A good screen will allow you to still enjoy your fire while keeping it contained. (Pleasant Hearth/)
To keep the home fires burning safely, every fireplace needs a well-fitted screen. A fireplace shield not only prevents sparks and ashes from popping onto wood floors or carpet, it can also offer a way to manage air flow and get just the right circulation to prevent smoke from curling back inside the house. Dress up any hearth with a screen fitted exactly to your firebox.
Glass Doors
Fireplace glass doors offer the most protection against sparks and smoke. (Pleasant Hearth/)
Glass-door fireplace screens are the most secure means of controlling an indoor blaze. They not only shield the room from flying sparks with mesh curtains, but also allow you to completely close off the firebox behind solid doors. This can be crucial in poorly constructed fireboxes that don't draw well, where having a means to shutter the opening can be the difference between using your living room's centerpiece for fires or using it for dried-flower arrangements.
Free-Standing
A tri-fold fireplace screen also keeps sparks from landing on the floor, and adds a decorative touch to any room. (Amazon/)
Properly drawing fireplaces don't necessarily need a glass-door insert. Instead, a freestanding screen may be all that's called for. Tri-folding screens have a deep profile, which can add a bit of decorative texture to the room. Flush-mounted standing screens fit nicely against the chimney; just be sure to measure accurately as the tolerances are more critical.
Replacement Screens
Curtain screens are easy to replace. (Amazon/)
There's not much that can go wrong on fireplace screens—with the exception of the screen itself. The interlocking wire can become warped and difficult to open on curtain-style screens. Fortunately, the curtain can be replaced with minimal cost, or replacement screen material can be used separately with a valance or rod for the ultimate low-profile look.