There are many reasons why you might want to install glass doors on your fireplace. Maybe you're tired of sliding your fireplace screen, screeching as you move it across tracks. Maybe you want another layer of protection from flying embers.
The first step in installing glass fireplace doors is to determine which ones you need. Masonry fireplaces, or those built on site from stone or brick, have the largest selection of doors. Glass doors for these fireplaces come with a special frame that adjusts to the width of the fireplace opening. You can choose from bi-fold, sliding barn style doors or cabinet style doors.
If you have a prefab fireplace, or a model that slides into an opening in the wall, your only option is to have the manufacturer who made the fireplace make the door. This is the only way to ensure your equipment is the correct size and/or airflow.
To realign the glass with the frame, place the door flat on the ground. You can loosen the mounting screws to adjust the glass plate. The hinge screws can also be loosened to readjust the frame. Once everything is aligned and level, you can hang the door. For bi-fold or cabinet doors on a prefab fireplace, you will most likely need to drill holes in the frame. After drilling, you can attach the frame to the fireplace using fasteners that pass through the holes in the frame and into the pre-existing holes in the fireplace.
For a masonry fireplace, you will have a mounting frame that runs along the perimeter of the fireplace and bears the weight of the door. You will need to use the door kit that came with the door and install the frame according to the manufacturer's instructions. Most masonry door kits use adjustable clips to attach the door assembly to a metal lintel rod that spans the top of the fireplace opening, a set of small "L"-shaped brackets, and a pair of masonry screws to secure the door to the fireplace floor.
After hanging, if the top corner of one glass door is taller than the other, or if the gap between the doors is too wide, the hinges may need to be adjusted. Check each hinge to see which one is closed and loosen the screw. Close that door and re-align. Carefully reopen the door and tighten the screws to lock it in place. Continue this process until they line up exactly as you want. You'll soon have beautiful new glass doors to make your fireplace even more beautiful.
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