February 3rd, 2012
As unconventional as it may sound, a marble fire surround can be transported in a regular car if it is manufactured in sections. At Creative fireplaces, we would ideally we would prefer to deliver all our fire surrounds direct to our customers homes to ensure they reach in the same condition they left our factory. However in some circumstances, customers prefer to come and collect the fire surround. We would still recommend hiring a van rather than a regular salon or hatchback car; however it is certainly possible to fit most fireplaces in a car.
Fireplace handling and transportation advice:
1. As a specialist manufacturer, we are obviously biased towards delivery rather than collection. Over the past 22 years, Creative Fireplaces has built an outstanding reputation for quality and value for money. The majority of our business is based on referrals and the word of mouth. For this reason it is imperative that the fireplace reaches your home in the same condition in which it left our factory, and delivery, packaging and logistics is core to our business
2. If you do however decide to collect a fireplace, then you should always bring suitable packaging material including soft blankets to lay in the car boot and seats. Any other soft cushion type material that you have would also be useful. Our warehouse manager & team would always be happy to help and assist in any way possible to make sure we package the fireplace in a manner whereby there is minimal movement in the vehicle (as this can lead to chips)
3. If you hire a van, then it is important to bring straps as this will ensure that the fireplace does not fall when you’re taking turns or comers
February 2nd, 2012
Perhaps one of the most daunting aspects of purchasing a new fire surround is trying to organise installation and making sure it is something you can either fit yourself or working out if you can find a competent installer/tradesman to fit your new marble fire surround. At Creative Fireplaces, we manufacture marble fire surrounds for the trade and public and have different criteria to follow depending on the channel of distribution
Trade fireplaces preferences
1. Essentially the design of the fire surround will determine how it is built and how many sections the fire
2. Typically the UK trade prefer to have marble fireplaces manufactured in one piece. This means the body of the fireplace is made in one section and the mantle, hearth and back panel are in separate sections. Hence the total fireplace is manufacture in 4 sections
Retail fireplace preferences
1. At Creative Fireplaces we can easily manufacture our entire range in 4 sections, however we feel 6 sections make the fire surround much easier to handle, install and transport
2. Retails fire surrounds should be carried into homes and for this reason making the fire surrounds in sections is a much better alternative. Many online companies do not do this however, and simply use pallets to deliver fireplaces. This is not an ideal situation as each fire surround can weigh in excess of 23 stone
January 31st, 2012
Valor Dimension Electric fires have made an outstanding name for themselves in the fireplace industry for realism and have an outstanding flame effect
In our experience this range of fires will appeal to almost all homeowners looking for quality products, however the fire has several main considerations you should consider:
Valor Dimension electric fire review
1. Ideally you should always be sat looking at the fire vertically in-front of it. If your seating arrangement has several viewing positions at an angle to the fire, then you will not see the optimal effect. The first valor dimension models had a major problem with this as the fire appeared to glow green when viewed from an angle. Modern versions of this fire do not have this problem
2. This fire has a recess depth of 145mm which is extremely deep if it is to be installed against a flat wall with no recess (as many electric fires are). The fire is supplied with a 75mm spacer kit (a black trim that hides the depth of the fire and sits on the hearth). By using a spacer kit and a fire surround with a 75mm rebate, the total recess depth can be achieved as this will give you 150mm recess depth available within your fire surround to recess the fire (75mm + 75mm). However, many homeowners do not like the look of a spacer
Valor Dimension Alternatives
1. If your looking for a high end electric fire, then perhaps consider the Dimplex Opti Myst range of fires as these have an even more realistic flame effect than the Valor Dimension and have a built in smoke machine. These fires are more expensive and are typically £400 – £650 depending on the model selected
2. If you have a lower budget then consider look at the Dimplex Opti Flame range which is extremely affordable and starts from £120 from B&Q as well as Homebase
3. It is possible to purchase electric fires for as little as £70, however these fires will look terrible and it is highly advisable that you do not purchase something with a poor flame effect as it will ruin the entire look and feel of your fire surround
January 29th, 2012
Answer: No this is not possible
Gas fireplaces have become extremely popular with the vast adaptation of piped gas to every home in the UK around forty years ago. Gas fires are much more practical and easy to maintain than solid fuel alternatives, as there is no need to keep a large supply of fuel at home to burn. Gas fires work using gas outlets (nozzles) . These outlets evenly disperse a open flame onto a bed of ceramic coal, pebble or driftwood. The fuel bed (Eg Coal, pebble or driftwood) is ceramic and purely decorative to create the effect and does not need to be replaced
Can you change the fuel bed on a gas fire?
1. We often get asked if it is possible to change a coal fire to a pebble fire (or vice versa). Unfortunately this is not possible, as each fire is carefully supplied with a special pre fabricated layout on its fuel bed. For this reason replacement coal or pebbles will not be able to create the same flame pattern and for that reason it is not possible to do so
2. You must clearly decide on what colour of fire you would like (brass, chrome, black etc) as the outer frame and fret (bottom section of fire) can also not often be replaced
3. More up-market gas fireplaces are supplied with one piece trims (the outer frame) rather than 3 sections
January 28th, 2012
Almost anyone who has experience shopping online will like the experience. It is very easy to compare prices, review feedback and source goods from all over the country. Creative Fireplaces are a specialist manufacturer which specialises in made to order marble fire surrounds manufactured direct from our factory and delivered to your home. We often speak to our happy customers who tell us how reluctant they were about purchasing online and the below article will examine the most important aspects you should consider:
Dangers of buying fireplaces online:
1. High street showrooms often argue that internet businesses have a low cost structures and hence are cheaper. This may be the case as warehouse space is cheaper than high street showroom rent. For this reason online retailers often have lower cost structures. However, it is important to consider that most online retailers hold stock and may have more money invested in the business than high street showrooms. At Creative Fireplaces, we have a 45’000 sq foot warehouse with 40 staff and a fleet of vehicles. We have much higher overheads than high street showrooms; however as a direct manufacturer we are able to offer much lower prices on marble fire surrounds as products are made in our own factory
2. Online fireplace websites arguably are destroying the lively hood of high fireplace specialists by selling goods for a cheaper price and delivering nationally. Although this is probably true, the progress towards online distribution is happening in every industry and every trade nationally and globally
3. Almost all high street showrooms will argue that online retailers sell seconds and damaged goods. This is obviously intuitively untrue, and designed to spread fear and confusion
January 27th, 2012
Slate is a lovely matt black material to use for fireplace hearths & is ideal for anyone looking for a dark background colour without the gloss effect associated with black granite and marble. In the UK, Welsh slate has always been used to manufacture fireplace hearths. In modern times, slate is also imported from other European countries such as Germany, Italy, France
Slate Hearths for Wood Burning Stoves
Cheap Welsh slate fire hearths
1. Welsh slate is an elegant material that is often not the affordable to many homeowners with a modest budget when purchased through conventional high street retail showrooms. Online, manufactures such as Creative Fireplaces have distinct cost advantages and are able to offer our customers large savings by supplying direct from our Nottinghamshire factory and cutting out the middleman in the process
2. Slate is available in two main finishes. Honed slate is a matt black consistent background colour, where as Riven slate has gentle indentations running through the material. Honed slate is an ideal material to specify if you’re looking for a dark matt background colour. Riven slate is much more rustic and for that reason often used for traditional wood burning models
3. Solid fuel slate hearths need to be cut and rejoined into sections to create expansion joints and allow the heat to disperse. If the slate hearth is not cut into sections (assuming its being used with a solid fuel fire), then the hearth will crack in due course as the material is not strong enough to withstand the extreme temperatures generated by solid fuel fires
January 26th, 2012
Answer: No, the hearth must be cut and rejoined for solid fuel
With the growing popularity of solid fuel stoves and wood burners almost all fireplace showrooms and online retailers are receiving more inquiries for made to measure granite hearths suitable for solid fuel. Unfortunately most retailers (supposedly specialists) are unaware about the requirements of solid fuel products and missives customers which will eventually lead to a crack forming in the hearth in due course.
Suitable hearths for wood burners
1. The hearth must be cut and rejoined for solid fuel and stoves. The joints on the hearth allow the heat to disperse without cracking the hearth. The back of the hearth should also be filled with cement on site (some people call this ‘Slabbing’). Bedding the hearth with sand and cement (at the back) will increase its resistance to heat and extreme temperatures by creating a heat soak. It is possible to purchase a hearth or back panel (section where fire is recessed) which has already been filled with sand & cement during the manufacturing process; however this makes it extremely heavy and unpractical to handle
2. It is commonly assumed that hearths for wood burning stoves do not need a cut and rejoined hearth as they are on feet. This is incorrect as there is immense heat near the hearth and this will eventually lead to a crack
3. Marble or Micro Marble (artificial stone) is not suitable for solid fuel applications whatsoever regardless of how it is manufactured
January 25th, 2012
A Fireplace hearth is the base section of your fire surround and arguably an important decision to make when purchasing a new fireplace. Some fire surrounds can nowadays be supplied with a choice of hearth edge profiles (see example of some of the finishes we offer at Creative Fireplaces below) & heights. The most common hearth type which is pretty much standard in the UK fireplace industry is known as the “boxed and lipped effect”.
This hearth has a 20mm horizontal section with a 40mm vertical section recessed about ½” (12mm) back. The overall hearth is hence 60mm thick (2 ½ inches) and has a ‘boxed and lipped effect’ just like the name suggests
Advice on picking the right hearth
1. If you’re worried about children hitting their head on the sharp edge of a raised hearth, then it is possible to curve these edges. At Creative Fireplaces we even offer a specialist range of boxed flush hearths with rounded corners which is ideal for this requirement
2. Another space saving solution is a bowed (curved) fireplace hearth. The hearth has the same 15” (380mm) depth in the middle & hence will comply with the Gas Safe Register regulations of a 300mm overhang from the front of the hearth to the edge of the fire, however will visually look smaller due to its curved design
3. It is also possible to have a flat hearth, which does not have a raided under section. These hearths are typically 20mm or 30mm thick and not very common as the majority of the hearth will be hidden if you lay carpet (due to the pile of the carpet) or wooden flooring up to the hearth. For this reason a standard 2 ½ inch (60mm) fireplace hearth is the most common height
January 24th, 2012
White marble fireplace & hearths (base section of fireplace) are a lovely neutral colour and would complement virtually any decor or interior. Marble is a lovely material to use for fire surround however is soft and porous and for that reason is not suitable for solid fuel fires:
Common misconceptions
1. We often get emails and have conversations with customers whom have clearly been told by other fireplace companies that marble will be suitable for wood burning stoves (as the fire is on feet). This is incorrect as the marble will crack regardless
2. people often think that as long as expansion joints are created the heat will disperse and there will be no problem using a marble hearth. This is also incorrect as the hearth will almost certainly still crack due to the immense heat generated from solid fuel fireplaces
3. It is often argued that 100% natural marble will be able to withstand solid fuel fires where as micro marble (engineered stone) is not able to do so. However, this is incorrect as natural marble (even if it is cut and rejoined) will not be able to withstand the heat from a solid fuel fire
4. Solid fuel fireplace hearths need to be bedded on sand andcement to gain full strength and to be able to withstand the heat emitted from solid fuel fireplaces. This is a necessary process that some people refer to as “slabbing” and can either be done on site (preferred option) or during the manufacturing stage. It is much more practical to fill the hearth on site, as the hearth is very difficult to handle and transport if it is filled with cement during the manufacturing process
January 23rd, 2012
Answer: Yes electric fires are ok, however gas and solid fuel are not suitable
Perhaps the most convenient place to locate youe new television is in the centre of your living room. However this is typically always where the fire surround is located. For this reason, many homeowners would ideally like to position a television above the fireplace, however is this a good idea?
What you should know
1. Gas Fireplaces & solid fuel fireplaces give off a large amount of heat when compared to electric fireplaces and for this reason you cannot place an electric fire above these fuel sources
2. Regardless of the efficiency rating on any fire, it is almost certain that the middle column of the fire surround will get hot as there is unquestionably some heat loss up the chimney. If your television is positioned in this area, then there will be a large amount of heat and this will affect the working parts of the television and almost certainly cause issues
3. Electric fireplaces work using a fan heater with a cleverly sophisticated optical illusion that creates the look and feel of a fire. Essentially the flame effect can be used without having the heating on. This means these fires are ideal to create the look and feel of a fireplace, without all the danger of damaging your television that will be mounted above the fire surround
