DIYbanter - Castiron fireplace insert installation

"Chris" wrote in message
om...
I'm installing a Gallery Crown cast iron arch insert. The insert needs
to sit about 1" away from the wall to fill the rebate in the Mantel.
Its my understanding that the gap between the wall and the inside edge
of the insert will need to be sealed to stop any draft getting in and
stopping the proper draw of the fire, it's a real coal burning fire.

What should i use to seal the castiron insert to the wall.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and help.

Chris

I'm not sure what the official answer is, but I had a similar problem, where
the limestone backpanel, in order to sit exactly against the inner surface
of the wooden surround, had to sit 3/4" away from the chimney breast
surface.

I just used a high-lime cement mix ( supposed to resist high-temperatures
better ), fairly weak, and started about stuffing it up into the gap, using
a
stick and filling the gap up from the sides first, eventually packing the
gap over
the centre of the fireplace. Messy, messy business because the mix is
constantly
falling out ion you as you're trying to rod it in. I think a slightly dry
mix is best for
this kind of application.

The fire itself ( I installed a steel log-burning firebox ) fit the
cutout in the
backpanel within about 1/4", and I sealed the gap there, to stop air
bypassing
the fire with slightly larger diameterfibreglass rope, from my local
fireshop. It
comes in a wide variety of sizes.

Andy.