Do-it-yourself selection and installation of grates for the oven

The designs of heating devices operating on solid fuels are constantly changing and improving. New parts are installed, components and mechanisms are added, which makes it possible to achieve greater productivity and efficiency of thermal devices. The grate for the furnace is the part that cannot be dispensed with in any design, regardless of its type and size. The product can be purchased at a retail chain or, if you have the tools and skills, you can make it yourself.

Types of grate

Material

The temperature in the furnace is quite high, which forces craftsmen to make grates from special metals:

1. The most durable is a cast iron oven grate.
2. There are also steel parts, the most popular of which is antipyretic steel. Such grates are not susceptible to oxidation and corrosion when the flame burns, and also do not deform. These devices can have different sizes and shapes, the abundance of which makes it possible to choose a grate even for a non-standard stove model.

Example of a grate for a furnace

Solid and stacked

For convenient use, you can choose different grate designs:

1. Solid. They look like monolithic gratings; they cannot be broken down into smaller components. Most manufacturers have standard oven grate sizes, focused on the most popular oven models. The choice of sizes of solid parts is quite large. Preference should be given to a certain product taking into account the fuel surface area.
2. Stacked grates. They have a collapsible shape and can be assembled independently. The number of their components depends on the required area of ​​the device. This guarantees their versatility, because the oven grate can be made in any size and is suitable for non-standard ovens.

Fixed

Fixed devices are grilles that do not move.

Subtypes of fixed grate:

• tiled flat, the most popular;
• basket, rarely used;
• beam

Tiled - these are rectangular-shaped parts and are the most popular. They can be used for any model, they are universal and easy to install. The stores offer a huge selection of grates of this particular type.

Basket grates are not very popular, because they are used for open ovens. In the old days, they were components of ovens on which food was cooked. Nowadays gas and electric stoves are used for this.

Beam gratings visually resemble a construction beam. They are assembled only by hand. Consumers like them for their versatility and the ability to install them in any oven.

Movable

Subtypes of movable grate:

• full-rotary;
• swinging;
• chain

Movable furnace grates consist of several parts. These include sections and shaft. Thanks to the possibility of rotation, the process of cleaning ash is simplified. Movable gratings are divided into full-rotating and swinging: the angle of inclination of the first is 180 degrees, the second can rotate from 30 degrees. Another type of such gratings is chain. In its design, the elements are connected to each other by chains. The disadvantage of this type of grate is the incomplete combustion of wood or coal.

Grate materials and configurations

To make grates for a furnace or boiler, cast iron or heat-resistant steel is used. The first option is preferable and is used most often, since cast iron lasts almost forever. Steel, even strong steel, can burn out over time, especially if heated with coal. As is known, the combustion temperature of coal is the highest among all types of solid fuel.

The lattice can have the form:

• flat plate;
• interconnected round or profile beams;
• metal basket.

In addition, grates can be monolithic or stacked. Monolithic is a solid product of a certain size. Sometimes standard dimensions are not suitable and then they use stacked grates for a fireplace or stove, in which the main thing is to choose the length of the elements.

While it is better to make a warm floor under tiles from plastic pipes (water TP).

The grate can be movable. Such products consist of several parts that are driven manually using a special lever. There are two options for movements: translational and rotational. Thanks to the movable grate, it is possible to supply air to the stale layers of fuel, which allows you to completely burn it out. This increases the efficiency of heating equipment by several percent.

Dimensions

Another condition for choosing a grate for a stove is its length and width. The sizes of the grate for the furnace are different, they are determined by the type of fuel:

• For light firewood or briquettes, grates from 140x120 mm to 330x252 mm are sufficient.
• For coal, larger parameters are needed: 300x300, 350x300, since this fuel emits a large amount of harmful substances when burned.

Variety of grate sizes

Recommendations for selection

The clearances for coal should be larger, since combustion produces large slag.
When choosing a grate for a boiler, it is necessary to take into account what type of fuel will be used in the operation. Cast iron grates for stoves have different dimensions, but the main criterion is the size of the gap in the grate. It determines the size of the waste that will fall out of the firebox through them.

Recommended clearance:

• for coal - 30x300 mm or 28x205 mm;
• for firewood and briquettes - 140x115 mm or 330x250 mm.

The optimal ratio of the area of ​​the gaps and gratings is 1:1. Deviations in one direction or another lead to a decrease in the efficiency of the device.

Cast iron is more resistant to heat, but is fragile; it is better to use it under coal. It is impossible to break steel alloy products, but they can melt from excessively high temperatures. The optimal solution for them is the use of briquettes and firewood.

Buying tips

For high-quality combustion, not only the size of the grate is important, but also the weight of the fuel that it can withstand in one laying. The rods should not deform or wear out.

The grate must have a sufficient number of holes - at least 40% of the area of ​​the part itself. If this figure is lower, then there will not be enough oxygen to maintain the fire, and the ash will remain on the grate and clog the stove.

If the gaps in the grate have a large area, then the remaining fuel will fall from the combustion chamber into the ash pan. Fuel consumption will become uneconomical.

Optimal lattice option

Functions of grate bars and design differences

Lighting a stove doesn't require much skill. It's much more difficult to keep the fire going. For normal combustion it is necessary to provide air flow. This cannot be done with the firebox door closed. But in order for air to still flow into the combustion chamber, an additional chamber is made - an ash pan - located under the firebox. These two chambers are separated by a grate that prevents fuel from falling down.

Main functions of grate bars

Such elements are placed in the lattice with the wide side up. This facilitates the access of air from below to the combustion center, and the ash freely falls into the ash pit through the gaps between the grates.

The grate, being one of the most important elements of any furnace, performs the following functions:

Grate for the oven - functions

Design differences

Grate bars operate in high temperature zones and are subject to the oxidizing effects of oxygen. The material from which the grate structure is made must withstand these aggressive influences for a long time. The most suitable material for these purposes is cast iron, since only it can work in such conditions. It is from it that almost all the components of grates are made.

Since the designs and dimensions of furnaces can be different, the designs of grates also differ. The following grate structures are distinguished:

• solid cast;
• composite;
• fixed (flat tiles, baskets, beams);
• movable (full-rotary, swinging, chain);
• refrigerated.

What is needed for production?

It is possible to make a grate with your own hands. What to make a grate for the oven from? It is better to use heat-resistant steel as a material, because it is impossible to work with cast iron at home. To make the grille, you can use any materials that have heat-resistant characteristics. This could be fittings, corners, steel pipes or strips of metal.

To make grate bars you will need:

• the metal from which the grille will be made,
• steel rods for creating partitions;
• ruler, tool for making marks;
• grinder for cutting material;
• welding.

How to make a homemade heat exchanger

A register of several pipes
The shape of a heat exchanger for heating made by yourself can be different. The most common option is a register made of several steel or copper pipes, but plate-type examples are also used.

The temperature in the combustion zone is very high, especially when burning coal. Therefore, increased demands are placed on the metal from which the heat exchanger elements will be made, the rationality of its design and the quality of the welds.

Materials for production

An example of using cast iron radiators as a heat exchanger in a brick oven

The task of water heat exchangers for heating is to ensure optimal heat transfer, and in this process the degree of thermal conductivity of the metal is important. For example, a steel pipe conducts heat 7 times less than a copper pipe. Therefore, with the same pipe diameter, to transfer the same amount of heat, you will need 25 meters of steel pipe instead of 3.5 meters of copper.

Copper heat exchangers are the most economical to operate, but also expensive. Heat exchangers made of steel pipes with a diameter of at least 32 mm are considered more affordable for self-production.

Heat exchanger power calculation

It is quite difficult to calculate in advance the power of the heat exchanger for a heating system. To do this, you need to take into account too many factors: pipe diameter, coil length, thermal conductivity of the metal, fuel combustion temperature, coolant circulation rate, etc. The real ability of the heat exchanger to cope with its functions will become clear only after the heating system starts operating.

When calculating, you can estimate that 1 meter of pipe with a diameter of 50 mm, serving as a heat exchanger, will provide 1 kW of thermal power.

Design Features

A heat exchanger for water heating of a house, welded from smooth-walled pipes, is called a register. It looks like a kind of “grid” and is the most popular form of homemade heat exchanger. In addition to this design, simpler devices are also made in the form of a rectangular or cylindrical tank. The main thing is that the surface area for heat exchange is as large as possible.

When making a heat exchanger with your own hands, several conditions must be observed:

• the width of the internal voids in the heat exchanger must be at least 5 mm, otherwise the water in it may boil;
• the thickness of the pipe walls must be at least 3 mm so that the metal does not burn through;
• a gap of 10–15 mm between the heat exchanger and the walls of the firebox should compensate for the expansion of the metal when heated.

Installation features

The heat exchanger is installed inside the furnace during its laying

The easiest way is to install the heat exchanger simultaneously with the construction of the furnace. If you install it in an old stove, you will have to dismantle part of its brickwork.

Procedure:

1. A tubular heat exchanger is installed on the prepared furnace foundation directly into the furnace cavity.
2. When further laying rows of bricks, space is left for the inlet and outlet pipes of the device.
3. After completing the laying of the stove, connect the heat exchanger to the heating system, fill the system with water and test fire the stove.

The video material offers useful tips for making a heat exchanger yourself:

So far we have only talked about heat exchangers in a water heating system

Let's pay attention to other areas of their application.

How to make grate bars for a stove with your own hands?

From reinforcement

It is not difficult to make a grate from reinforcement yourself. It is enough to select the desired length of the product and cut the reinforcement with a grinder. It is necessary to determine the number of strips and take into account clearances for ventilation.

When the required amount of material has been prepared, you can begin welding the grate using rods. Do-it-yourself grate bars for the stove made from reinforcement can be seen in the photo below:

Video instruction:

From the corner

Making a grate for a stove with your own hands from a corner is even easier than from fittings. To do this, it is enough to weld two corners of the required sizes together: one side is equal to the width of the product, the other to the length. The result will be a rectangular base for the future part. The grate can be made from reinforcing bars or thick mesh.

Video instruction:

If there is a stove, there will be a chimney

The figure shows a part of the stove for which it is necessary to install a horizontal chimney.

As mentioned earlier, we must comply with all parameters of the dimensions of the internal section. If there is not enough experience in this kind of work, then you can build a pattern of the appropriate size. With its help, you can successfully control the entire process of laying bricks.

As previously mentioned, the cross-sectional size of the inside of our chimney will be 125x125x140 mm.

Setting up a horizontal channel

• To do this, we lay two rows of bricks in such a way that we get a horizontal chimney channel. The figure makes it clear how to do this. The bricks are laid in the usual way for brickwork.
• The only thing that is required is strict adherence to the thickness of the seams. Since in an ordinary brick wall a difference of a few millimeters does not play a big role, in a chimney this difference will lead to a change in the internal cross-section of the chimney.
• Therefore, when laying each brick, carefully check and adjust the thickness of the seam and the horizontalness of the laying. This can be done using a building level.

If necessary, the brick is knocked down with a hammer with a rubber tip or an ordinary hammer with a wooden backing. We remind you that our seam thickness is 3 mm

Preparation for overlapping

The chimney channel is ready. Overlapping needs to be done. For this we will prepare a channel. We lay another row according to the pattern shown in the figure.

Now everything is ready for laying the floor

What else is important to know. When laying bricks, pay close attention to any protruding mortar.

All protruding solution must be carefully removed.

If possible, internal seams should be filled completely with mortar. The disadvantages of the solution form additional steps on which soot will subsequently accumulate.

Floor brick - skill, dexterity, desire, training

How to lay floor bricks correctly? This requires a certain skill and knowledge. Let's get started:

• We apply a brick without mortar and determine the part that is inside the chimney channel at speed.
• Using a sander, we round off the sharp corners as shown in the earlier diagram.

• As for the solution. When laying floor bricks, the mortar is applied to the brick being laid and in no case to the masonry bricks.
• Place the brick and determine which parts of it are in contact with the chimney masonry. As can be seen from the picture, it is adjacent to the masonry with one splice and spoon part completely and half a pastel.
• Apply the solution to these parts and spread as evenly as possible. Please note that in order for the brick not to fall to the sides, there should be a little more mortar at the edges than in the center.
• The solution is applied to the brick upside down. When the mortar is applied, lay the brick and press it tightly with the spoon and butt parts.

Precision matters

Then, using a level, we make the necessary measurement. If necessary, knock down the brick using a rubber hammer. Under no circumstances should you hit the part located above the smoke channel.

You can support the brick from below with one hand and carry out the necessary manipulations. The entire row is laid in this way. As a result, you should end up with something as shown in the picture.

We repeat, when laying the last brick of the floor, check the size of the vertical turn. If necessary, trim the brick so that the vertical channel matches the size of the horizontal channel.

Now everything can be repeated in the opposite direction. This is how the entire chimney is laid.

How to install grate bars in the oven with your own hands?

To install the grate in the furnace, it is not necessary to call a specialist. You can do this yourself, spending very little time and effort on this process.

Installing a grate in a brick kiln has its own characteristics:

1. You need to understand that metal tends to expand. Therefore, you need to make gaps of at least half a centimeter along all edges of the product.
2. The grate should be placed a little lower (about one brick) from the firebox door. This will prevent heat from escaping from the oven.

   
   Stage 1

   
   Stage 2

   
   Stage 3

3. Do not pack the grates too tightly into the oven. This can lead to deformation and cracks when the metal is heated.
4. The gap between the grate and the stove is filled with sand. It is important not to use cement admixtures, because the part should not be held tightly.

Does it matter which side the grates are placed in the oven? Yes, when the grill bars have a triangular or any other protruding shape, the top should point down.

Examples of installation in a brick kiln:

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

Example 5

Ways to solve the problem

If the grate is damaged, there are two options: fill the ash chamber with a brick or install a new grate.

The option of filling is acceptable only if the integrity is damaged or there are cracks and it is impossible to eliminate them at the base of the ash pit. At the same time, it would be good to replace the firebox door from a blank door to a door with a grille to regulate the flow of secondary air. But this option will definitely create a lot of unnecessary trouble and reduce the efficiency of the furnace. Therefore, we change the grate.

The grate is usually made of cast iron. Cast iron is very different from brick in terms of CTE - coefficient of thermal expansion. This indicator for iron is much higher than for ceramics. Therefore, the grate is always placed freely with a gap of 5-10 mm around the entire perimeter. Some manuals recommend filling the gaps between the masonry and the grate with sand. But this is very stupid advice. Unnecessary and even harmful. Firstly, the sand from the heat of the coals (and it can reach 1100 degrees Celsius) simply sinteres - vitrifies, tightly welding the grate to the masonry and depriving it of the necessary freedom. Secondly, after the first fire, this gap is filled with ash - a non-flammable and non-caking material. So why make unnecessary movements?

The figure shows the correct (bottom) and incorrect (top) position of the grate

Usually the grate is placed in a brick trough or in grooves selected in the brick. If the integrity of these grooves is damaged and it is impossible to restore them, you will have to come up with some kind of supports. Sometimes they try to get out of the situation by driving nails, metal plates, etc. into the seams of the masonry. All this is in vain - the metal is quickly tempered and ceases to hold the grate, and more massive pieces of iron are unacceptable - they will tear the masonry.

Price policy

A quality product cannot have a low price. High-quality cast iron parts that will last for many years are expensive. And vice versa, light and cheap ones, made from a mixture of unknown materials, will quickly become unusable.

Approximate prices for furnace grates:

It is better to buy these products in specialized stores. They provide a wide selection of models with different materials and price categories. Consultants will help you make the right choice based on your preferences, the nature of the fuel, and the frequency of operation of the heating device.

Types of grates

Grate grates are divided into several varieties according to different criteria.

So, they can be divided into monolithic and typesetting.

— Monolithic models of gratings are more common, they are much easier to install - they immediately fit into a nest prepared for them of the required dimensions. The wide range of shapes and sizes of gratings on sale most often allows you to get by with just this option.

Options for monolithic and prefabricated grate

— Prefabricated grate bars are assembled into a single structure directly at the seat. These can be modules with two or three jumpers.

A prefabricated grate is convenient in cases where the bottom of the combustion chamber has a complex geometric shape, that is, it should be narrower in one place and wider in another.

This also includes the so-called beam grate - this is also a stacked version, consisting of individual crossbeams. The elements of the beam grille must pass freely and be removed from the combustion chamber through the open door. Actually, if you look at it, it is precisely such a separate beam that is called a grate.

Prices for grates for ovens

In practice, monolithic grates, if necessary, can be combined with stacked elements, in the case of the same non-standard shape of the combustion chamber.

The slab grate has a flat shape (usually rectangular, although there are also round grates). This product option is suitable for most solid fuel heating appliances - stoves, boilers, fireplaces. The slab grate is selected in accordance with the furnace design, which specifies the parameters of the seat.

Basket grate “Riva Grate”

Basket type grate. This type of grate was previously widely used in fireplaces with open hearths. It is convenient because the firewood being laid is not on the surface of the grate, but as if inside it, without the risk of falling out through the open hearth. But at the same time, air access to the fuel is completely preserved.

Nowadays, basket grates are no longer used in fireplaces so often, since many home owners prefer mainly closed combustion chambers with panoramic glass doors. However, such grates are also available for sale. In addition, master blacksmiths willingly accept orders for their production according to individual projects. And then the basket grate also becomes a decorative part of the fireplace.

Basket grate for the fireplace, made to order by a craftsman

A movable grate is usually intended for long-burning furnaces. The structure may consist of a frame and a grille installed in it on the axis. Another option is gratings with horizontal movement. Changing the position of the grate helps its self-cleaning - it helps to loosen slag or ash deposits and remove them into the ash pan chamber. In some cases, movable grates also change the geometry of the channels for incoming air, which is used to control the operating modes of the furnace.

One of the design options for a movable grate

There are models with sections rotating 180 degrees. However, this design must be included in the furnace design, since such movement of the grate requires special recesses in the brick wall. Therefore, these models have limitations in application and are quite expensive.

Separately, it is worth highlighting the cooled type of grate, which is usually installed in hot water boilers or furnaces with a water heating circuit. In another way they are called “KROK” - “cooled grate”. This version of the product is made from monolithic heat-resistant pipes in which the coolant circulates, cooling their surfaces. Thus, the firebox maintains a temperature that ensures safe operation of the unit, and the heating system receives additional thermal potential.

Diagram of a KROK-type grate

Most often, the production of such grate structures uses rectangular or square pipes in cross-section, located in parallel, with a pitch of 15÷20 mm. In the interpipe space, at a distance of 20–30 mm relative to each other, sections of steel rods are welded, which are compensators for the rigidity of the grid. On one side, the grid pipes are connected to a collector that supplies cooled coolant from the “return” pipe of the heating circuit, and on the other to the outlet pipe, through which water then flows into the main heat exchanger of the boiler.

Conclusion

When choosing a high-quality grate, you should take into account the design features of the stove. The choice of a specific design and lattice components depends on the nature of the fuel. A grate for a sauna stove made of cast iron will last longer than the same one made of steel or other metals.

The weight of the fuel itself is also of great importance. Installing gratings does not require special knowledge. You can correctly place the grates in the oven yourself; it is enough to take into account only a few nuances. With the right choice of material and installation, they will last you a very long time.

Basic installation steps

When working to install your chimney through a wall, you need to remember important rules and installation steps. You should adhere to consistency so as not to forget anything and do everything correctly. So, install the chimney, steps:

Check if there are any communications passages through the wall. Make markings and prepare a hole of the required diameter. Install a “pipe”, which you carefully seal and insulate heat from the wall, with a special fire-resistant material. A special casing can be installed on top. The pipe is connected to the boiler and stove using three terminal “elbows”

The lower part is required; using this outlet you can carry out cleaning. The outer section of the second “elbow” behind the wall needs to be secured; it is important to remember that the horizontal planes should not exceed one meter. Next, the vertical part is installed. Pay attention to the fastening, use only high-quality fasteners.

Chimney diagram

After erecting the entire vertical part, you need to know how to install the head, the so-called cone-shaped cover, which will help improve traction and protect the channel from clogging. Depending on the type of duct, you will need to insulate and insulate the space between the wall and the pipe.

The grate, its purpose and place in the furnace unit

The grate is a structural element of a solid fuel heater that divides the firebox into two sections, located one above the other and different in functionality - the combustion chamber and the ash pan.

Firewood or coal is placed on this partition and set on fire, after which the combustion of fuel in the combustion chamber occurs with the consumption of oxygen from the air coming from below from the ash pan through the holes in the grate. And from the combustion chamber, ash, formed during the combustion of wood or coal, falls into the ash pan towards the air flow.

This dual function of the grate - to pass an air flow through itself upward into the combustion chamber and to sift fine ash down into the ash pan - ensures the following:

• drying and more complete combustion of fuel;
• distance of the high temperature zone from the foundation of the furnace device;
• efficient use of combustion chamber volume;
• participation in the regulation of combustion intensity - due to the degree of opening of the ash pan door.

In industrial furnaces, the grate partition is designed in relation to the size of the firebox and the type of heater, and to replace it if it fails, you only need to purchase a new element with the same parameters.

Industrially manufactured metal stoves with individually designed grate devices

In home-made devices, the grate bars are selected commensurate with the firebox and fuel loading area, after which:

• in metal heating devices, the design of the internal volume of the body and support brackets must correspond to the dimensions and configuration of the grille;
• in brick stove devices, the brick opening in the partition between the ash pan and the combustion chamber is also laid out according to the parameters of the grate element, but with a supporting stone protrusion along the perimeter.

Arrangement of grates in steel and brick furnace furnaces

For ease of removal, this part is installed without rigid fixation to the body. In addition, the opening for the grille element is made with a gap of 0.5 cm in each direction to eliminate the pressure of the part on the walls of the heater during thermal expansion.

Characteristics

Production method: castings.

Feedstock: high-strength cast iron.

Cast iron grates for boilers are characterized by increased heat resistance and heat resistance, high resistance to mechanical damage, strength, and durability.

Excellent corrosion resistance.

It is a cast iron stove of specified dimensions with holes for pouring out ash after fuel combustion. Wood or coke is used as fuel.

They are not scratched or damaged by abrasives and pieces of coal or coke with sharp corners.

Vary in length and width (from 140 mm by 120 mm to 900 by 200 mm)

Grate bars for boilers are produced mainly in one piece (monolithic). For large boiler fireboxes, stacked grates are used.

Grate bars for boilers can be tile (installed in the fuel combustion chambers to maintain the boiler temperature) or pipe (cooling, made from grates of solid pipes with circulating coolants inside).

Thanks to the ventilation holes, the grate for boilers supports the combustion process in the boiler furnace.

They vary in shape (horizontal, inclined, round, rectangular, with a moving working surface).

The working surface is a slab surface with perforations (in the form of rectangular holes). The holes provide oxygen for combustion.

Main function: maintaining the level of solid fuel for the combustion process and removing decay products (ash).

What is a grate for?

This important element of the furnace combustion chamber allows you to get the maximum effect from fuel combustion. The structure of modern stoves is constantly being modified and improved, and only the main structural element of the firebox remains unchanged. The combustion equipment retains its grate configuration.

The platform supports any type of solid fuel (firewood, coal and briquettes). Through the through openings, air is sucked in from below, which creates effective draft inside the combustion chamber. Combustion products (ash) fall into the ash pan (ash pan), freeing up space for the top layer of fuel. The grate promotes uniform combustion of fuel, thereby achieving maximum thermal energy transfer from the fuel placed in the combustion chamber.

Key functions of grate bars

So, the grate is a special structural element of the furnace, which allows for more efficient combustion of fuel and combustion support throughout the entire combustion period. The fact is that after one portion of fuel - wood or coal - burns out, the resulting ash falls down, that is, into the ash chamber. The upper part of the fuel is lowered onto the grate, where it begins to burn more intensely, since it is better blown by the air rising from the ash compartment. In other words, with grates, the efficiency of heating devices increases noticeably, but it (efficiency) depends on the design features of the grate elements, and durability depends on the specific material used in manufacturing.

Note! No less important is the fact whether the grille was installed correctly - this seriously affects the performance of its functions.

Selection criteria and main varieties

Before you start assembling it yourself or buy a ready-made model, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with and then adhere to a number of important criteria and rules:

The instructions, which detail all the characteristics and features of the selected model, are very important, since they will help you become more familiar with the main aspects and details in this matter.

It is interesting to know: if the grate has a belt shape, it belongs to the category of chain, while products presented in the form of pipes belong to the category of pipe.

Criteria and basis for selection

Before purchasing or assembling, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the main criteria and tips for choosing:

1. When choosing, take into account the type of fuel that is used for the operation and functioning of your heating unit. If coal is used for work, the optimal overall dimensions of the grate will be about 300-340x205 millimeters. If the boiler operates on purchased briquettes or standard logs, it is recommended to give preference to a grate with dimensions for the first 14x12 centimeters and 33x25.2 centimeters for the second;
2. Determine the optimal mass of this element. At this stage, it is recommended to consult a specialist or seller. It is also believed that the total total area of ​​the lumen of the grate should be at least 35 percent.

Cast iron structures are versatile and can withstand regular exposure to high temperatures

Steel products are suitable for installation in stoves using logs and purchased briquettes

The grate is made in the shape of a basket

Tip: if you plan to assemble it yourself, remember that almost all metals have the property of expanding when exposed to high temperatures. That is why during the installation process you will need to make several gaps on each side (five millimeters). In this case, the ledges on which the grating will be laid are necessarily cramped.

Important: if the fireplace structure is lined with bricks, the grate must be located below the level of the combustion chamber. The distance will be at least one brick. Thus, coals will not fall out during use of the heating unit. To give the structure additional strength, after fastening and fixing the grate, it is necessary to further strengthen the installation with a mixture based on cement and sand (all grooves are filled).

How to choose a grate

Experts recommend choosing the fuel type of the unit as the main determining factor in the choice. The thickness and open cross-section of the grate will depend on this criterion. In this regard, you should pay attention to the following types of products:

1. Beam grates are ideal for firewood and coarse fuel, guaranteeing the most complete and high-quality combustion of the resource. The live cross-section of such equipment is 20-40 percent of its area.
2. For small-sized fuel, for example, coal, it is worth choosing a slab-type grate with a percentage of open section equal to 10-15.
3. For pellets and similar resources that are not subject to sintering when exposed to high temperatures, experts advise choosing the use of block-shaped grate elements with a grate with gaps of 6 mm.
4. For harder fuel (anthracite, etc.) gaps of 8 mm or more will be required.
5. Accessories for aesthetics, comfort and functionality

A grate made using elements of artistic forging is also an extremely effective decorative technique. It gives a stylish, elegant appearance not only to the fireplace itself, but also to the room where it is installed. An attractive and practical firewood stand will complement the composition in an original way. It will not only create an additional level of comfort and convenience when using the fireplace, but will also become that bright touch that unites modernity and tradition. Executed within the unity of artistic design with other decorative and practical accessories, the firewood stand will play the role of a subtle, but obvious and sophisticated accent.