The Complete Handbook of Fireplace Andirons

Chapter 1: Understanding Fireplace Andirons

Chapter 1: Understanding Fireplace Andirons

An andiron is a simple machine. It is a raised, stable metal support for the logs in a wood-burning fireplace. Its job is to hold the fuel off the firebox floor so that air can circulate underneath, feed the fire, and allow ash to fall below the burning wood instead of smothering it. That is the whole purpose, and every design feature, material choice, and finish decision you will evaluate in this book traces back to that single, practical function. Ignore this and you will end up with a decorative object that collapses in a season. Understand it, and you hold the log stack, control its stability, and set the runtime of your fire.

To understand an andiron's function, start with the firebox. A masonry fireplace is a cavity, usually 28 to 34 inches wide, 20 to 24 inches deep, and 24 to 30 inches high. This cavity holds the fire and directs its exhaust into the flue. The firebox floor is often brick, sometimes flat stone. Here is what happens if you just place logs on that floor. The first hot ember falls and sits against the wood, continuing to heat it but starving it of oxygen. Smoke from incomplete combustion builds up, and the fire passes through a phase of smoky, inefficient burning and slow, smoldering starts. Making the fire properly requires an air gap. The andiron provides that air gap and holds the logs above the bed