips. The 'Venice' cast iron surround is shown above with an 'Ulster' style cast iron arch grate.

The 'Tiled Cast Insert Fireplace' was very popular as the main surround in turn of the century houses. The Tulip tiled cast iron insert is shown here with the Wooden Victorian Corbel fireplace.. The tiled cheeks of the insert are made up of 5 separate tiles fixed to a strip. They come in left and right handed designs. The design of tiles is an individuals choice and there are several designs from which to choose.

The 'Cast Iron Fascia Plate' is a cast iron plate that does not have a cast back. It can be designed to accommodate a standard 16" x 22" gas fire or clay back or as in this case a ceramic fibre back. Cast iron plates can be square opening as in the casteltown plate above or arched. The square openings have the advantage in that they can also accomodate a standard 16" x 22" fire for those who are looking to have a greater heat output but still retain a traditional look. These plates are usually 1" to 3" deep and are ideal for using if you have a small fire opening which would not normally accommodate a standard cast back. An example would be a shallow depth precast flue.

The 'Bedroom Combination Cast' Many homes had small bedroom combination cast fireplaces which have subsequently been removed. However today, home owners are looking to restore existing features and put back some of the period features that have been removed. Shown above is the Tara Bedroom Combination which is small and sits well as a good reproduction bedroom piece.