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How to build In a bioethanol burner step by step

You have found the burner you want, and now you are standing in front of a plasterboard wall, a kitchen island or an old chimney breast, wondering how it actually goes in. How big should the niche be, what should it be built from, and how does the burner stay in place? These are the questions our customers ask us most often about built-in bioethanol fires, so this guide answers them in the order you will need them when you build. The short answer: a built-in bioethanol burner hangs by its lip in a cut-out. The cut-out must be at least 1 cm smaller than the lip and larger than the body of the burner. The niche can be framed in timber, steel or any other material, as long as every surface around the burner is lined with non-combustible boards such as Fermacell. Keep at least 50 to 60 cm of free space above the burner opening, and never close the front of the niche with glass. How a built-in bioethanol burner sits in the wall A built-in burner has no feet and needs no shelf underneath it. It is made with a lip, a flat edge around the top, and you simply drop it into a hole that is cut to size. The lip rests on the surface around the hole and carries the weight of the burner. That is why the cut-out is the most important measurement in the whole build: too small and the burner won't go in, too large and it falls through. The burner is not screwed or glued in place. It rests on its lip, so you can always lift it out again for cleaning, servicing or if you want to replace it later. Avoid silicone or screws, as they make it difficult to take the burner out and do not make the installation any safer. Find the right cut-out size for your bioethanol burner Every burner has a technical drawing with two sets of measurements. The outer size is the lip, which is what you see from above. The built-in size is the body of the burner, which hangs below the surface. Your cut-out goes between the two, so the body passes through and the lip has something to rest on. The table below shows the measurements for our ScandiFlames Superior burners with lip. The rule of thumb is that the cut-out must be at least 1 cm smaller than the lip, so a 60 cm lip needs a cut-out of no more than 59 cm. That leaves at least half a centimetre of lip resting on each side, so measure twice before you cut. A Superior burner with lip. The flat edge rests on the surface, and the body hangs down through the cut-out. Burner Lip (W x D) Body (W x D x H) Cut-out width Cut-out depth Flame width Max heat Superior 60 cm3.5 L 60 x 16 cm 57.5 x 13.5 x 7.7 cm 57.5 to 59 cm 13.5 to 15 cm 45 cm 3.3 kW Superior 80 cm4.0 L 80 x 16 cm 77.5 x 13.5 x 7.7 cm 77.5 to 79 cm 13.5 to 15 cm 60 cm 4.4 kW Superior 90 cm4.5 L 90 x 16 cm 87.5 x 13.5 x 7.7 cm 87.5 to 89 cm 13.5 to 15 cm 70 cm 5.1 kW Superior 100 cm5.0 L 100 x 16 cm 97.5 x 13.5 x 7.7 cm 97.5 to 99 cm 13.5 to 15 cm 85 cm 6.5 kW Superior 120 cm6.0 L 120 x 16 cm 117.5 x 13.5 x 7.7 cm 117.5 to 119 cm 13.5 to 15 cm 95 cm 6.9 kW A practical tip: cut the opening towards the smaller end of the range first and test the fit with the burner before you tile. It is easy to make a hole a few millimetres larger, and impossible to make it smaller again. You can find all our burners with lip in manual bioethanol burners. What to build the niche from The frame behind the niche can be built from whatever suits your project. Most people use timber, because it is the easiest and fastest to work with, but steel studs or other materials work just as well. What matters is not the frame but what covers it. Every surface around the burner must be lined with non-combustible boards. That means the floor of the niche where the burner sits, both sides, the ceiling and the back wall. Once those surfaces are covered, ordinary plasterboard and timber are fine behind and above the niche. Step 1: the frame is built in timber, with an opening sized to the fireplace. This video shows how a built-in fireplace is installed with non-combustible materials. The principle is the same whether the fireplace is open on one side, two sides, three sides or built in another way. Non-combustible boards you can use Look for boards classified as non-combustible (fire class A1 or A2) and check the data sheet of the specific product before you buy. These are commonly used for fireplace builds: Board Type Good to know Fermacell Gypsum fibre board The board we use most. Easy to cut and can be tiled. Fermacell Firepanel A1 Fire protection board Fermacell's dedicated fire protection version. Promat Promatect Calcium silicate Made for fire protection and high temperatures. Skamol Calcium silicate or vermiculite Widely used for fireplace and stove surrounds. Knauf Fireboard Fire protection board Non-combustible board from the plasterboard range. Fibre cement board Cement based For example Cembrit. Check the fire class of the specific product. Step 2: boards go on the frame. The surfaces around the fire must be non-combustible. Safety distances for a bioethanol burner niche Safety distances for a bioethanol burner built into a niche. Surfaces 1 to 4 (floor, sides, ceiling and back) are lined with non-combustible boards. The letters below refer to the drawing. The size of the niche follows from the burner and these distances, and the distance above the flame depends on the burner, since a larger burner gives a taller flame. A, above the burner: we recommend a minimum clearance of 50 to 60 cm above the fire opening for the flame. B, at the sides: there is no fixed safety distance at the sides, but we recommend 5 to 10 cm. If you place several burners next to each other, leave at least 5 cm between them. C, in front and behind: we recommend about 10 cm in front of and behind the burner. D, depth: the best depth depends on the burner. If you want a TV above the fire, allow extra depth so you can place the burner further in. E, in front with a TV above: make sure heat does not rise straight into the TV. Allow at least 10 cm in front of the burner, and 15 to 20 cm if there is a TV above. F, below: there is no required distance to the floor. The burner must rest on solid, non-combustible material and sit level. G, TV above: see the section on TVs below. Does the niche need vents or an air gap behind the boards? No. An open niche that is lined correctly and has the right space above the flame does not need extra ventilation. What it does need is an open front. Never close the niche with a glass door or a glass front, as the burner needs the open front for air and to let the heat out. A burner placed inside a traditional wood stove is a different situation, because the chimney takes care of the airflow there. Tiling around the burner Once the boards are in place, you can finish the niche with tiles, plaster or another heat-resistant finish. Stop the tiles a little short of the cut-out, so the lip of the burner rests on a flat, even surface with no grout line or uneven tile edge underneath it. If the lip rocks, the burner does not sit level, and that affects both the flame and the safety. Step 3: the opening is lined and the gaps are sealed before the wall is finished. Burner only, or burner with an insert frame? You can buy the burner on its own and build everything else yourself, which is what many of our customers do. We usually recommend adding an insert frame as well. It gives the niche a clean, finished edge without the need for perfectly cut tiles, and it adds structure to the build. You can see the options in built-in bioethanol fireplace inserts. A common misunderstanding is that there are single-sided and double-sided burners. There aren't. It is the insert frame that comes in single-sided and double-sided versions. The same burner can sit in a see-through tunnel solution or against a back wall you build and tile yourself. A double-sided insert frame built into a room divider. Customer photo. Step 4: the wall is finished, the burner is dropped in, and the fire is ready to use. Building a bioethanol burner into a kitchen island or room divider Brick, concrete and natural stone are non-combustible in themselves, so a solid brick or concrete island does not need an extra board lining. If the island has a timber frame or kitchen cabinets inside, the space around the burner must be lined with non-combustible boards, just as in a plasterboard niche. For the worktop around the cut-out, choose stone, ceramic, concrete or tiles, since this is where the lip rests. If you want a wooden worktop, let the wood start at a distance from the burner, with a non-combustible zone of at least 5 to 10 cm around the cut-out. Burner built into a worktop or island. A: about 10 cm in front of and behind the burner. B: 5 to 10 cm at the sides. C: at least 50 to 60 cm free space above the flame. D: no floor distance, but a solid, level base. An island has no ceiling, but the 50 to 60 cm of free space above the flame still applies to anything hanging above it, such as pendant lamps, open shelves or an extractor hood. Keep the burner away from the hob and out from under the hood, as a strong draught can pull at the flame. And keep the area around the burner free of tea towels, cookbooks and bottles of oil. In a room divider, the burner is open on both sides, so the distance in front applies to both sides. Think about draughts through the room and where people will walk past. Planning a TV above the fireplace? Rising heat is the main thing to plan for, and the right distance depends on how the TV is mounted. A recessed TV, a fireproof shelf or a heat deflector each let you place the screen closer to the flame than a TV hung flat on the wall. Our TV installation guide walks through five setups with the minimum distance for each, and you can find layout ideas in TV wall with a built-in fireplace. Frequently asked questions Can I build a bioethanol burner into a plasterboard wall? Yes. The plasterboard wall and its frame can stay, as long as the niche itself is lined with non-combustible boards on all sides, the floor, the ceiling and the back. Do I need a chimney or ventilation? No chimney is needed, and an open niche does not need vents. Like any bioethanol fire, the burner needs a room of a suitable size with normal air exchange, so check the room size stated for your burner. Can I lift the burner out after installation? Yes. The burner rests on its lip without screws or silicone, so you can lift it out for cleaning, servicing or replacement. Can I use an old fireplace or wood stove? Yes, a burner can be placed in an existing fireplace or stove. If the stove has doors, it may be necessary to remove them so the burner gets enough air. Read more in where can I place and install a bioethanol fireplace. I have a Foco fireplace. Where are the installation instructions? See our guide on how to install Foco bioethanol fireplaces. What to remember before you build Check the technical drawing for your burner. The cut-out must be at least 1 cm smaller than the lip and larger than the body. The frame can be timber, steel or another material, but the floor, sides, ceiling and back of the niche must be lined with non-combustible boards such as Fermacell. Keep at least 50 to 60 cm of free space above the burner opening, about 10 cm in front of and behind the burner, and 5 to 10 cm at the sides. Never close the front of the niche with glass. The burner rests on its lip without screws or silicone. Stop the tiles short of the cut-out so the lip sits flat. In a kitchen island, use stone, ceramic or concrete around the cut-out, and keep the burner away from the hob and extractor hood. Planning a TV above? Follow our TV installation guide. If you are unsure about local building regulations, check with your local authority, landlord or insurer before you start. And if you would like help choosing the right burner for your niche, our customer service is happy to look at your plans with you. See all bioethanol burners for building in

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