Table Of Contents

When Do You Need a Made-to-Measure Wooden Fireplace Surround?

Article Summary

If an existing cast iron fireplace or chimney breast opening doesn't work with our standard sizes, we can make a bespoke wooden surround to suit the fireplace you already have.

Where the design allows. We can alter dimensions such as height, width, opening, shelf depth and leg width. We can also look at different mouldings, corbels and ways of combining features from different designs.

For straightforward alterations, we typically aim for around £75 extra for pine or £100 extra for oak. We price larger bespoke surrounds individually based on their design, size and the amount of timber required.

When you’re choosing a wooden fireplace surround, there’s usually one question to answer first: will one of our standard sizes fit?
For many fireplaces, the answer is yes.
But fireplaces aren’t always built to standard sizes. You might have a wider chimney breast, a smaller opening, an old cast iron fireplace you want to keep, or simply prefer different proportions. That’s where a made-to-measure surround makes sense.

At Cast Fireplaces, we’ve been having bespoke wooden fireplace surrounds made for around 20 years. A long-standing friend and craftsman based in Ilkeston, Derbyshire — around four miles from us — makes them for us. He has around 30 years’ experience making wooden fireplace surrounds and is, practically speaking, part of the Cast Fireplaces family.
You can also see our full range of wooden fireplace surrounds.

When is made to measure worth considering?

Your chimney breast is wider or smaller than standard

The size of the chimney breast is often the first sign that a standard surround won’t be right. A particularly wide or narrow chimney breast can throw a stock surround out of proportion. We can make a wider surround for a larger chimney breast or scale one down where standard proportions are too large for the space. We’ve made some particularly large bespoke wooden fireplace surrounds over the years, so this isn’t unusual for us.

Your fireplace opening is an unusual size

The opening itself can also drive the decision. Older fireplaces especially can have openings that don’t match today’s standard dimensions — wider, narrower or taller than a standard surround allows for. Rather than altering the fireplace to fit a surround, we build the surround around the opening you already have. The opening width and height are particularly important here because they determine the surround’s proportions.

You’ve found a design you like, but the size isn’t quite right

Sometimes the fireplace isn’t unusual at all — you’ve just found a surround you like, but the standard dimensions don’t suit your room. Maybe the shelf needs to be wider, the legs narrower or the overall height different. Where the design allows, we can make those adjustments while keeping the character of the original.

You want to combine parts of different designs

You’re also not limited to one design exactly as shown. You might prefer the shelf from one surround and the leg width from another, or want a particular corbel or moulding style. Where possible, we take those preferences and produce a bespoke surround that combines the features you want.

You have an existing cast iron fireplace

This comes up regularly. You may already own a cast iron fireplace you want to keep, but the chimney breast opening doesn’t match our stock sizes. This is common with older installations, where proportions often differ from modern ones. Rather than changing the fireplace to suit a stock surround, we make the wooden surround to suit the fireplace you already have.

If you’re in this position and can’t find a standard wooden surround that fits, get in touch. We’ll look at the dimensions and talk through what’s possible.

What about the rebate?

The rebate also affects how the surround fits. For a surround fitted around a fireplace, we can make a rebate between 25mm and 75mm. If you’re fitting the surround flush to the wall, we can make it without a rebate. It’s best to establish this before we make the surround, as the rebate needs to suit your fitting method.

What measurements do you need?

You don’t need to work everything out yourself. We normally start with:

The width and height of the fireplace opening
The width of the chimney breast
The shelf width

These give us the main information we need to work out the proportions.
If you’re unsure about anything, we’ll go through it with you. Once we’ve agreed the dimensions, we confirm them by email for your approval before the surround is made, so we’re all working from the same numbers.

Is bespoke more expensive?

For straightforward changes to one of our standard designs, we typically keep the extra cost to around:

£75 extra for pine
£100 extra for oak

Larger surrounds work differently. We price a large mantel individually based on the design and size. A particularly large surround can use considerably more timber — in some cases, up to twice as much as a standard-sized one. So there’s no fixed charge for larger bespoke projects. If you have a large fireplace, send us the measurements and the design you’re considering and we’ll work out the price.
Not sure which timber is right for you? Our Oak vs Pine Fireplace Surrounds guide explains the differences between the two.

How long does a made-to-measure surround take?

For a straightforward made-to-measure surround, we typically aim for one to two weeks. More substantial or complicated designs may take longer, and we’ll confirm the timescale once we have the details.

Do you actually need made to measure?

Not necessarily.
If one of our standard wooden fireplace surrounds fits your fireplace properly and you’re happy with the proportions, there’s no reason to have it made differently. Bespoke is really for the occasions when standard sizes don’t quite work — for your fireplace, your room or the design you have in mind. That’s often the case with older fireplaces, unusual chimney breasts, existing cast iron fireplaces or when you want to adjust a design you like.

If you’re browsing styles, see our range of wooden fireplace surrounds.
Found a design you like but aren’t sure the standard size will work? Send us the measurements and we’ll talk it through with you.

Get in touch

About the Author

Mark Adams

As Managing Director (Anybody who asks gets the same response, "I sell fireplaces"). I am still found in the warehouse and in the showroom with a hands on approach.

I started Cast fireplaces in 2003, after working in the trade for numerous years and spotting an opportunity to sell fireplaces and stoves online. I left a comfortable, stable job and started up my own. I like the simple things in life, good food, walks out with the dogs and holidaying in Cyprus.

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