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> Fireplace in a wooden house: types, installation procedure, operating rules
Issues discussed in the material:
- Types of fireplaces for a wooden house
- Fireplace design in a wooden house
- Recommendations for choosing a fireplace for a wooden house
- 5 stages of installing a fireplace in a wooden house
- Safety of installing a fireplace in a wooden house
- 7 rules for using a fireplace in a wooden house
A fireplace in a wooden house is at the same time coziness, comfort and aesthetics. But not everyone risks installing similar structures in cottages or dachas for fear of an accidental fire. On the other hand, this is an issue that can be resolved.
First, you need to wisely choose the type of future fireplace. Secondly, when building it, follow certain rules. Thirdly, during operation, do not forget about fire safety standards. That is, with the right approach, your dream of having a fireplace in the living room is quite easy to realize. But let's talk about this in more detail.
Types of fireplaces for a wooden house
The desire to install a fireplace in a wooden house is quite feasible if strict installation conditions are met. On the modern market you can find many models for a variety of tastes. Moreover, the complexity of the assembly depends on the design of the structure, the material used in its construction and the type of fuel used.
1. Classification by type of construction
Fireplaces can vary in shape:
- Isolated (that is, standing alone) . They are round, square or rectangular. They may have a closed or open hearth. Such models are often installed in the center of the living room, at a distance from furniture and walls.
- Straight wall . These products can be wall-mounted or built-in. The first ones are placed near the walls, the second ones are placed inside them to heat adjacent rooms.
- Corner fireplace . In a wooden house, a special corner is allocated for such a hearth.
2. Classification by type of fuel consumed
Having a private house built of wood, you need to be careful when choosing a fireplace. After all, many of them - with an open firebox - are completely unsuitable for wooden buildings. Nowadays you can find fireplaces on the market that run on alternative fuels. They are designed for any room, even without chimneys.
By type of fuel, fireplace stoves for wooden houses are grouped as follows:
- Solid fuel (traditional)
These are standard models with a chimney and a hearth, which is adapted for coal and firewood. They are installed on a separate foundation and isolate adjacent surfaces, as well as floors.
- Biofireplaces
Modern decorative hearths that operate on ethanol. Inside they have a fuel tank and a ceramic burner. This is an ideal option for heating wooden houses. A huge advantage of ecological fireplaces is the absence of harmful combustion products, ash and soot. They are rather weak for heating rooms; their main purpose is to decorate the room. There are several types of open biofoci - floor, wall, tabletop and hanging. Their characteristic feature is the release of steam, which humidifies the air during fuel combustion. In this case, a chimney is not needed.
- Electrical
From a fire safety perspective, this is the most reliable fireplace in a wooden house. It warms up the air in the room, operating from the electrical network. Instead of an open fire, decorative lighting is turned on. Such fireplaces are easy to install and do not require a special foundation or chimney. This is an excellent option for heating upper floors and wooden attics. An important requirement for installation is good quality wiring with good insulation, resistant to heavy loads.
- Gas
Design with a gas burner inside the firebox. Runs on liquefied or natural gas, replacing firewood. The installation principle is similar to the installation of classic fireplaces with the obligatory organization of the chimney.
- Stoves and fireplaces
Those who prefer new products on the market will agree that a fireplace stove in a wooden house is a great idea. This is a successful combination of a standard stove and an electric fireplace in a steel or cast iron body. The design contains heat-resistant glass that reliably covers the flame. The device operates on brown coal or gas. Among the disadvantages, we can highlight the ineffectiveness of heating, since the maximum efficiency of the device is only 50%. But a good air exchange system evenly warms the room.
Preparation and installation
After you have bought a fireplace insert, it is time to install it correctly, in this case everything also depends on what type of fuel your heating equipment runs on.
If this is a wood-burning stove-fireplace, we select a place for it in the room in which the chimney is installed or planned to be installed, and if the equipment is large, we also build an additional foundation. Since the stove runs on solid fuel, it is necessary to install it near an insulated wall and on a similar floor; any heat-resistant materials are used as insulation: brick, stone, metal, glass. You can build a low podium, and you need to leave a little space between the fireplace and the wall, due to which the surface will not be heated.
a gas fireplace, as mentioned earlier, is installed only with the permission of the relevant services of your city, all necessary communications must be installed in the house, and the gas fireplace can also be connected to a cylinder, which requires periodic replacement.
the biofireplace is placed on the floor or on any horizontal plane (for tabletop models), it does not require a hood, foundation, insulation of the floor and walls, sealing and insulation is carried out only for built-in models, it is also best to insulate the space in front of the biofireplace if it is completely open.
Electric fireplaces are the easiest to install, since there is no real flame burning in their hearth, and the heating is not so powerful; they are simply installed on the floor, wall or niche.
If you decide to give preference to false fireplaces, remember that, unlike all previous heating units, which are recommended to be placed in the living room or dining room, a decorative fireplace can even be located in the bedroom or in the nursery, and a wide variety of materials are used for its design and cladding. materials, even flammable ones: paint, wallpaper, cardboard, boxes, plywood, metal profiles.
A fireplace in a small house should also be quite miniature and functional, for example, if you decide that only decor or heating is important to you, it should cope with this task one hundred percent.
The video shows how to make a mini brick fireplace with your own hands for a small country house:
There is not a person who would refuse to have a fireplace in their home. Since ancient times, a person’s home was considered cozy if there was a hearth or fire. For a modern person, having a fireplace in the house is not only prestigious , but necessary. In the evening, after a hard day, you can sit comfortably near it and relax peacefully.
Our article will help you understand the types of fireplaces and their choice. Photos and videos will serve as a hint in this matter.
Fireplace design in a wooden house
From century to century, fireplaces are improved and made more and more refined. From primitive fireboxes, they have long been transformed into interior designs and reflect not only the inclinations of the owners, but also the history of eras. Modern reality forces developers to use different styles, going back even to past centuries.
Thus, in the architecture of hearths, the rural rustic style has become quite firmly entrenched, which translated from Italian means “rough, chipped.” It symbolizes everything natural. A similar method of rough processing of wood and stone arose in the era of archaic barbarism. Now materials for fireplaces in this style are processed using the latest technologies. Rustic is quite popular among fans of natural components in the design of a residential building. These could be rough ceiling beams, an “antique” fireplace in a wooden house (photo below).
The design of home hearths in the Baroque style appeared in the 14th century. It remains popular today. The peculiarity of these products is smooth lines, ornate forms, and excessive pomposity. For example, a mantelpiece can be decorated with several figurines
While the previous image is massive, the Rococo style is perfect for small homes. As a rule, they are covered with marble and other luxurious materials. Decorations will be an indispensable attribute here. For example, a beautiful designer mirror, twisted candelabra and other exquisite things are hung above the fireplace.
Simple but elegant fireplace designs in a wooden house are presented in the classicism style. Clarity and harmonious dimensions, straight lines and restrained decor - these are the characteristic features of design of English origin.
Quite often, the Empire style is used for home fireplaces. It is characterized by antique forms adopted from ancient Roman architecture. The main dominant features of this design are stairs, columns, cornices and pilasters. In addition, the use of ancient images such as the sphinx, griffin, etc. is very common.
Not so long ago, the Russian style began to expand its boundaries in the construction of fireplaces. This design is environmentally friendly, durable and does not require large investments. The main advantage of this decor is harmony. It is ideal for a building made of natural building materials, including a Russian bathhouse. And an obligatory nuance is a separate firewood rack.
Thanks to the latest technologies, a metal fireplace in a wooden house has become widespread. They are often made in the avant-garde style. The front part of the cladding (portals) is usually decorated with ornaments made of complex forging. Quite often you can find cast iron.
Designer modern fireplace models are made in high-tech style. This ensures maximum functionality of the available space. Such designs are quite elegant and meet all the criteria of technical aesthetics.
But it should be noted that the last two styles (high-tech and avant-garde) can rarely be found in the interior of a building made of wood.
Recommendations for choosing a fireplace for a wooden house
The fireplace model must be chosen at the cottage design stage. You have to determine the location and functionality for the future stove. A fireplace in a wooden house can be a decoration for the living room, a means for preparing food, and responsible for heating and lighting.
What to consider when choosing a device:
- The main purpose of the future hearth.
- The cost of its purchase and further operation.
- The correct ratio between the size of the furnace and the square footage of the building.
- Availability of suitable communications
- Equipment efficiency.
- Safety in use.
- Environmentally friendly.
Considering all these nuances, remember your own benefits and tastes. But in this case, they can be sacrificed, since the main criteria when choosing a stove are the conditions of use and safety of operation.
A fireplace is an attribute of a true owner and the warmth of a home
The timber house itself is already a warm home. But if there is a fireplace in it, this is an attribute of warmth not only of the home, but also of the family hearth, hospitality and nobility. Fire has been a classic attribute of home comfort since ancient times. If you have planned to build or buy a fireplace in your home, then the choice on the market (domestic or foreign) is wide and any target setting can be supported. How to navigate this sea of offers? – It all depends on the intended role of the fireplace in the house.
Safety of installing a fireplace in a wooden house
When installing home fireboxes, you must follow simple rules. They should not be placed against windows and doors, as a draft will cause smoke in the premises. When choosing a place for a fireplace, do not forget that the floor in the adjacent area must be protected with a fire-resistant coating from sparks and falling embers. Typically, sheet metal, stone tiles and porcelain tiles are used. It makes no sense to install a stove in a small room, since the combustion process requires large supplies of oxygen.
If you have just started construction, you should not order a turnkey fireplace in a wooden house. The building needs time to naturally shrink and become stable. Therefore, it is necessary to wait at least three years after completion of all work. At the same time, the risk of displacement and problems with smoke removal are reduced to zero. In general, according to safety rules and regulations, it is prohibited to install open fireplaces on upper floors.
In addition, a wooden floor cannot become a foundation for a fireplace. This basis needs to be isolated. Stoves are prohibited from being placed near windows, upholstered furniture, decorative curtains or drapes. Having a cast iron fireplace in a wooden house (or another type of fireplace), you need to choose a place for the fire extinguisher. In principle, the island outbreak is recognized as one of the safest.
Serious attention should be paid to protecting wooden structures from heat and sparks. For this, insulation is used (mineral insulation, basalt wool), which is supplemented with a reflective screen and fire-resistant synthetic materials in rolls. If your chimney runs through a ceiling, it should be wrapped in non-flammable cotton wool with foil film.
What is the appeal of tiles
The secrets of creation have been honed over centuries. Many of the subtleties of this craft are still shrouded in mystery, and tile masters keep it under seven seals. And all because the technology for their manufacture has changed little even today - almost everything is done by hand. Only the roughest procedures are trusted to machines. The decorative qualities and heat capacity of the tiles are of particular interest to designers. These material properties make them an excellent material for decorating fireplaces and stoves.
Tiled fireplaces are a masterpiece that is not inferior in sophistication to the best works of art. This is clearly visible in the photo. Therefore, such fireplaces are not so much a heating system, but rather a stylistic element that sets the tone for the entire design ensemble of the room, made in the Russian style. To install such stoves, the conditions that the room must meet are necessary: the possibility of pouring a foundation, the availability of space for a chimney and pipe. Installation of such fireplaces is possible only in a country house. A variety of modern materials allows you to make heating systems of almost any conceived shape, as in the photo.
Tiles have also gained great popularity because they can be manufactured according to the individual preferences of the customer. Such a hearth will look original and unique. Tiles are produced in the form of individual elements, or you can order the system in finished form.
