FITTING A MARBLE FIREPLACE

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Blenheim Hand-Carved Marble Fireplace It is always best to use a qualified fireplace fitter to get a really professional finish but the following is a simple outline guide to the procedure: Start with a clear site where the old fireplace, hearth and skirting boards have all been removed and be sure to have your chimney swept and smoke tested before installation.

Lay the hearth and make sure it is spirit level square to the floor. If the floor is not level use a little sand and cement to level. If you are intending to use solid fuel you need to get the hearth cut in to 3 x equal pieces before fitting to allow expansion joints and then infill the hollow space under the hearth with ballast. If you have chosen a White Marble hearth make sure the ballast is also white. If you are installing a Gas fire it is not necessary to cut the hearth as the heat is not so intense, but be sure to use a Corgi registered tradesman to connect the gas fire.

Measure the frieze and position the legs where you want them to be at either end of the frieze. (DO NOT ‘WALK’ THE LEGS ON THEIR CORNERS AS THE WEIGHT WILL CRACK THE CORNERS OFF THE MARBLE). When you are satisfied that the position is correct glue the legs to the wall using White bathroom tile adhesive or White Gripfill. You should also screw an eye in to the wall just behind each leg at the top, and wire the leg through the eye to make it 100% secure.

Lower the frieze in to position and glue it where it touches the legs.
Glue the Mantel shelf on to the top remembering to also glue the back edge to the wall.
Use the marble slips to frame the fire opening if you need to match the size of the opening to the opening in your wall, or use them as rebates to close the gap between the wall and the fireplace legs. You can also use ‘Fire Board’ to box out the fire/chimney recess and close the gap between the wall and the back of the fireplace legs.

Fitting a Marble Fireplace with a Cast Iron Arch

It is always best to use a qualified fireplace fitter to get a really professional finish but the following is a simple outline guide to the procedure:

Start with a clear site where the old fireplace, hearth and skirting boards have all been removed and be sure to have your chimney swept and smoke tested before installation.

Lay the hearth and make sure it is spirit level square to the floor. If the floor is not level use a little sand and cement to level. If you are intending to use solid fuel you need to get the hearth cut in to 3 x equal pieces before fitting to allow expansion joints and then infill the hollow space under the hearth with cement/ballast. If you have chosen a White Marble hearth make sure the ballast is also white. If you are installing a Gas fire it is not necessary to cut the hearth as the heat is not so intense, but be sure to use a Corgi registered tradesman to connect the gas fire.

If you are installing a cast iron insert with your fireplace put this in to position on top of the hearth with the rear of the arch pushed back into the opening in the wall.

Measure the width of the frieze and position the legs where you want them to be at either side of the cast iron. (DO NOT ‘WALK’ THE LEGS ON THEIR CORNERS AS THE WEIGHT WILL CRACK THE CORNERS OFF THE MARBLE). When you are satisfied that the position is correct glue the legs to the wall using White bathroom tile adhesive or White Gripfill. You should also screw an eye in to the wall just behind each leg at the top, and tie the leg with copper wire through the eye to make it 100% secure. Take hold of the cast iron insert and move it forward (towards you and away from the wall) until it touches the back of the legs of the marble, you will have a gap of several inches between the back of the cast iron and the wall. Now infill the gap between the back of the cast iron and the wall with ‘Rockwool’ or similar fire resistant insulation. You must pack this in as compact as possible down the back of each leg between the cast iron and the wall. Similarly pack the ‘Rockwool’ across the top of the arch and then seal across the top of the ‘Rockwool’ with cement which will hold the cast iron in position when it is dry.

Lower the frieze in to position and glue it where it touches the marble legs.
Glue the Mantel shelf on to the top remembering to also glue the back edge to the wall.
Infill the void between the back of the cast iron arch and the chimney recess with brick rubble/cement/vermiculate up to the level of the base of the small semi-circular damper plate.

If you would like to know more about our range of fireplaces including Marble Fireplaces and Victorian Fireplaces or if you would like to know more about specific types of Fireplaces and Fire Surrounds , then please call us on 01730 897600, we are very helpful and will be glad to answer your questions and offer advice.