Midwest Hearth Rod Valance Kit Review

Great for the purpose it is being used for. It's easy to install. The metal is a bit brittle, but since it's on top of the chimney I don't see any problems. I have a double sided fireplace so I had to buy 2 sets. Took me about 15 minutes to install both sides. I custom made a matching bottom to keep the sparks inside and reflect the outside. It is made of stronger metal in case a tree falls on it.

Installation is not easy and I didn't expect it to be. You will need a variety of tools and have experience drilling holes in masonry and metal. Your posture will be distorted as the raised hearth digs into your back. I installed this on my own without too much trouble and wish I had a helper to hold it in place while I unfold it. I decided to knock on the lintel and mount the fairing with mounting studs instead of the supplied masonry screws. No unexpected problems. It looks great and was MUCH

This is a solid kit but we ran into two problems. The listing implied it would fit chimney openings larger than 30 inches. The skin itself barely fits in the hole, but getting the screws into the bricks was difficult just because the fit was so tight. A more serious problem is that the bars that the screens slide on are so long that they don't fit in the slots in the middle because of the corner. We used a hacksaw to cut out the bars, but it was a bit more work. The second issue is that the…

In general, the device is beautiful and functional. However, it was difficult to determine this. I had to buy a 4.5" masonry bit to properly drill a large enough hole. The supplied masonry screws broke twice when screwing in, the heads broke off. I ended up using Molly screws and drilling a larger hole. Another issue I had was that the posts holding the screen were too long to fit in and my fireplace had no gap once installed. So I had to cut about 4 inches off each rod. Then I could flip them…

I rated it highly Use the center hole this way - once you find your center, put that screw in first. Don't drill anything else. Then mark the left hole and turn it to the side. Drill it. Drill it. Insert the right side (all the way), turn it back to make it flush, slide it out, drill a small pilot hole from top to bottom all the way up, then turn to the side and drill again. Repeat on the left side. Installation of guides. while the gliders are out - then mount the rails - mount both rails…