Insert surround panel / faceplate too small...

[jimcrook]

I'm thinking about buying the Drolet Escape 1500-i insert, but its surround is only 29" high and my fireplace opening is about 29.5" inches high. Dang, that's annoying. Is there an easy fix for this? Could I just buy a piece of steel angle or square tube, paint it black, and affix it to the top of the surround?

 

[DAKSY]

A nicer look might be to raise the entire unit 1" by putting risers under the firebox,
& then using a 1" piece of steel or stone for the surround riser. If you make it
longer than the width of the surround & deeper than the surround frame, it will
look good. The company I work for does this when we encounter this situation.

 

[webby3650]

We attach a piece of angle metal to the lintel or the sides of the opening depending on where it’s needed. If it’s painted black it hardly noticeable. We typically can get a custom sized panel though.

 

[jimcrook]

A nicer look might be to raise the entire unit 1" by putting risers under the firebox,
& then using a 1" piece of steel or stone for the surround riser. If you make it
longer than the width of the surround & deeper than the surround frame, it will
look good. The company I work for does this when we encounter this situation.

What would one use for risers? I like this idea, but am having trouble imagining how best to raise up the unit. Cement board?

 

[bholler]

What would one use for risers? I like this idea, but am having trouble imagining how best to raise up the unit. Cement board?

That would work we usually use fire brick because it is what we have on the van

 

[jimcrook]

I ended up buying a piece of 1" steel angle from the hardware store, painting it black, and attaching it to the top of the insert faceplate panel. It covers that 3/4" of vertical space and looks pretty good I think. Check it out.

 

[kennyp2339]

The angle iron actually looks like its suppose to be there, looks real good

 

[begreen]

Simple fixes are often the best. Looks good.

 

[BigJ273]

Looks solid to me