Fireplace Screens

Pillars Customs' fireplace screens are an excellent option to give your house a modern fireplace screen and offer the necessary protection for your kids and pets. We make some of the best fireplace screens in a variety of sizes, finishes, and styles; traditional single pane, monogrammed, and intricate designs. Our fireplace screens are handmade in the USA from high quality American metal and designed to be functional regardless if you're in the city or in the country. Pillars Customs also offers custom, made to order screens too! Contact us and let us design your custom screen today!

Why fireplace screens are important

• Fireplace screens are important for safety reasons - they prevent sparks from flying out of the fireplace

• A fireplace screen will protect your furniture and carpeting from getting burned by hot embers

• Fireplace screens are an attractive accessory to any living room, especially if you have a mantel or hearth area in your home

• You can customize a fireplace screen with different colors or designs to match the style of your fireplace

How are fireplace screens safe?

Above all reasons, fireplace screens prevent anything outside of the hearth from coming in contact with the fire. The fire screen at the very least is a physical barrier preventing easy access to the flames and keeping kids and pets out! Also, these fireplace screens serve as a line of defense keeping flying sparks and hot embers from escaping the fireplace. Nobody wants any escaping sparks burning their furniture! Certainly we can see why fireplace screens are a lot safer than an exposed fireplace.

How to choose the right screen for your fireplace

Pillars Customs put together a guide on different types of fireplace screens. We have some recommendations here as well are more detail below to help you pick the perfect fireplace screen to let you watch the beauty of the dancing flames of the fire while being sure the sparks stay in the hearth.

• Consider your fireplace's location in your home.

• Know what you're looking for - does it have to be decorative or functional as well as durable and easy to clean.

• Take into account the size of the screen - will it fit where you want it without being too large or small.

• Think about how many people are going to be using this fireplace on a regular basis, including kids who may put their hands near the screen when they play with toys nearby.

• Think about what kind of view you want from your screen e.g., fireplaces with an open front allow for more natural light while those with closed fronts are better for privacy.

Types of fireplaces

Most fireplaces are either a wood, electric, or gas fireplace, and the fireplace opening is typically rectangular, or arched. Some fireplaces are found inside the house and others found in places outside like a patio or garage. No matter the type or shape of your fireplace, you will need a fireplace screen with the right features to keep your house warm and your children and pets safe!

Different material types of fireplace screens

There are a variety of materials that a replace screen can be made of. While all of them do a great job dispersing heat from the fire and being a decorative focal point of the room, each of them have a distinct features that you should be aware of, and being aware of these details will help decide what screen is best for you.

Metal Mesh Screen

The most common type of fireplace screen is a metal mesh screen, typically consisting of a steel or iron fireplace screen and frame. This type of fireplace screen features single panel and three panel styles, so they have many options to cover a fireplace opening.

These are an excellent option as they have a traditional, modern look and offer great protection from flying sparks and embers. This style of fireplace screen also lets you see the fire through the fine mesh screen.

The main downside of these are they do not have any extra features contributing to the beauty of the screen.

Wooden Screen

A wood screen can be either decorative or functional in nature - it can be used to protect children from touching the hot firebox and also provides protection from drafts. This type of screen use many pieces of wood to protect your fireplace.

Since it is made of wood, this is one of the more cost effective fireplace screens, and many carpenters can make a fireplace screen with a very unique style.

These wooden fireplace screens have many downsides though. First, wood is flammable so you need to make sure you do not let it get too close to the fire. Second, the wood is not transparent, so you and your family won't be able to see in your fireplace and see the fire.

Glass Fireplace Screen

A glass fireplace screen is typically made of tempered glass. These typically come as single panel screens. They do a great job blocking out drafts and sparks while still able to retain an incredible amount of heat.

We recommend keeping kids and pets safe by keeping them away from the fireplace screen. We like glass fireplace screens for their unique style ability to deliver exceptional protection from the elements.

We don't like how the tempered glass screens are often more expensive than other types of fireplace screens and require more careful storage.

Other types of screens

Screening material such as vinyl may not protect you adequately against heat or flames so it should only be used on small fires that don't produce much heat.

Stone screens are made of stone and provide an elegant look with their natural coloration, but are incredibly expensive and difficult to move.

Features of a metal fireplace screen

Every fireplace screen has 4 main parts: fire screen, frame, handle, and legs.

The fire screen is what most of us think about when we think of a fireplace screen. This is what provides protection from the heat and sparks of the fire, while also accentuating the beauty of the room. A good fireplace screen will let you see through it into the opening of the hearth.

The frame of the fireplace screen can come in a variety of styles. Most common fireplace screen frames are designed to match the shape of your fireplace opening. Many frames are made out of iron or steel.

Since the fireplace screens are next to a fire or are too large to slide across the ground, many come with handles to help lift and move the screen. The handles are typically of the same material that the frame is, so a steel frame would have a steel handle.

Lastly, all fireplace screens should have legs to support the screen on the floor. The legs are typically made of the same material of the frame so they typically come in iron or steel, though some handles are made out of an insulating material like wood.

Different panel types of a metal fireplace screen

Just like there are different types of screens, there are different types of panel designs. Here is what you need to know about choosing the best panels for you fireplace screen.

Single panel fireplace screen

Like the name sounds, single panel screens only have one panel. This is what most of Pillars Customs fireplace screens look like.

These are the most simple, modern looking fireplace screens and our personal favorites.

The only downside is they don't offer the (more expensive) features of other screens.

Pillars Customs offers screens with just a single panel and screens with personalized monograms.

Three panel fireplace screen

These screens are sometimes called folding screens, and the screen typically features three panels. Typically, the center panel fireplace screen is a single panel and larger, while the two side panels are smaller and the same size. The side panel fireplace screens are typically attached with a hinge that lets the panel design be shown radially to the room.

These are nice since they add a third dimension to the fireplace and allow for easier access to the firepit since you don't have to slide the screen across the floor.

Unfortunately, these may require a bit of balance as they don't have legs so you need to have enough room to make them fit on your fireplace.

Cabinet style fireplace screen

This type of screen features doors, making it very unique to the other types of screens. While the doors add a new look to the front panels, it also adds more cost and modes of failure by introducing more moving parts.

The main benefits of a cabinet style fireplace screen are the enhanced style of doors easier access to the fire.

Some potential downsides are the the higher costs and safety concerns as improper use may result in sparks escaping the fireplace screen if the doors are not properly shut.

Fireplace door

Some fireplace screens offer doors. Typically, the door material will match the screen material, so a metal fireplace screen will have metal doors and a glass fireplace screen will have glass doors. Screens also typically have one or two doors.

These doors let you safely access the fire without having to move the entire screen. All you have to do it open on of the doors and you can get in and out of the hearth with logs and fireplace tools.

Make sure you keep the hinges lubricated as you may run into an issue using them if they get stuck. This may be an expensive fix if something goes wrong with them too.

How to size a fireplace screen

Below is a quick guide on sizing a fireplace screen, with a more detailed version to follow.

1. Determine where you want the fireplace to sit
2. Do you want it just outside the hearth? Flush with the exterior? Inside the fireplace?
3. Make sure there is enough space for the fireplace screen legs in front and behind the screen for how long the screen's legs will be.
4. Pillars Customs screens come with a standard length of 6" on all legs, reach out to us with any customization requests - no charge for custom leg sizes!
5. Measure the total width and total height of the desired installation area
6. If inside the hearth - subtract 1" from the height and width to make sure it fits inside
7. If outside and flush with the exterior - add 2" to the width and 1" to the height to provide sufficient overlap

Custom Screen

Pillars Customs offers custom fireplace screens. These will make a truly custom addition to your home and be the envy of friends and neighbors! We can create a totally custom design for you as we make all our products in house.

There are many different types of fireplace screens to choose from, but the most important thing is that you buy one. Fireplace screens can help keep your hearth area safer and cleaner by preventing embers or ashes from flying out into the room when a fire has been burning for some time. With so many options available in materials, style, size, features- it might seem overwhelming at first glance to find just the right one for your space. Luckily we have plenty of experts on staff who would be happy to answer any questions about choosing an appropriate fireplace screen for your home! Send us a message today and let's discuss what will work best for you.