Hearth Accessories
Fireplace Screens

"Stylish Choices in Fireplace Tools..."

Let's talk about fireplace ideas.  Your fireplace will appear naked without the specialized tools for controlling your fire and your hearth. 

No matter the decor of your room or hearth there is the perfect tool set for you. A proper fireplace tool set includes a broom and shovel to remove ashes. 

Must Have Poker

Then you must have a poker to push newspaper under fire starter, or to adjust logs within the fireplace. If you don't have tongs you will quickly learn they are an essential tool for every hearth. 

They allow you to adjust burning fuel within the hearth without getting risking the chance of burns on you hands and arms.  

This may seem illogical, but even if you have a gas log your fireplace will seem very lonely without a tool set.  Even if you have a gas fireplace, a tool set makes wonderful visual appeal.

Tool sets are available in many different metals and finishes.  The most common are...

  Iron
 Brass
 Steel
 Copper
 Bronze
 Wrought Iron
 Brushed Nickel

When it comes to style and design you will many choices, including...
 
 Antique 
 Designer
 Traditional

Whenever you are choosing a screen or tools take a moment to consider the character of you fireplace and room.  For example:  It's easy to add a little rustic charm and character to your fireplace with a Petite Pawn Top Black Fireplace Tool Set.

Mini Tool Set

It has a simple black stand that includes a single black bar attached to a black four-legged base. This tool set includes a shovel, a broom and a poker, all topped by polished brass pawn handles. A mini tool set like this one is great for little stoves or small hearths. Its classic shape and color will match about any interior.

Tips to Clean Accessories and Screen
   by Mitch Johnson

It is very important to clean the hearth accessories and fireplace screen, to maintain its beauty. Good maintenance also helps to prevent accidental fires in your home. So, here are some tips on cleaning the fireplace area.

IF YOUR FIREPLACE HAS A SLATE HEARTH and facings, wash them with a detergent or soap, using a mild abrasive if necessary.

Rinse the slate and wipe it dry. For an added beauty treatment rub the dry slate with a soft cloth dipped in lemon oil furniture polish. With a fresh cloth wipe off any excess oil and then buff the stone.

This makes the slates uniformly dark and glossy. Wax, recommended for slate floors, is not desirable here because heat from the fire affects it.

FOR MARBLE MANTELS AND FACINGS follow the directions for marble floors and marble furniture.

FOR PAINTED MANTELS follow the cleaning directions given for painted walls and woodwork.

BRASS ANDIRONS AND FIRE TOOLS are not difficult to keep bright if they are polished regularly. Use a polish made for brass (metal polishes differ in their abrasive qualities) and rub until the tarnish is gone. Polish the brass fireplace screen and andirons with a piece of soft flannel or chamois leather.

Burned-in resins from wood can be removed with steel wool but fine emery cloth, which can be bought at a hardware store, is better and easier to handle. Rub in one direction and use your polish afterwards.

Andiron Tips
Andirons for your fireplace are not only decorative, but also very functional.  Fireplace andirons can be used in place of a hearth grate; they are best used along with a sturdy grate. The log grate holds the wood inside the fireplace. It is placed on the floor of the hearth inside the fireplace and is an recommended for every wood-burning fireplace.  The andirons and grate together give you more control over your fire.  That's important for both comfort and safety.

LACQUERED BRASS needs only to be dusted or washed with tepid suds. If the lacquer begins to crack and peel, or has become blackened from the fire, the tools should be redone. To do them yourself, first remove the old lacquer with acetone (drugstore), then polish them. Wipe them again with acetone to be sure that every trace of the polish is removed, then brush or spray them with a transparent metal lacquer.

CLEAN IRON FIRE TOOLS with a brush or duster and rub them occasionally with a cloth moistened with kerosene. This will keep them black and prevents rust. Or they can be painted with a special, fire-resistant andiron paint, available in dull or glossy finish. If the horizontal bar of an andiron snaps, a welder will repair it for you at little cost, or put on a new piece.

FIRE SCREENS should be dusted frequently. If they become gummy or soiled, clean them with kerosene on a cloth, or scrub them with hot water and a good detergent.

FIRE PREVENTION. So much for your fireplace, except for a final note of caution. Never retire at night, or leave your home untended, while a fire still blazes on the hearth. If you can't wait for it to burn out bank it thickly with ashes. Fire screens are a must for untended fires. They should always be in place if there are small children about.

Accessories to consider include grill grates, surrounds and a fireplace blower.

The Author: Mitch Johnson's articles appear on the web at Heating Made Easy. http://www.heatingmadeeasy.info/ 

Accessories to consider include grill grates, surrounds and a fireplace blower.

  It's so easy to breath new life into a room by adding a beautiful fireplace screen,

Patricia Taylor
Home Advisor

 Hearth Accessories Fireplace Screens