Denver Stone Fireplace

Whether you're gathering at the local drinking hole or just kicking back for a toasty evening read, there are few things that are more congruous with the Mile High City and the Rocky Mountains than spending a chilly winter evening sitting next to a stone fireplace in Denver. It's one of the few traditions that survived from the times of mountain men and pioneers through to present day. Of course, we've got a lot more options to choose from these days when it comes to building a stone fireplace in Denver, so it pays to do your homework before you bring in a pro.

Your Stone Fireplace in Denver Starts with the Fireplace Itself
While homeowners along the Front Range are tempted to jump right in to choosing the stone and design of a Denver stone fireplace, you're wiser to start with the fireplace itself. We'll get to the differences between natural stone, natural stone veneers, and simulated stone veneers in a minute, but they're worth mentioning now because your choice of a wood burning, vented natural gas, vent-less gas, or electric fireplace will likely play a large role in determining which material you go with later on. Let's take a look at these different fireplaces and what they have to offer.

Wood Burning Denver Stone Fireplace
All you have to do is catch a whiff of burning pine to remind you that there's 14,000 foot mountains covered in pine, spruce, and fir trees looming just to the West. In fact, a good wood fire is one of the most comforting smells around for natives of the Rocky Mountain region. Furthermore, kicking back in front of a warm, cozy wood fire in a stone fireplace is like taking a trip back in time a century or two. The one drawback of a wood burning stone fireplace in Denver: the brown cloud. Everyone that lives in the metro area knows that air pollution can be a serious problem, especially during the winter when temperature inversions regularly settle over the South Platt River Valley. It can get bad enough that bans are enforced on burning wood during those times, so be prepared to let your fireplace sit idle now and again if you're using wood as fuel in Denver.

Vented and Vent-less Natural Gas Denver Stone Fireplaces
Natural gas and stone might not exactly roll off your tongue as a perfect pairing, but they can be an excellent match, and a cost effective one at that. Natural gas stoves burn so efficiently these days that they produce minimal exhaust, meaning no fireplace bans, and they look so real that you'll hardly know the difference. Since they are so easy to install, they also drastically cut your final cost compared to the extensive masonry project of building a stone firebox and chimney. As for vented vs. vent-less, there really aren't many bad things to say about vented natural gas fireplaces. The vent-less varieties, on the other hand, have some safety risks associated with them. In truth, they're not vent-less at all, they just vent exhaust into your home instead of out through an exhaust pipe. If you rarely use your fireplace, and only for short periods of time, they are an excellent, cheap option. If you sit down every evening for hours on end next to the fire, they can create problems with elevated moisture levels in your home, creating mold, mildew, and fungus problems. Even worse, there are documented cases of carbon monoxide poisoning in homes where vent-less gas fireplaces are installed and not used responsibly.

Electric Fireplace Inserts
We won't waste much time here because there's not much to say. Electric fireplaces are safe, pollution-free on your end, and perfectly suitable if you're okay with a completely fake fire. They're also the cheapest and most flexible option on the block when it comes to units and installation. If you're seriously considering a stone fireplace in Denver, however, our opinion is that these "fireplaces" just don't bring enough authenticity to the impressive stone mantel you're planning on inserting them in.

The Natural Stone, Natural Stone Veneer, and Simulated Stone Fireplace in Denver
Once you've settled on a fireplace type, you're ready to move on to which kind of stone you want to build your Denver stone fireplace out of. Natural stone is, of course, the cream of the crop and a perfect fit for homes nestled in at the base of the majestic Rocky Mountains. There really isn't a close second to natural stone when it comes to building a breathtaking fireplace in the Mile High City, whether you choose native flagstone or granite, or a more elaborate, polished marble. Natural stone is not cheap, however, and building a genuine Denver stone fireplace is a major undertaking. Enter natural stone veneers. Natural stone veneers still utilize genuine stone, just in thinly-cut slices that reduce your costs for materials and installation, and nobody will be able to tell the difference. Simulated stone veneers are probably the most popular product used today, especially in the thousands of new home builds that go up along the Front Range every year. Made from molded and colored concrete or polyurethane, this imitation stone veneer is almost impossible to tell apart from true stone, is relatively quick and easy to install, and - you guessed it ? the price tag is far lower than either of the other two options mentioned above.

Talk to a stonemason or contractor who installs fireplaces about what it's going to take to install a Denver stone fireplace in your Mile High City Home.