FIREPLACE CANOPY, DOG IRON & FIRE GRATE
PRESERVING THE OPEN FIREPLACE TRADITION
Ever since we were founded in 1971, one of Camelot’s aims has been to preserve the traditional open fireplace in all it’s forms. As a result, almost everything we design and create are variations of the classic fireplace that has warmed British homes for hundreds, if not thousands of years.
We can offer you a canopy, fire grate or dog irons separately or together as a suite to create a traditional atmosphere for any fireplace. Our fireplace ideas are authentic and unique but they also work to ensure the smoke goes where it should – up the chimney.
Our unique Twin Skin fireplace canopy is the only design of its kind. It was invented by Paul Shaw, the second generation owner of Camelot, to resolve or avoid problems with smoking open fires.
We also pride ourselves on our ability to turn our clients vision and design ideas into reality by offering commissions on all our products.
Canopies
A stand alone fireplace canopy (as opposed to a Thermovent) is a working part of an open fire. Its role is to establish the right physical conditions to create a draw up the chimney to take away the smoke. This means sizing and proportions are inextricably linked to the fireplace and the chimney it is to be installed in.
Our lastest unique piece of fireplace design is our TwinSkin canopy where we have separated performance from aesthetic to allow us to tailor your fireplace canopy or hood to your every desire.
We often create fireplace canopies in steel, but also use copper and brass. We can also offer other aged and creative finishes to meet your brief.
We can also create your fire canopy as a commission – ie exactly to criteria you specify that is outside classic canopy design styles.
Visit our dedicated Canopy or Fire Hood page here.
Fire Grates
As a piece of fireplace furniture, fire grates or fire baskets were really only introduced when people started to burn coal in the cities during the industrial revolution. Unlike wood, coal needs air underneath through a slotted grate to burn well. Coal also burns hotter than wood, so was found to do more damage to the hearth materials. As such fire grates or fire baskets became an essential part of an open fire.
Fire baskets are of a design where there are clearly sides of some depth and often have dog irons attached to the basket. Fire grates are much more flat or open in nature. The classic Swans nest grate is a great example of a grate over a basket. Dog irons would typically be separate to the grate.
In terms of materials, iron or steel is very popular, however we also create using cast iron and brass features – especially as part of the dog irons if they are an integral part of the fire basket.
Visit our dedicated Fire grate or fire basket page here.
WE’RE HERE TO HELP WITH ANY AND EVERY FIRE CANOPY!
Call us on 01905 820181
We love to talk open fires.
Dog Irons
Fireplace dog irons were originally used without a basket to rest logs on so they burned more easily. They were often referred to then as Andirons or Spit dogs. Their use with fire baskets was a decorative carry over and a way to carry the fire grate or basket off the ground to protect the hearth from the more severe heat of coal fires.
Nowadays many customers include dog irons as part of the aesthetic of the fireplace. They can also be a useful way to increase the apparent width of the firebasket in the fireplace whilst keeping the actual basket, where the fire is set, to smaller more manageable propositions in line with the canopy above.
Dog irons can either be stand alone or part of the fire basket. As with fire grates, (or fire place grates) steel or iron is a popular material but cast iron, brass or bronze are also requested.
Visit our dedicated dog iron or spit dog page here.
DESIGN YOU CAN TRUST
Our proven design process is centred around you…
Once a deposit is paid that will be based on our quotation and agreed description, we will design a detailed sketch of your fire basket, canopy or dog irons centred around your desires and idea for you to then review, revise and approve. Should you decide to go ahead with your design and make it a reality, we will put our tools to use and go about creating your unique, bespoke dog irons to the highest standard.
Over the many years of Camelot’s business our design process has changed and evolved to become increasingly accurate, helpful and efficient- something that has never failed us and given us confidence in difficult commissions. As a result, we are confident that whatever you may ask us to create, your design and the finished piece will be as similar as possible.
To see examples of our many successful commissions, visit our Open Fires Design and Customer Fires pages.