Removing a fire surround and replacing it with a fresh new mantlepiece is one of the all-time means to requite your fireplace a new lease of life.

Simply if you are here, you are probably wondering how easy information technology is to do – can information technology exist a DIY chore or do you need a builder?

In this guide, we take a await at how yous remove a fireplace environment, how to choose a new one and how you tin fix a new one to your wall.

How to Remove a Fireplace Environment

Removing an old fireplace environs depends on how it was originally fit in the outset place.

If you have a more than modern fireplace, such as a gas fire or electric fireplace rather than a flow open up burn, and so removing an erstwhile fireplace surroundings shouldn't be also difficult. However, it does require a little DIY skill to ensure you don't make too much mess of your wall.

Fire surround attached with fixing lugs

This is a common method by which many mantel pieces are attached to the wall. These are small brackets placed around the border of the fire surroundings that are attached to the wall with screws. More often than not they are curtained under plaster. Cast iron fire surrounds are by and large fixed to the wall in this way.

To start removing ane of these fireplace surrounds, y'all will have to bit away the plaster around the edge of the mantelpiece. This should reveal the lugs holding it to the wall.

You lot tin can then go about removing the screws, which should offset to release the surround from the wall. Be very careful at this point and ensure the burn surroundings has some support, so it doesn't fall off the wall. Get a second pair of hands to hold it in place until yous are prepare to remove it, then carefully lift it off.

In this example, your pigment, wallpaper or plaster is going to look rather messy once the fire surround is removed. Then, brand certain you have what you need to do a petty redecorating when you are washed.

Wooden burn down surround screwed to the wall

If you are removing a wooden fire surround, it is possible that information technology has been screwed to wooden battens attached to the wall.

If this is the instance, there will be screws along the outer sides of your fire environs, which might be covered with wood plugs or paint. You will demand to remove these screws, which will disassemble the mantelpiece from the battens – again, take care to ensure the surround is removed in a controlled way and doesn't topple to the floor!

Yous can and then remove the wooden battens which volition probably be screwed to the wall.

Related: Wooden Fireplace Surround Buying Guide

Fire surround attached with brackets

This is ane of the easiest ways a fire environment is fit to a wall – and is likewise the easiest to remove.

Many modern fire surrounds apply a subconscious fireplace plumbing fixtures bracket. One bracket is fit to the wall, while a corresponding 2d subclass is screwed to the fire surround. They then just slip together without the need for any messy looking screws around the edges.

If your fireplace surround is fit with hidden brackets, all you accept to practise to remove it is elevator it up to release information technology, then carefully move it away from the wall.

How to Fit a New Fireplace Surround

As we have seen above, in that location are many different ways that a fireplace surround can be attached to the wall. The mantelpiece you choose volition probably take specific instructions on how best to fit it from the manufacturer, or y'all might merely have to nip down to a local hardware shop to detect some fixings yourself.

Important – Choose the right size burn down surround first!

The most of import affair when fitting a new fire surround is to ensure you have the right size for your existing fire. The easiest thing to do is to measure upwardly your existing surroundings and purchase one that is the same size. The virtually important things to check are:

  • The opening height and width (C and D in the diagram beneath), and;
  • The fireplace rebate

Fireplace dimensions diagram

What is a fireplace rebate?

The fireplace rebate is oftentimes what causes nearly confusion when fitting a fireplace surround.

So, what exactly is the fireplace surround rebate and how exercise you measure out it?

When yous look at a fire environment, you will notice that the inner leg depth is shorter than that of the outside of the leg – they do not line up completely. This is washed to take into account the projection of the back console, which the surround will need to leave a trivial actress room for around the opening.

Basically, to measure the fireplace rebate you need to measure the altitude from the wall to the front end of your back panel.

This ensures that the outer leg of the burn environment sits flush confronting the wall, while the inside of the leg sits affluent against the back console.

If for any reason your fireplace doesn't have a back panel, then no rebate is required.

As for the other outer measurements of your new fire environs, these tin can vary from your old 1. You lot volition simply need to exist aware that if information technology is smaller, you might need to repaint or wallpaper the infinite that was previously covered by the mantelpiece.

Our Guide to Buying Fireplace Surrounds has more data for choosing your mantelpiece.

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