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Bathrooms Fireplaces

See-Through to One-Sided Fireplace Retrofit

5 years ago

My master bedroom has a metal Marco fireplace surrounded by framing and sheet rock that sees through to the master bathroom. I need a one-sided fireplace. Installing a new fireplace will cost about $7,500. Is there a safe way to retrofit the existing fireplace?

Our bathroom remodel calls for re-purposing our bathtub area to a large shower. See-through fireplaces were charming 25 years ago, but now I want something practical. A new fireplace requires new flu, venting, framing, hearth and mantel. It's not going to be cheap. We hardly use our existing fireplace, so keeping it would be fine.

I wonder if I could retrofit with 1/4" steel in the back and then apply non-combustible material on wood framing a few inches behind it. Has anyone heard of this being done? Is there a better way?

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Comments (5)

User
5 years ago
Either get rid of it entirely or replace it with a model designed to be single sided. You’re not going to retrofit that safely.
Lars Staack thanked User
Lars Staack
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Thank you for your response. I request any insight that you have regarding typical metal fireplace design.

It appears that conventional metal fireplace design consists of double layers of thin steel with a couple of inches of air in between, with a refractory panel box inside. Is that the gist of it? I understand any modification to an existing fireplace would change the conditions under which Underwriters Laboratories approved it. However, perhaps a retrofit could mimic proper fireplace design?
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I think a nice bookcase on that side in a color matching the mantle would be lovely. It would showcase that whole wall. Make it a little taller than the height of the mantle and put some greenery and vases on the top. I believe if you'd paint the white walls a color that would compliment the brick (pick out a medium color shade in the brick) then that whole fireplace angle would be softened.Good luck!
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(side note to jakabedy) WOW WOW WOW...I am in love...where did you find out out about these? Can they be used wherever drywall can be used? Thank you! Now on to the fireplace: it might look nicely integrated if you do the vertical of the slate you like, with a full-width mantel, which is placed at the same level as one of the shelves cut into the narrow sides. So it would be like a brown ring around the whole unit, with the slate going up the vertical. I'm with palimpsest that I prefer not to have the slate go only halfway up. I am digging the brown wrap thing, though -- could you do a mantel there on the other side too, to complete the ring?
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Comments (20)
I like some your renderings on the right track with the framing ideas Palimp temp fix is lovely - again I'll echo what others have said about fireproof material within certain distances of firebox - likely 6'-12" depending on which plane. The difference with Palimps thought is the proportions and her firebox is seated closer to the floor grounding it. Emma's is a much larger wall expanse with smaller firebox & more free floating - the challenges are, making it a focal point without making it morph into the wall/design that is why I think framing it works - also, I don't know that a mantle is suited here due to the ,what appears to be high traffic area & something protruding from that height may be awkward Of all i like th 15:25 post frame in frame idea - 2nd pic I think a chunky frame right on the opening is in order to beef up the actual firebox - try that sans the tile above mantle - I would try that rendering with the "internal" frame a darker variant helping to ground HTH
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User
5 years ago
The fire boxes and throats are shaped differently. They are not retrofittable one to the other.
User
5 years ago
A certified mason, with the knowledge of Rumford fireplaces, might be able to make this work, but it would depend heavily on the current design of the fireplace and flue. It would entail removing the metal box and making a proper masonary box to the shallower Rumford design. That might, just might, save the lose of space on the backside (in the bathroom). There isn't a cheap way to do this without risking your house.
millworkman
5 years ago
"I understand any modification to an existing fireplace would change the conditions under which Underwriters Laboratories approved it."

Also may effect the way your insurance company looks at the big picture when the house burns down and you make a claim..................................

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