Measuring Your Fireplace

At Cricket on the Hearth, Inc, we believe that measuring your fireplace is one of the most important steps when choosing a fireplace for your home or business. Check out our helpful hints below to ensure you properly measure your fireplace:

Measuring for Glass Doors

The more information we start with, the easier it is to properly fit and proportion a glass door for your fireplace.

• Measure the face of the opening height on both sides and the width at the top and bottom. There is no standard when it comes to masonry, and the opening may not be square, so it is important to be thorough. (Tip: ignore your current door size – measure the opening.)
• Some doors mount to the lintel bar with a sliding clamp system, so look at the roof of your opening for a metal bar, which supports the weight of the bricks during construction. Measure how far back the lintel bar sits from the face of the opening and its total depth/thickness.
• A damper control handle may protrude from the face of your fireplace. It is important to record its distance and position from the opening when sizing a glass door.
• Take additional measurements showing any decorative tile or stone and clearances to mantels and surrounds.
• Note if there is a raised hearth (where the floor or fireplace is raised above the floor of the room). 
• Bring your diagram to the store, and you'll be amazed at the selection of styles and colors you have to choose from!

Sizing Gas Logs

• For correct sizing of a gas log set, we will need to have all of the above measurements, as it is important to have a glass door installed with the logs’ standing pilot system. (Note: glass doors are opened while gas logs are burning.)
• For the log size, measure the floor of the firebox width and depth.  You will need 4"-6" space on either side of the log grate.
• Note the size of the flue. There is a minimum size requirement to ensure the proper draft of exhaust fumes up the chimney.

Stove Inserts

• Both wood and gas inserts will need to fit inside the opening and then have trim panels to cover the gap between the stove and the fireplace opening.
• Measure the face of the opening height on both sides and the width at the top and bottom. There is no standard when it comes to masonry, and the opening may not be square, so it is important to be thorough.
• Measure the depth of the floor of the firebox (from the face to the back wall).
• Measure the slanted ceiling, if any. (You want to measure the height of the back wall before the slant and the length of the ceiling depth before it begins to slant down.)
• We inspect and re-measure every job as part of our final quote, so there are no surprises for you or our installers.

Zero-Clearance Fireplaces 

You may be starting with a blank wall or corner, but there are some important considerations. These include:

• How much space do you have between windows?
• What is outside in terms of plantings or walkways?
• What would you like in terms of tile or marble surrounds and wooden mantels or cabinets?
• How much space will you be heating?