Dommo Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 Morning. Horrifically non-westfield related I'm afraid, aside from being a major violation of upgrades funds. Had a new limestone fire surround fitted yesterday for a solid fuel fire. Looks nice and all but noticed later that the three sections are themselves build from three sections of limestone stuck together. On the side facing the entrance you can see the join and when it has been seen it's hard to unsee. Is this normal? If so, how can you limit it's effect? It was a custom built fireplace not an online special so I'll be honest I was expecting solid stone but maybe that's not possible with solid fuel fires. Quote
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 I've seen similar on a lot of fireplaces in customers homes that have been done in the last twenty years or so, the only time I've definitely seen them done from solid block has been on very expensive versions. (ie three of four thousand plus!) Quote
Dommo Posted March 31, 2017 Author Posted March 31, 2017 I think they drunk 4 grands worth of tea whilst they fitted it. It was a £1,200 fireplace (surround and hearth only, not including stove, fitting etc) so maybe a big lump of old crushed seashells from Portugal would be very expensive indeed! Right, how to mask this then. It's not a Westfield so I can't just stick stickers over it. Maybe I'll get the boy to get his colouring pencils out... Quote
Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 Talk to the supplier? Did you see any examples in a showroom, do they have the same feature? Quote
Dommo Posted March 31, 2017 Author Posted March 31, 2017 I'll pop in there at lunch for advise on hiding it. Pretty sure the one we modelled it on didn't have those joins but it was also for an electric fire so may have been constructed differently. At no point was it said the surround would be cuts of stone stuck together but at the same time it wasn't said that it wouldn't be. Dave suggests it is rather normal so its probably to be expected. Quote
Captain Colonial Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 Not sure what you were expecting, but it looks like they did a nice job of it. Almost impossible to make it seamless and colour match perfect unless it's hewn from one solid piece, which would cost the earth. Give it a bit time and you'll not notice it at all - I'm guessing it looks a lot better than what was there before. I've got a stone fireplace surround in my sitting room that's about 250 years old, and that's made from at least 10 pieces that don't match precisely. I got lucky with it when Lady Chair (for it is she) decided to have the old monstrosity ripped out. The builder had it in his garden under some brambles, after taking it out of the house of the governor of Warwick Prison when some idiot "modernised" it. He described it and I bought it sight unseen for £100 in 1990, because he thought it was alabaster when he put it away. Turned out it was marble and he could have easily got ten times that much for it. He grumbled and moaned all the way through installing it. 2 Quote
Dommo Posted March 31, 2017 Author Posted March 31, 2017 20 minutes ago, Scott Young - WSCC Chairman said: Not sure what you were expecting, but it looks like they did a nice job of it. Almost impossible to make it seamless and colour match perfect unless it's hewn from one solid piece, which would cost the earth. Give it a bit time and you'll not notice it at all - I'm guessing it looks a lot better than what was there before. I've got a stone fireplace surround in my sitting room that's about 250 years old, and that's made from at least 10 pieces that don't match precisely. I got lucky with it when Lady Chair (for it is she) decided to have the old monstrosity ripped out. The builder had it in his garden under some brambles, after taking it out of the house of the governor of Warwick Prison when some idiot "modernised" it. He described it and I bought it sight unseen for £100 in 1990, because he thought it was alabaster when he put it away. Turned out it was marble and he could have easily got ten times that much for it. He grumbled and moaned all the way through installing it. Another vote for 'they're all like that sir, thanks! Great story too 1 Quote
Kevin (Mr T) Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 No experience of fireplaces, but plenty with stone in the bathrooms and kitchens we do. Ignore the marks on the side of the light coloured worktop, the guys who installed the range made those and the photo was my evidence! The point of the images is that in both cases, the make up is 20mm thick material. The false thickness is created by a nice mitre detail, and the seam is actually in the middle of the arris and pretty much invisible (if you zoom in on the light grey material, you can just make it out). I don't know what you were presented with at point of sale, but for the money you are talking about, I can see no reason why this construction method couldn't have been employed and would have had less visible joins. Having said that, if this is how they display their product, so how you would have seen it prior to signing on the dotted, the finish looks very good. Quote
CraigHew Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 yes the joins on the fireplace or very normal. Quote
Dommo Posted March 31, 2017 Author Posted March 31, 2017 Great... now I want a new bathroom! Apparently the effect should dull down a little bit as the stone dries out, and certainly on the top section it's just unfortunate that the join is on a darker seam. Either way, I'm pacified. 2 Quote
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