Fireplace grates are a necessary attachment and accessory to your fireplace investment, and can significantly reduce the costs of maintenance and overall operation. If you are looking for a higher quality burn, better protection, and less work in maintaining your fireplace, installing a fireplace grate can be an effective way to accomplish your goals.

Fireplace grates can provide a better quality burn because the wood is lifted off of the floor. This makes it easy to pull the air from underneath the wood, and make the burn much hotter and increasingly efficient. You’ll also benefit from a complete burn, since pieces of wood simply fall through the grate and move to a different area. A grate can help protect the floor underneath, catching ash and other pieces of wood with ease.

There are three main types of fireplace grates, and each will vary depending on the style, size, and function of your fireplace. Steel bars are often used for wood burning fireplaces, while cast iron grates are ideal for wood burning or coal-based models. Grate heaters are used for wood burning stoves and fireplaces, and help to produce even more heat and push it out into the living space.

Steel bar grates are constructed with large, thick bars. They are ideal for light usage, and can help burn hotter with Maple, Oak, or Beachwood logs and these will burn better and more efficiently than softer woods. Cast iron grates do last longer than other types, and will be fairly easy to install and maintain. These have small gaps on the bottom to catch coal or wood chunks easily, and will help burn the fuel source more efficiently. These are ideal for long-term use, and are a resourceful way to make the most of your wood burning investments.

Making sure you invest in a quality product is important for your long-term investment. Steel bar grates should be welded on the diagonals for heavy-duty construction, and coated for protection from long-term burning and usage. The width is important; low bar counts mean less heat is distributed throughout the grate. Cast iron grates need to be heavy in weight, as these will provide the most even and most effective heat transfer. There are many styles of cast iron grates, and some are constructed with large gaps to catch coal and large wood chips as well.

Fireplace grates are a valuable and durable investment to maintain your fireplace. You will need to take some time to review your options, but each style and type can help you burn your fire with ease and efficiency!