Fireplace Conversion Design

These are the design details for the conversion of the open fireplace in the old classroom (now the living room).

The insert is a Lopi Flush Wood Large with Shadowbox fascia (bronze). It has a simple clean design with a large firebox window.

All components of the built surround can be easily dismantled for repair, cleaning or replacement.

1. A raised floor for the new insert to sit on, to get the insert as high as possible while still allowing enough space to manually connect and service the flue. The 15mm compressed fibre cement floor is supported by Hebel blocks. Everything needs to be fire and heat resistant

2. The open fireplace surround is uneven stone and brick and needs to be packed out and sealed to provide a flat plane for the paneling to sit against and prevent hot air excaping from behind the paneling. The paneling will be hung on blocks, two each at the top and bottom. The bottom half of each block shown is fixed to the wall and the top half is fixed to the back side of the panel. A 15 degree angled cut dividing the top and bottom half of each block prevents the top half sliding off the bottom half. All blocks and panels are cut from 15mm compressed fibre cement sheet

3. Power cabling for the insert fans can be routed down and out either side, keeping the cable away from heat sources

4. The lower surround is made from compressed cement panel to which, optionally, a shelf of Hebel blocks can be bolted and rendered

5. The upper surround is made from compressed cement panel and hung from blocks fixed to the stone wall, optionally, with a mantle of rendered Hebel blocks as above

6. The shelf with the insert floor in place. The shelf will be temporarily moved out of the way when the insert is moved into place

7. Showing all major components of the surround in place

8. And with with the insert installed

9. If I want a simpler modern look I can just go with the panel surrounds without the mantle and shelf