DIY Tips

The days may be getting a bit warmer, and the spring flowers may be daring to rear their heads; but generally speaking, we are still in winter, and winter means one very welcome addition to any home - a fireplace.

A good fireplace doesn’t only give warmth though. A well-chosen design to match the feel and period of your home can create a strong and attractive focal point of your room, whatever the weather outside.

If you have a period home but no original fireplaces (or you want contemporary fireplaces for a modern home), eBay is a great place to look for bargains. It’s a good idea to watch some auctions first to see what fireplaces like those you want are going for, and remember to factor in the cost of petrol, as most fireplaces are collection only. You can also buy fireplaces from other websites, high-street shops, DIY stores and architectural salvage yards, or sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can find them in skips and give-away websites such as Freecycle.

That said, while it is more environmentally friendly and often cheaper to buy a reclaimed period fireplace than a new reproduction one

If the fireplace you want to restore seems to be complete though, wooden and metal ones are generally straight-forward for DIYers to repair.

Metal fireplaces often have rust, but don’t be put off. The quickest solution is to use a paint that can be applied straight to rust.

As with any DIY project though, sometimes you need a bit of trial and error, but you will get there in the end.