Your hearth and your home.

Your hearth is one of the most important parts of you fireplace, here are some useful tips on shape, style and size.

Your fireplace is one of the most important focal points in your home; it catches the eye of every visitor and acts as a valuable source of heat. Different components of your fireplace contribute to the overall style and effect that it delivers you may have taken your fire surround into account but have you ever considered the importance of your fireplace hearth?

There are a range of different styles of marble and granite hearths available to you, some that are specifically designed to suit a particular character of surround, and others that are universal and will match many decors and different styles of fireplaces such as oak and marble. Some hearths may have a slight lip usually with an overhang of roughly ½ an inch. This lip adds a unique sense of depth to the hearth and provides the perfect base for your fireplace regardless of its style. Some other hearths are boxed flush meaning that your hearth will have no lip, these types of hearth are perfectly suited to a box style of surround and are ideal for maintaining a contemporary theme. A bullnose profile is another feature available for your hearth. The bullnose styled hearth has a rounded lip offering a unique take on the traditional style of hearth often seen in many homes. The bullnose style is nicely suited to match a fireplace that has a curved feature and offers a true mixture of traditional and contemporary style.

Your fireplace hearth is the base on which your fireplace will proudly stand and can come in a range of different shapes, sizes and materials. Your hearth can be manufactured out of a number of materials such as Marble, Granite and Slate to name a few. The material your hearth is made out of can determine the style of fireplace you are have. If you are having a marble fire surround you may want to maintain consistency throughout and have the hearth designed in the same fashion. If you have ordered an oak fire surround then you can alternate the style of the hearth. Marble is a great material, ideal to bring style and elegance into your living room; it is perfect when matching your fireplace to your current décor. There are various different types of marble such as Nacarado, Marfil Stone and Blanco Micro each with their own unique colour that is guaranteed to please and appeal to a wide variety of people.

You can also purchase different types of hearths. Some hearths have different requirements depending on the type of fire, stove or solid fuel kit they are going with. Heat can cause some hearths to expand and contract, to make sure that your hearth remains as it was intended to it may need to deal with the effects of high heat, this is achieved through using a method known as “slabbing”. A slabbed hearth is a hearth that has been cut into different pieces and re-joined. The hearth is usually filled with concrete that will allow for slight expansion when the hearth is heated therefore retaining its stylish, desired finish.

Some hearths do not need to deal with the effects of high heat. Standard hearths are mostly hollow inside apart from the use of support blocks. The support blocks act as part of the structure and allow for large fire surrounds, panels and fires to be placed upon your hearth.

Our hearth is an important part of your fireplace the purpose, style and appearance are factors that have to be taken into account when purchasing a new fireplace. There are a wide variety of hearths for you to choose from all with unique characteristics, finding the right hearth for you has never been easier. Contact your local showroom and talk to trained professionals who will be able to guide you to most suitable heath for you.

All hearths manufactured at Designer Fireplaces are crafted in our own UK workshop and can be made to bespoke measurements and requirements. Give our team a call we will be able to assist to in choosing styles and sizes that are right for you, and help you choose a fireplace that will invigorate your room with warmth and splendour.

Visit our website at www.oakfiresurrounds.co.uk