Do I need fireplace accessories at all?
Fireplace accessories encompass all items used in or for the fireplace, serving three main functions:
- Enhancing the fire management experience, making it more pleasant, safer, and easier.
- Making the burning process more environmentally friendly.
- Adding a decorative touch. Especially old and antique fireplace accessories, which showcase significant craftsmanship, adding beauty to any fireplace setting.
Which fireplace accessories do we have?
- Fireback
- Fireplace andirons with a grate
- Fireplace grate or fire basket
- Fireplace screen
- Fireplace tools: tongs, poker, shovel, brush, bellows or blow poker, and storage for fireplace tools
- Log holder or basket
These accessories can be used together in one fireplace to create a complete set. While not all accessories are strictly necessary, they can together form a beautiful ensemble. This leads to the question: which fireplace accessories do I really need?
Do I need a fireback?
A fireback, made of cast iron, is positioned against the fireplace's back wall. Originating as early as the 15th century, firebacks are not only protective but also serve to enhance heat efficiency by radiating warmth back into the room. Their decorative appeal can significantly enhance any fireplace's appearance, including those not in use.
Firebacks can also be repurposed as a decorative backsplash in kitchens, adding a unique touch to home decor. Read more about this in: Realized projects of firebacks as a backsplash
Read more about selecting the correct fireback size: Which size of fireback fits in my open fireplace?
Browse our current online stock of 500+ antique and vintage firebacks
Do I need fireplace andirons with a grate?
Fireplace andirons support wood off the ground to improve air circulation for better combustion, leading to a cleaner burn and reduced soot. They can also prevent logs from rolling out, enhancing safety. Andirons, dating back to Roman times, add both functional and decorative value.
You might really need andirons as a solution for a suboptimal chimney draft. Read more about this in: 10 Tips to improve the chimney draft of the open fireplace
Wood can be laid directly across the andirons' beams, a common practice in large French fireplaces where entire tree trunks are used as fuel. For smaller logs, using a grate atop the andirons ensures the fire burns evenly on the grate. This setup with andirons, with or without a grate, prevents logs from rolling out of the fireplace, enhancing safety against fires or damage from burning wood. Additionally, fireplace andirons serve a decorative purpose, adding aesthetic value to the hearth.
Read more:
What is the purpose of andirons and fireplace grates?
10 Tips for choosing a fireplace grate or andirons
Browse our current online stock of 400+ antique and vintage andirons or firedogs
Do I need a fireplace grate or fire basket?
Instead of andirons and a grate, you can also opt for a fire grate or basket, where the andirons and the grate form one whole. This has the same function as andirons with grate and is more often used for smaller fires, although there are also large fire baskets. The fireplace grates are mainly used in England, where it was forbidden by law in the cities to light large fires. Fire baskets can also incorporate a cast iron back plate, eliminating the need for a separate fireback.
A fire basket may really be needed, just like fireplace andirons, if the fire does not draw well. A fireplace basket has the additional advantage that there is better combustion of the wood, which is better for the environment. The fire basket also has a safety function - because the burning wood does not roll out of the fireplace as easily. And a fire basket can of course have a decorative function.
Learn more about choosing the right fireplace grate or basket: 10 Tips for choosing a fireplace grate or andirons
Browse our current online stock of 100+ antique and vintage fireplace grates
Do I need a fireplace screen?
A fireplace screen is essential for safety, keeping sparks inside the fireplace and away from the room's occupants and flammable objects. It also serves a decorative purpose when the fireplace is not in use.
Learn more about the purpose and sizing of fireplace screens: What is the purpose of a fireplace screen? and How big should a fireplace screen be?
Browse our current online stock of 75+ antique and vintage fireplace screens
Do I need fireplace tools?
Fireplace tools are crucial for effectively managing and maintaining your fire, allowing for control over the fire's size and the ash layer for optimal combustion and safety:
- Controlling the fire. In other words, breathing life back into smouldering fires and keeping excessively large fires under control. In the context of sustainable heating, it is important to maintain a quiet, well-burning fire. As a result, there is less particulate matter in the air, and you use less wood. In addition, the prevention of fire spread plays a role in controlling the fire. Good fireplace tools are important for this.
- Controlling the ash layer. By removing the excess ash, the fire can again get enough air. This creates more draft in the fireplace and results in better combustion of the wood. Do not remove all the ash. Ash serves as insulation against the cold floor. This improves the draft in the fireplace.
The following fireplace tools are important for a fireplace fire:
- Fireplace tongs
- Fireplace poker
- Fireplace shovel
- Fireplace brush
- Fireplace blow poker or bellows
- Something to store the fireplace tools
In the next blog, you can read more about the purpose of the fireplace tools and how to choose them: Which fireplace tools do you need?
As to the question of which tools are really needed, the choice falls first on the fireplace tongs. With tongs, you can move logs so that more air reaches the fire. With the fireplace poker, you poke in the fire for the same reason. Some tongs also work as a poker. You place the tongs and the poker directly against the wall of the hearth, in the log holder or in a standard for regular use, and they therefore also have a decorative function.
A shovel is also always needed to control the ash layer so that air can reach the fire. The brush can be used for cleaning the fireplace. Controlling the ash layer is a daily activity. You also keep the shovel near the fireplace. You typically use the brush occasionally. It can be stored elsewhere.
We prefer the fireplace blow poker above the fireplace bellows because one does not have to get as close to the fire for using the blow poke compared with the bellows. In addition, the fireplace blow pipe is more effective, less fragile and can also be used as a poker. The fireplace blow poker is not a must, because a fading fire can also be enlivened in other ways, but it is a very nice tool for regular use.
Something to store the fireplace tools is also not a must. In principle, you can simply place the fireplace tools against the wall of the fireplace or in the wood box. Something for storage - a stand, a rest or a hanger - does offer order and has a decorative function. In addition, the stand has the advantage that the ash from the tools falls into the tray of the stand and not on the ground.
Browse our current online stock of 1000+ antique and vintage fireplace tools and tool sets
Do I need a firewood holder or basket?
A firewood holder is essential for conveniently storing wood near the fire, blending functionality with decorative appeal, especially in models crafted from antique copper or brass.
Browse our current online stock of antique and vintage firewood holders and baskets
Let us advise you
Our webshop allows you to filter fireplace accessories by size, type, material, style, age, and origin. If you're unsure about your choices or how to combine accessories, contact us via email at [email protected] or call us at (+31.653493998). We can suggest combinations and provide pictures to ensure your selections create a cohesive look.
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Learn more
How do I decorate my fireplace?
Which size of fireback fits in my open fireplace?
How big should a fireplace screen be?
Which size of andirons or firedogs do I need?
What size of fireplace grate do I need?
Which fireplace tools do you need?
Which fireplace tongs do I need?
Which fireplace shovel do I need?
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