When it comes to fireplace accessories, there are none more important than fireplace doors or screens. They are both important aspects of maintaining a safe and healthy fireplace, but they don’t serve the exact same purpose. Oftentimes, people are confused about the differences between fireplace doors and a fireplace screen. This article will help you understand the difference between fireplace doors and fireplace screens, and also explain why fireplace doors are a better investment in most cases.


The Difference between Doors and Screens

A fireplace screen is a piece of mesh that serves as a barrier between the fireplace and the room. The frame is usually made of a metal (iron and bronze are common) while the mesh panel is made of woven wire or perforated metal.


Fireplace Screen

Fireplace Screen

StollFireplace-26 cabinet doors

Fireplace Doors

Fireplace doors are made with thick glass and much sturdier. Sometimes they are called glass fireplace doors in order to differentiate them from screens and prevent confusion. Similar to screens, doors serve as barriers for the fireplace, but the glass is much more solid than mesh.


The Benefits of Fireplace Screens and Doors

Fireplace screens and doors both serve a very important function: keeping your home and family safe from the heat of a fireplace. A fireplace can produce a lot of heat and can be dangerous if you’re not careful. Both screens and doors provide an extra layer of protection from either the hot glass of a gas fireplace or the burning logs of a wood-burning fireplace. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, a fireplace screen will also block burning embers from getting in your room and potentially starting a fire.

Fireplace screens are also great decorative pieces. They can be centerpieces of a room especially in traditional style homes. If you have fire logs and accessories around your fireplace, a fireplace screen is a great way to create space for those items and define the area of the fireplace. Subtle fireplace screens are also available that add a nice touch to your fireplace.


Why Fireplace Doors are Better

Doors have all the same safety benefits as fireplace screens. They add an extra layer of protection for gas fireplaces and they create a barrier between the flames and your room for wood-burning fireplaces. They also add to the décor of the fireplace. The main advantage of fireplace doors, though, is that they have energy efficiency benefits.

When your fire is out or dwindling, closing the doors on your fireplace will prevent the warm air from escaping out the chimney. By keeping the heat in the room longer, your fireplace becomes a more efficient source of heat. In addition, fireplace doors prevent cool air from escaping out of your fireplace during the summer.


Traditional fireplaces are beautiful elements of any home that has one, but they can be frustratingly inefficient at supplying heat. Fireplace doors are the easiest way to improve the efficiency of a traditional fireplace and they also have added safety and decorative benefits. While screens are nice additions to a fireplace, the better long-term investment is in fireplace doors.


To find our more on fireplace doors and screens, check out the articles below.