Fireplace Surround

[Flats]

Hi all,

I'm a new member and am renovating a 1920's Federation in Perth. I've already read much of the boards, great site, glad I found it!

At the moment my current project is to (buy or make) and install a traditional fireplace surround for an existing fireplace and cast iron surround/hearth. The first attached photo shows where the surround will go (the existing mantle will be removed). The second photo shows an existing fireplace in another room, so you get an idea of the period, we don't however want it to be so big.

My question is two fold. Is there anyone reading this forum willing to build a fireplace surround in the Perth area, if so I'll certainly like to be in touch. Or does anyone know of where a 1920's style surround be aquired for a reasonable price?

The timber would preferably be Jarrah, to match everything else. I think I'd prefer it without the mirror bit on top too, just the basic fireplace frame.

Unfortunately my skills (and equipment) are not up to the job and I've already been looking and the second hand ones are quite hard to find, especially of this era, most of those I've found online are in the Eastern states.

Thanks

http://members.westnet.com.au/flats/2004_06_10/fireplace.jpg

http://members.westnet.com.au/flats/2004_06_10/lounge%20fireplace.jpg

[PaulS]

Flats, i have a mate who is selling a fire place surround. I will pass this on to him. He may be able to email a pic.

Paul

[wombat47]

Having taken apart an acquired mantle to remove the 15 coats of cream paint and the original layer of thick varnish gunk, I discovered that they are basically a simple arrangement of "planks", brackets and moulding. One of the timber moulding companies who makes the necessary components puts out a brochure on how to do it. It might be worth getting hold of. Even if you aren't going to do it yourself, you will have an idea of what is involved.

Perhaps you might be able to incorporate the some of the existing mantle. The brackets seem to match the second one.

My acquired mantle roughly matches our existing two - similar to yours but the sides extend upwards to plinths. The original mirror was in very poor condition - had a new one cut with a bezelled edge. Unfortunately, it makes the other two look as though they need a bit of renovation.

[seriph1]

Welcome to the forum, Flats! You will find a huge amount of info and help available.....

havent lived in Perth for years but I do recall a lot of antique anf bric-a-brac places out beaufort street ..... sort of Morley-ish

Also, if there is a thing like the Trading Post or similar, you could search there.

20's federation in Perth - yummy!

:D

[PaulS]

Flats here is a pick of the surround.

It is not jarrah, it is pine with a jarrah stain, it did come out of a
1920-ish Vic Park house. It has been stripped and restained..

Here is a pic....

[charlie]

Flats a mate of mine has a couple sitting in his shed also,let me know if you are interested,where in central vic,I could email photos if you want,I know they are in exellent cond,freight wouldnt cost heaps,in my opinion,I would go with an old original type if you can,its a centerpiece in a room,if you get a old one you can say its original,if you buy a newy or make one it may look the same but it wont have that original look,I could send you measurments also if you want.I know you probably wont be interested cause its to far away,but try to get an old one if you can,I havent spoken to him but a couple of hundred might be close,I know he wouldny want heaps for them.

regards charlie

[Flats]

Thanks for the reply PaulS, unfortunately the cast iron hearth I have is square so it can't have the arch.

Charlie, I am still interested, if it's what I'm looking for carting it over is no problem, pics would be appreciated.

[charlie]

Flats I have a digi camera so Ill take some pics the next couple of days and give you a look at them,he's working around at my house on tues so I'll see what he might want for them,I have the arched ones in the house where rebuilding at the moment,2 bedrooms have them and the loungroom,the arched or oval ones would look a bit out of place compared to your other one,he I'm pretty sure has one similar to the one you have,which I would call more federation style,no rounded corners etc,I can tell you I doubt if it would jarrah,probably cedar or baltic pine,I wont make any money out of it,what he wants for it is what you get it for,I'll get back to ya next couple of days.

regards charlie

[seriph1]

some possibly useful general info (as a guide only):

arched top mantels are almost exclusively Victorian fireplace items, as are arched cast-iron inserts ..... they usually had slate hearths. It is possible (and was done regularly) to put an arched cast-iron insert with a square mantel but not the other way around

Federation/Edwardian moved to square cast-irons, usually with tiled sides and hearths. The way to tell an Edwardian from a Federation is usually the style of tiles and the type of casting in the insert.

As we approached the 1920's and the emergence of the Californian Bungalow, the mantels became like the one in your "other" room. In the eastern states they were made of all kinds of material, but straighter grained timber was favoured by this time.

It would be an easy job to stain a non-jarrah mantel to look like Jarrah, but if you want to be certain of the match, do a test first by sanding and test-staining a bit of the back of your new mantel. If you wanted to make your own, you could use the other one as your reference - would be a fairly straightforward project and a lot of fun.