How to pick the right fire grate?
There is a lot to consider when buying fire grates. First and foremost you should make sure it is the right one for your fire. All fireplaces are different shapes and sizes, and we'll go into that later in this guide. More frequent users should choose a heavier fire grate. Generally, the heavier the grate, the longer it will last. Daily fire users should choose carefully in order to make the most of your investment in the fire grate. The fire grate is the heart of the fire, where the fuel is burned. As this gets extremely hot a fire grate will degrade over time and eventually fall apart, reducing the efficiency of the burn.
Do I really need a fire grate?
The short answer is yes, a fire grate is an essential part of an efficient fireplace. We’ve all heard of the “Fire Triangle” from school, where a successful fire requires heat, fuel and oxygen. Fireplace grates lift the fuel off the ground, allowing much more surface area for oxygen to circulate around the wood, coal or environmentally friendly heat logs. This ‘supercharges’ the fire making it burn hotter and more efficiently as well as reducing a smoky fireplace. One of the common problems you might ask is ‘why isn’t all my wood or coal burnt?’ We all know heat rises, and this means that if there’s no space beneath the fuel, that will cause the bottom of the coal or wood to remain unburned and wasted. So picking a fire grate or basket with plenty of holes is best for efficient fuel usage.
How do I correctly measure fire parts?
- Measure the width of the fireplace opening.
- (optional) Find the brand of your fireback.
- Navigate through our online store to the correct size.
- Measure the space in your fireplace or the existing parts.
- Compare this against the fire parts we have available.
The most common mistake when choosing the size of a fire grate or ashpan is assuming that a 16-inch fire grate is 16 inches wide. This is almost never the case. A 16-inch fire grate is made for a fire with an opening width of 16 inches, so measure this first. Our fire parts are categorised into these sizes.
Fire part measurements are based on the fireplace opening width.
You then need to pick the correct brand to match your fireplace, such as Baxi, Astra, Dunsley, etc. (sort by A – Z if it helps). If you have the original parts, measure those against the measurements and shape of ours. If you’re missing your parts, measure where the ashpan and grate would sit, making sure to measure both the front and rear, as many fires taper in towards the back. Using your best judgement, pick the ashpan and grate that would fit, taking into account any legs and tapers. All of our fire parts are clearly labelled with measurements on the product photos and in the descriptions.
If you are still unsure, please do not hesitate to fire us an email and one of our team will be able to help you out.