Possibly, but likely not, unless the measurements of your mantel are such that they accurately fit the dimensional needs of the cast front. These cast designs tend to follow a fairly strict and narrow proportion, unlike later fireplaces which digressed from this set size. Consequently, the inside opening of the mantel tends to hover around 36” x 36”. As the cast fronts sit behind the opening of the mantel, they are slightly larger, approximately 38” x 37”. This allows the back of the opening of the mantel to fit against the face of the cast front.
If your mantel opening is larger- say 44” x 42”, then you would require infill slips in order to cover the exposed gaps.
This is essentially the depth of the mantle. Some mantels are flat on the back. These are often called builder’s mantels, as they are easy to make and install. However, they do not have the overall depth nor design complexity that most other mantels incorporate and are consequently less visually interesting. Because they are ‘flat’, these mantels have no return or rebate.
This is because the return is not measured from any exterior point on the mantel, but rather is the distance from the back of the opening of the mantel to the back of the leg of the mantel. This allows for a greater contrast in lines within the mantel design, which makes for a more visually satisfying design. Some wooden mantels can have the return or rebate modified by carefully cutting a portion off the back of the leg and mantel shelf. Cast iron mantels cannot be modified in such a fashion.
The chase is sometimes called the chimney breast. This is the visible portion of the fireplace above and behind the mantel which projects forwards of the wall to accommodate the firebox and chimney. When adding a fireplace to a room that has no existing fireplace, the firebox of choice must be set against the wall and then it is framed and drywalled to create the chase, which generally runs floor to ceiling. The mantel, hearth and decorative front are then attached to the face of the chase.
The answer to this question is dependent on the combined depth of the firebox itself, plus any additional depth created by the cast front, minus the rebate or return of the mantel. This can create a complicated calculation, therefor before constructing the final chase, it is best to have the equipment on site so that you can do a dry fit to ensure you have the calculations correct.
Always reference the manufacturer’s installation manual for the answer to this question. Hearths are often mandatory for wood and gas fireplaces, but much less often for electric. That said- a fireplace without a hearth often looks unfinished. The hearth anchors the overall mantel and firebox. When you first enter a room, the eye often is captured by the overall appearance of the fireplace. The lack of a hearth can then create a visual imbalance to the eye which does not immediately realize why this imbalance is felt. Raised hearths are a feature that appeared in homes of the 40’s and 50’s. The hearths of traditional fireplaces almost always were found near floor level.
Our electric fireboxes can be connected simply by providing a regular wall outlet within the chase itself.
This is a unique fireplace feature that combines a decorative cast front with a mantel shelf. Because of their smaller proportions, these are frequently found in smaller rooms in the home, such as offices, studies, bedrooms, bathrooms and dens. These offer a unique option to fit the coziness of a fireplace into smaller spaces without dominating the room.
Yes - providing that you have thought through the project and have incorporated the dimensional implications into your calculations. This can be a somewhat delicate calculation for the uninitiated. However, we do offer expertise so feel free to reach out to us with your design considerations and we can walk you through the process.
Please do note that none of the decorative cast fronts can be installed with a gas fireplace- only the mantels. This is because the fronts are not designed to be installed over a gas fireplace front. Providing that the dimensions meet the requirements of your gas fireplace, they do not impact the unit itself and may therefore be used in this application.
When considering the hearth size, there are a couple factors to look at. As for the depth, anywhere from 12” to 16” for an electric fireplace is fine. [Note that this is for electric fireboxes- wood fireplaces and gas fireplaces will have their own requirements which must be adhered to and can be found in the installation manual or in the building code.]
Keeping in mind that the mantel frequently sits on the hearth, the width should be at least 2” wider than the outside foot to foot of the mantel. Do not measure the mantel shelf and make your considerations from here- measure the outside foot to foot of the mantel.