Renovation is a fine art whereby a skilled tradesman must restore an antique fireplace or antique fire surround back to its former glory and when done right, can have stunning results.
When purchasing a antique fireplace for renovation or considering renovating a reclaimed fireplace, there are a few important points you must consider.
Starting with the basics, one of the most obvious possible flaws with any old fireplace is the condition and quality of the casting. When studying a fireplace the prominence of rust and the potential damage to detailed casting can be huge price altering negatives in all cast iron fireplaces. Flaws such as cracks must also be found before renovation as these can cause integrity issues for the fireplace and may lead to more serious issues following installation, any cracks on plain flat cast iron are usually negligible and can be easily restored, but anything that interjects directly with detailed casting work must be meticulously repaired to make sure you produce the highest quality Victorian cast iron fireplace art nouveau fireplace you can.
When studying a Victorian marble fireplace or certain any Georgian marble fireplace, Edwardian marble fireplace or slate fireplace surround, cracks, stains and flaws must always be noted before purchase and restoration as again, they can have huge impacts on the price. A crack in marble can be professionally repaired as to not be noticeable to the untrained eye, but rest assured, anyone who is used to studying reclaimed fireplaces and old fireplaces can spot a professional repair a mile off. Stains are by far one the most notable aesthetic flaws in many marbles and must be dealt with accordingly. The method for removing or blending stains is different for every marble; some of the more porous materials can be bleached easily when others require a different approach.
The final main point to look for when purchasing a reclaimed Edwardian fireplace is to make sure there is a full fireplace there! So many times a fireplace is a bargain because there is a freeze or a mantle missing on a antique fire surround of there are a set of bars or a hood missing from a Victorian cast iron fireplace, on of the trickiest points is this as essentially you must piece the antique fireplace together in your mind and be confident it looks as you would expect with the parts available.
Fireplace Antiques are a retailer of antique fireplaces, Victorian fire surrounds, Victorian cast iron fireplacse, old fireplaces, and much more. With a large showroom based in Manchester, Fireplace Antiques are certainly worth a look in when next considering your antique fireplace needs!
1090 Stockport Road
Levenshulme
Manchester
M19 2SU
Telephone 0161 431 8075
Fax 0161 431 8084
Email [email protected]
Website http://www.fireplaceantiques.co.uk
