Installing Tempered Glass Doors On Your Fireplace:
Snuggling up by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate is living the American dream. The novelty can wear off if you have to wait for the fire to go out before you go to bed. Leaving a fire burning unattended is a major safety hazard. Tempered glass doors solve this safety issue protecting you, your home, pets, family/loved ones. All you have to do is close them before you leave the room! So simple.
New fireplaces and inserts likely come with glass doors but old fireplaces and custom chimney fireboxes may not. Implementing this safety feature isn’t very difficult. Most products come in standard sizes made to fit any flat firebox opening.
Pro Tips, Before You Start.
This install process is great for flat faced masonry fireplaces even small ones in tight spaces.
This type of door with not work with fieldstone or similarly textured material firebox surrounds.
Be careful with old masonry brick, when drilling it may be brittle and fall apart. If you see this contact a chimney masonry expert.
To prevent damaging the glass remember to never lay the glass door unit on its face.
Step 1 > Attach The Lintel Bar Clamps To The Door.
Stand the door up-right, in front of the hearth, leaning it against your legs or have a helper hold it up for you.
Use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the screws from the back of the door and where the floor brackets at the bottom and lintel clamps at the top will be placed.
Pocket the screws for attaching the brackets and clamps later.
Assemble the two lintel clamps and attach them to the door at the top.
Step 2 > Adjust The Lintel Bar Clamps.
While you are screwing the lintel clamps to the back of the door, at the top, use the milled slot in the back of the door to slide the clamp up or down making sure it ends up flush with the top of the door frame to ensure proper fitment in the end.
Next, screw the “L” shaped floor brackets into the bottom of the doors, make sure they also stay flush with the bottom edge as before.
Step 3 > Mark The Firebox Floor For Screw Holes.
Fit the door into the opening but don’t scratch the glass or trim finish.
Align the unit so that it fits the firebox opening tightly.
While holding the doors in place, reach into the firebox with the doors open to mark the holes for the bottom brackets where they meet the floor, use a thick sharpie type marker, going through the grooves in the brackets.
Step 4 > Drill The Holes For The Lead Anchors.
Remove and store the doors in a safe place where it won’t fall on its face or back.
Use a 5/16-inch masonry drill bit and make a 2″ deep hole at each of your markings.
Step 5 > Insert The Lead Anchors For Screws.
Clean up the brick dust leftover from drilling the lead anchor holes, make sure you get the dust in the holes also.
Use a hammer to gently tap in the lead anchors until flush with the brick floor.
Avoid drilling into the mortar
Avoid drilling at an angle to make it easier to get the anchors and screws in
Step 6 > Insulate The Door Frame.
Use gloves to unroll the fiberglass insulation provided.
Stuff insulation into the top and side door frame channels, tear off pieces to ensure tight fitment.
The idea behind the insulation is to keep the smoke from seeping out and protect the frame finish mostly.
Step 7 > Screw The Doors To The Firebox Floor.
Slide the tempered glass fireplace doors into the firebox, carefully.
Check that no insulation is exposed outside of the frame channels.
Make sure the frame is flush to the face of the opening.
Twist the screws into the lead anchors, through the bottom brackets by reaching into the firebox.
Tighten the screws snuggly with a socket wrench, securing the frame to the brick.
Avoid loosening the lead anchor or breaking off the screw head by over-tightening, just make them “snug”
Final Step > Clamp The Door To The Lintel Bar.
Make sure the clamp is positioned to span the depth of the lintel bar by reaching in and adjusting it by hand
Tighten the clamp hardware onto the lintel bar using your fingers by reaching into the firebox and up behind the lintel bar.
Avoid bending the clamp by over-tightening the clamp hardware.
