Fireplaces and Tiles

[thiambal]

hi everyone,

I wonder if you could all add your collective experience to the the following question.

Just taken delivery of a lovely reproduction cast-iron fireplace (I know, reproduction, but we wanted something in keeping with the originals still left in the house and had given up waiting for an original reclaimed to come along).

We have however, acquired some beautiful original tiles which are very much in keeping with others in the house. The question is, how best to fit the damn things into the fireplace?

I have had suggestions of wedging things with cardboard or wood, apply the fixing bar at the end or tightening it up as you go. The what to fix them in place with?? Some suggest fire cement, some swear by plaster or paris (which is surpirsingly difficult to get hold of) and one website suggests 'bonding plaster' what ever the hell that is.

Arrrrgh, someone help me my brain is hurting.

P.S. Also struggling to understand how the adjustable flue mechanism is supposed to operate - many take some photos when I get a chance and post them for your delictation.

 

[Penners]

Thiambal, whereabouts on the fireplace do the tiles go? Are they in two vertical lines up each side of the fire hole?

Victorian fireplaces that were designed to have tiles inset into them normally had the facility to fix the tiles designed in. On the ones I've seen, this usually consisted of steel "strap" running up the back of the tile void - sometimes this had wingnuts top and bottom to allow you to tighten it against the back of the the tiles, and sometimes it was fixed. In the latter case, you positioned the tiles then stuffed a good packing of fire cement between the bar and the tile back.

I certainly wouldn't use cardboard or wood, if you're going to use the fireplace (or if someone might do so in the future).

 

[Nemesis]

Better to use repro than be part of the stripping out of original features from other buildings!

Agree with David though - is there nothing there except two large holes?

 

[Lime]

I remember saying this before sometime ago, Boots sell plaster of paris.
I'd use that in preference to anything else.
If it all goes wrong it can be removed reasonably easily.

 

[Penners]

Re removability - a fair point. Is PoP fairly heat tolerant?

 

[Lime]

Re removability - a fair point. Is PoP fairly heat tolerant?

Yes.

 

[Moo]

I know an artist who uses plaster moulds in his kiln. He mixes something with the powdered plaster before adding it to the water.
Would it be helpful if I were to find out what he uses?

 

[thiambal]

Sorry, I was not clear in the original post.

There are metal bars to hold the tiles in place. But I was confused about various advice to wedge things with cardboard or wood. Not sure what to wedge, where and how.

Also slightly dubious about tightening up the bars directly on to the tiles - thereby applying pressure to a small area - and the likelyhood of damage. Equally, I do not want them to be too loose and fall out over time.

 

[Penners]

In which case, Thimbal, fire cement or (better still, as I now agree with Lime) plaster of paris seem to be the best answer.