Material Matters: Fire Surrounds

Even with the advent of central heating and strict modern insulation requirements, fireplaces are still seen as the focal point of a room. Melanie Griffiths explains what you need to know when choosing your surround.

Cast Iron

Cast iron back panels came to popularity in late-Victorian times and, seen today with either a polished or matt black finish, these decorative designs are still in favour. Though most are installed with marble, stone or wooden surrounds (the lighter coloured the better), allin- one bedroom models in cast iron are growing in popularity. Bedroom fires are narrower than living room designs, but wider versions are available. They often have a protective black coating, which is polished off in areas that designers wish to highlight. An uncoated cast iron fireplace is suitable for a gas appliance; however, for solid fuel fires you should choose a coated insert.

Wood

Wooden surrounds are a traditional favourite, but there are also many sleek, modern designs on offer. Cheaper models are almost always of pine or veneered MDF, but there are many beautiful solid woods, too, such as oak, maple, cherry and elm. Typically, a timber surround is combined with a hearth and back panel made of stone or marble — these elements must be non-combustible. Lighter woods can be spectacularly contrasted with black granite or cast iron, but light marble or limestone are more popular.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Wickes’ Kensington cast iron surround with polished highlights and integral gas fire, £449 (0870 608 9001); Memphis Chocolate Electric Suite from Homebase, a great budget all-in-one buy, £329 (0845 077 8888); Toni oak surround from Focus, £599. Also available in tulipwood, mahogany and teak (01904 400109)

The Fireplace Makeup

There is a chance you will buy the inserts separately from the surround; if so you must understand the components that make up a fireplace. Generally, fireplaces include a surround (or mantle), a hearth to protect the floor, a back panel and the fire itself. Traditional solid fuel fires have a grate in which the fuel burns. Bear in mind that some surround and insert materials, though perfectly fine for gas fires, cannot withstand the high temperatures of solid fuel, including some composites, sandstones and wood. Check with the manufacturer.

Marble

Smooth, cool marble can be very expensive but it is second to none for its classic, luxurious looks, and thanks to the import market, it is now more affordable than ever. The choice of natural marble colours and unique markings and veining is immensely vast, yet it is most often seen in off-white for fireplaces with subtle veining. You’ll also find look-alikes made from plaster, or cast versions made using resins in a similar way to reconstituted stone surrounds.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Winther Browne Ophelia polished cast iron surround with floral detail, £299, B&Q (www.diy.com); Chesney’s Soane Pattern Four in Statuary Marble, from £2,878 (020 7627 1410); Lindley individually finished resin fire surround from Elgin & Hall, £940 (0191 489 8006)

Do I Need a Separate Surround?

You may decide that you don’t need a surround at all. In recent years the popularity for hole-in-thewall and picture fireplaces, which hang on the wall, has vastly increased. Many of these designs do not require a surround or even a hearth. Some have a surround already built in.

Stone

From intricately carved majestic arches to simple clean-lined block designs, stone fireplaces have an air of grandeur and set the tone for the whole room. Limestone is by far the most popular, and can vary between coarse and fine finishes. It also varies greatly in its natural markings; the current trend is for light-coloured stone with minimal veining, but every quarry’s stone is different, so there is a massive choice.

Sandstone is also widely available, but it can vary in its resistance to heat, so check with the supplier which fires it is suitable for.

Stone is much less expensive than it used to be, mainly due to the importing market, but for a truly vernacular fire surround, source your fireplace stone locally.

The alternative, cheaper choice is reconstituted stone, made from ground stone cast with cement in a mould.