Fireplace Fire Glass or Stones to Keep the Living Room Toasty and Chic
With the growing ubiquity of gas or propane fire pits and fireplaces, the use of logs for burning has become less popular and with some justified reasons. Gas fireplaces are easy to control and allow for a clean burn that does not release smoke or soot. They also reduce the mess and lend to some great design opportunities in hotels, resorts, and homes. Using fireplace pebbles and stones can improve the look of your fire feature while maintaining its heat radiance.
What Types of Pebbles and Stones Can I Buy?
- Lava Stones: Lava rock or stones are staple fire pit fare. They are extremely resistant to heat and give off a radiant warmth you can appreciate even after the fire has long burned out. These volcanic rocks are found almost everywhere but most commonly in the ocean where underground fissures spew out magma that cools into these natural rocks.
- Fire Glass: Fire glass is an artificially made material that has become common in many designer homes and environments. They take many shapes from rough shards to lovely reflective polished fire glass beads.
- Ceramic Balls: Ceramics are resistant to flames and can also be used for storing heat energy you can enjoy during a cold winter night. These balls are white and can be placed in any fire pit or fireplace setup.
How Is Fire Glass Made?
- Broken: Fire glass is made of small broken shards of tempered glass, which is produced by subjecting the melted glass to compression on the outer surface while putting the interior under tension. The result is a hard glass that breaks up into relatively safe particles when subjected to a focused force.
- Tumbled: The shards are placed into a tumbler, which consists of a rubber-lined barrel that has grit and water mixed with the shards. Over the course of a few weeks, the surfaces of the glass shards are smoothened into an attractive, reflective, finish.
- Polished: Lastly, the glass particles can be polished into fine shiny pebbles with the use of extremely powdery grit that refines the surfaces and improves the reflective quality.
How Else Can I Make My Fireplace Look Great?
- Blend Colors: Blend the colors of the rocks and fire glass to suit your decor. This ensures the reflective glass emphasizes the flame nicely, aiding in the cohesiveness of your design.
- Use Stone for Design: Stones and wood are great for adding an organic feel to your fire feature. Burning wood is still in practice, but if you don't want your modern home smelling like soot, then do away with burning logs, and instead use them as great decorative pieces for your gas or propane fire feature.
- Stick with a Theme:A hodgepodge of decor can ruin the cohesiveness of your gas fireplace theme. For an organic theme, stick with pots filled with pebbles or glass, driftwood logs, and succulents for that added green highlight.