The Forgotten Heart Of The Fireplace, The Hearth
We have all heard that old saying, “home and hearth” which means anything close to our hearts such as fireplace hearth designs. Fireplace hearth designs have always been important. In fact the Greeks and Romans felt this concept was so critical that they had their own goddess, Vesta, for hearth and home. But the hearth is more than a simple symbol of peace and security. In ancient times, the hearth was actually considered the entire fireplace structure.
Hearth designs are still the key component in modern fireplaces. When it comes to buying or building fireplaces, people research and study almost every single part except for the hearth.
The hearth in a modern wood fireplace is the fireproof region that sits directly in front of the firebox and is often made from masonry materials such as concrete, metal, stone, tile and brick. The hearth also extends onto the floor of the fireplace. Many hearth designs are not only on at the front but wrap around the sides and act as ledges for extra seating.
Types of Hearth Designs
When you are ready to select your hearth design, there are some things you need to take into consideration. Often the visual aesthetics such as fireplace mantel designs and fireplace facings will attract more attention than the venerable hearth.
But a quality made fireplace hearth with solid design features will bring both beauty and practical utility to your home fireplace. If you are installing a new wood fireplace, or remodeling an old one, the fireplace hearth design must meet all fire safety regulations and all local building codes.
A hearth of gas fire places must be built and installed by a trained specialist since often gas lines are run into the hearth area from the outside the home or from the basement up to the needed fireplace.
Now let’s look at some common materials that go into making a quality hearth. One of the most typical materials for making fireplace hearth designs is stone. Fireplace stone comes in several varieties like limestone, marble, sandstone or sometimes granite.
When choosing a stone fireplace hearth design, make certain you have an accurate measurement of the dimensions of the entire hearth. This is important so that when you or your contractor orders the materials that you get all that you need to complete the project from the same or similar colors.
The other common material is of course, brick. Modern bricks in a wide array of different colors, textures, shapes and patterns. If possible visit a local brickyard to get a better idea of what products may be available for you.
Another common fireplace hearth design material is concrete or metal. While not for every home or to every taste, concrete and metal have some advantages over more porous materials like brick or stone. If properly sealed and treated both of these materials are extremely difficult to stain. This in some ways allows for a faster clean up at the end of the fireplace season.
Now that you understand a bit more on why fireplace hearth designs are so important, you should be able to be think of some that would fit your home.
