Embracing Change: Our Journey to a Safer, Brighter Fireplace

It’s hard to believe it’s already been six months since we first stepped foot into our new home, settling into its cozy embrace. In all this time, we’ve shared many glimpses of our life here, but there’s one significant, albeit rather imposing, character we’ve yet to formally introduce. Meet Bart, or as he’s more formally known, Black Bart, the wood stove insert that has been a permanent fixture in our kitchen fireplace.

The End of an Era: Why Bart Had to Go

Bart has certainly served his purpose. The previous owners of our home made it clear he was a well-loved and frequently used fixture, offering warmth and a rustic charm. However, they also candidly warned us about his less desirable traits: the tendency to fill the house with a smoky haze and coat nearby surfaces with a fine layer of black dust. We always envisioned a future for this fireplace—a grander, double-sided design that would connect our living room and kitchen, replacing Bart in the process. This renovation was always a “down the road” project, a dream to be realized eventually.

However, life, as it often does, had other plans, or rather, our energetic little Clara did. Our ‘bean,’ as we affectionately call her, developed an immediate and intense fascination with Bart. Despite the fact that we moved in the dead of winter and never once lit the stove due to safety concerns, Bart became an irresistible magnet for her curious hands. The potential harm from a scorching hot, decades-old wood-burning stove with sharp metal edges far outweighed any perceived benefits. We constantly found ourselves redirecting her, using everything from engaging toys to frantic dance moves, but her obsession with Bart’s sharp corners and intriguing surfaces only grew.

While we know many families successfully live with and enjoy their wood stoves, even with young children, Bart simply wasn’t working for our family. His peculiar magnetism for Clara became undeniable, and a particular incident sealed his fate. Clara, in a moment of determined exploration, managed to pry the stove door open and got her hand into some soot before we could intervene. That was the tipping point. Sherry and I were officially done with this sharp, dirty, and unused metal monster in our kitchen.

The Decision to Renovate: Bidding Bart Adieu

We’re not ones to rush into major decisions; our usual approach involves thorough overthinking, hemming, and hawing. Our initial thoughts for dealing with Bart revolved around various child-proofing measures. We considered installing kid-proof locks on the doors, padding the pokey edges with foam, or even constructing elaborate baby gates or custom blockades. We brainstormed everything short of building a moat around the fireplace. But as we stepped back and looked at these increasingly complex solutions for something we didn’t even use and had long-term plans to replace, it all started to feel a bit, well, wacky.

The realization dawned on us: it was time to say goodbye to old Bart. Inspired by the incredible fireplace makeover journey of Layla and Kevin, we decided it was time for a “Black-Bart-ectomy.” Don’t worry, we won’t be trashing him; Bart is destined for a new life, but more on that later. This decision marked the beginning of our exciting journey to transform our kitchen fireplace into a safer, more aesthetically pleasing focal point.

The DIY Wood Stove Removal Process: Unexpected Challenges and Triumphs

When it came to the actual removal of the wood stove insert, I found myself in uncharted territory. Surprisingly, Google, my usual go-to for all DIY dilemmas, offered little guidance on this specific task. So, during Clara’s afternoon nap – to avoid setting a bad example or, worse, tempting her with more intriguing objects – I simply decided to start pulling. To my immense relief, the metal flashing around the sides of the stove insert came away with surprising ease. In fact, it was so effortless that I was almost alarmed Clara hadn’t figured it out yet herself. Yikes!

Further investigation revealed that a minimal amount of glue was all that tenuously held the three flashing pieces in place, creating the illusion of a flush, seamless fit. This discovery made the initial stages of the removal process far less daunting than anticipated, boosting my confidence for the steps ahead.

One moment did give me pause, however. As I continued to dismantle the surrounding elements, I uncovered a tangle of wires on one side. My immediate concern was that I was stumbling upon complex electrical work, potentially involving live circuits that would require professional intervention. Thankfully, my apprehension quickly dissipated. Upon closer inspection, I realized these wires were simply connected to a fan unit located at the back of the stove. This meant no intricate disconnections were necessary; I could simply remove the entire assembly, fan and wires included, as a single unit. A huge sigh of relief!

With all the side panels and cosmetic elements removed, the true structural attachment points of the stove were revealed. It appeared the main connection to the house was at the top, where it was bolted to a vent pipe that snaked upwards into the chimney. My next logical step was to attempt to disassemble this connection, hoping it would be the final barrier to Bart’s liberation.

My hunch was correct; those bolts were indeed the only elements securing Bart in place. The good news ended there, however. The bad news? Those bolts were incredibly stubborn, particularly one of the five, whose top was so soft and worn that my wrench struggled to grip it. And did I mention the space was incredibly tight? My attempts to maneuver tools in the confined area were hampered. My wife, Sherry, with her naturally slimmer arms, valiantly attempted to come to the rescue, but alas, her shorter reach proved equally challenging in the cramped quarters. We were a bit stuck, literally and figuratively.

Despite the accumulating ash and a few scraped knuckles, we persevered. Sherry continued to try, as if her arms were magically extending with each attempt, and eventually, after a concerted effort, Bart was fully detached from the vent pipe. A triumphant, if slightly grunting, “Ta-dah!” echoed through the kitchen.

The “ta-dah” was more of a relieved grunt than an enthusiastic flourish, because that beast was incredibly heavy. Maneuvering it out of the fireplace opening was a physical challenge, but with some clever shimmying and the aid of a piece of scrap cardboard as a makeshift slider, we managed to get Bart out of the way. Our fireplace, which once looked like this…

…now transformed into this:

Admittedly, it wasn’t the prettiest “before and after” shot immediately following the removal. In fact, the “after” initially looked a bit uglier, despite my best “Cinderella” efforts to scrub the interior of the firebox with warm water and mild soap. The accumulated soot and grime were truly a testament to Bart’s many years of service.

Sherry, ever the determined one, had initially wanted the satisfaction of yanking the heavy stove out herself, short arms be damned! So, in a moment of playful retribution (or perhaps just to capture an amusing memory), she tasked me with the grimy clean-up while she sulked good-naturedly and snapped some truly embarrassing photos. That particular face I’m making in the picture is for two reasons: firstly, the sooty clean-up job was indeed nasty, and secondly, I was fully aware that a photo of me in my high school gym shorts was about to make its internet debut. Yes, I still own them, and yes, they still *sort of* fit!

Bart’s Next Chapter & Our Fireplace’s Future

Short shorts aside, Bart is currently enjoying a temporary residence in our dining room, a space Clara rarely frequents, patiently awaiting his next adventure. We’re still weighing our options: whether to list him on Craigslist for someone who might appreciate a robust wood stove, or to donate him to a local organization like Habitat For Humanity ReStore. We’re not sure if “Big Bart” holds significant value for anyone, but we’ll certainly share a Craigslist link if he ends up there.

Now, with Bart out of the picture, we’re eagerly looking forward to sharing a much prettier version of our kitchen fireplace. Our immediate plans involve painting the firebox interior a rich, dark charcoal color to unify the previously stained brick. This will likely be followed swiftly by painting the surrounding brick and the mantel. Spoiler alert: we’re strongly leaning towards a bright, glossy white for these elements. We envision introducing vibrant colors on the kitchen walls, and a crisp white fireplace will serve as a beautiful, balancing counterpart, creating a fresh and inviting aesthetic. We’ll be sure to document and share all those painting details as we progress with this exciting fireplace renovation project.

Looking further down the road, our fireplace makeover ambitions extend even further. We’re contemplating several options to truly elevate its presence in our home. This could involve eventually tiling the fireplace surround, creating a more substantial and visually striking mantel, or even framing it out all the way up to the ceiling to give it impressive height and presence. And, of course, there’s the long-term dream of converting it into that double-sided fireplace, allowing its warmth and ambiance to be enjoyed from both the living room and the kitchen. However, all these future fireplace plans are still very much to be determined. We’ll simply have to see where our creativity and budget lead us.

Oh, and Sherry insisted I mention one specific detail from the clean-up phase. She painstakingly scraped off a stubborn, large circular blotch of glue visible just outside the upper left corner of the firebox in the photo above. Despite how easily the metal flashing peeled away, this gummy adhesive proved incredibly resilient on the brick surface. So, with true ninja precision, she armed herself with an X-Acto knife and meticulously sliced the glue off in tiny pieces, ensuring a pristine finish for the upcoming painting phase.

Your DIY Fireplace & Wood Stove Stories

Have you embarked on a similar journey of removing a wood stove or any other type of fireplace insert? Did you find yourself surprisingly unhelped by typical online resources, relying instead on intuition and elbow grease? Do you have a child who developed an unusual affection for your wood stove, much like Clara’s obsession with Bart? We’d love to hear your stories and insights! Also, we’re still pondering Big Bart’s final destination. Do you think he’s worth listing on Craigslist, or would a donation to a worthy cause like the Habitat For Humanity ReStore be a better fit?

Psst- We’re also sharing a fun, functional, and affordable little kid-art corner over on BabyCenter today. Check it out for another family-friendly DIY!