How to buy a Wood Masonry Gas Outdoor Fireplaces Glass Doors Screen Accessories Portland Willamette

www.atouchofbrass.com

By Jim Long, President, A Touch of Brass

The fireplace is the core of the home. We don´t depend on fireplaces to heat our homes as much as we used to, but they can still warm our holidays and add beauty and enjoyment to our lives. New fireplace doors will transform your house from the inside out. Follow these tips to make fireplace shopping easy and fun:

What type of fireplace do you have?

There are several kinds of fireplaces and each requiring a specific style of fireplace door.

• Gas Fireplaces: Gas burning fireplaces rely on a gas valve and pilot light. Be sure to buy doors compatible with a gas fireplace.

• Wood Burning Fireplaces:

Masonry – These are made of brick or stone. A properly installed fireplace door can maximize energy efficiency.

Zero Clearance – These are factory made metal fireplace boxes. When buying new fireplace doors for a ZC fireplace make sure that the appropriate gaps exist to allow for airflow.

What size is your fireplace?

Measure your fireplace opening to see what size doors you´ll need. If you have a masonry fireplace and one side is narrower than the other, use the smaller distance. You need to know height, width, and, if you have a lintel bar, the thickness of the lintel and the distance from the front of the fireplace. Your fireplace doors can be made to overlap that opening, be an inside fit or, if you know exactly how big you want the outside of the doors to be, you can ask for an exact fit.

What style do you have in mind?

Now it´s time for the fun part: choosing the new look of your fireplace. Consider these options:

• Shape – Your new doors can be square or arched. If you have a square fireplace and want it to be arched just choose "square to arch."

• Finish - What color do you want want? The options are endless; we carry everything from Polished Brass to Burnished Bronze.

• Door type – There are three main types of doors:

Full Fold Doors – These doors fold in half and sit on either side of the fireplace opening.

Bi-fold Doors – Bi-fold doors sit in tracks and slide open, folding up to a smaller size and offering a full view of the fireplace. This is the most sought-after style of door.

Cabinet Doors – Cabinet doors are hinged on the side and swing out to lie against either side of your fireplace opening.

• Glass – You can choose what type of glass you want in your fireplace. Your options are:

Clear

Smoke

Bronze

Black

You can also choose to have any type of glass beveled. If glass is beveled then the edge is angled out.

• Mesh – Mesh lets you open your fireplace doors and feel the warmth of the fire and hear the flickering flames. There are two types of mesh:

Sliding mesh - This mesh hangs from a track and slides open and closed the way a curtain would. Also called "hanging mesh."

Gated Mesh - Is like a screen door that opens folds out to either side of the fireplace.

Price, Quality and Availability:

Our fireplace doors are all quality items. However, each of our manufacturers makes their fireplace doors in a different way and that means there are differences in cost and availability. Here´s a brief rundown:

• Residential Retreat – Affordable and able to ship the next day, these doors start at $300 and are only for masonry fireplaces. They come with a one year guarantee.

• Portland Willamette – Our most popular brand of doors start at $450 and are custom-made to fit your opening. Portland Willamette offers every option discussed in this article so you´re only limited by your imagination

• Diamond W – Diamond W doors offer just as many options as Portland Willamette. These doors are welded, not riveted, to provide long-lasting sturdiness. Some of Diamond W´s stock doors are even available for next day shipping. Starting at $649.

• Bosse – Our top-of-the line doors for customers that truly want to invest in their home. Bosse Fireplaces are hand crafted of one-quarter inch steel. They are the most durable door we sell, weighing between 200-250 pounds when shipped. Starting around $1,500, these doors aren´t made for whimsical shoppers, but for homeowners who are ready to make an investment that will last a lifetime.

Remember, we offer FREE SHIPPING on all fireplace doors!

If you have any questions about fireplaces or fireplace doors hardware we offer please call us at 1-800-272-7734 or just send an email to Ask Jim!

www.atouchofbrass.com