Case study

A Spartherm Linear feature wall near Leeds

A high-spec built-in wood fire and 5 metre feature wall at Barwick in Elmet, near Leeds, delivered with the client's designer and builder.

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ApplianceSpartherm Linear 120 x 52, Varia B-120h-4S

LocationBarwick in Elmet, near Leeds

Feature wallDekton by Cosentino cladding

CertificationCommissioned and HETAS certified

The appliance

Wide glass, guillotine door, serious output

For this project we recommended the Spartherm Linear 120 x 52, also known as the Varia B-120h-4S. It is a built-in wood-burning fire with a wide landscape viewing window, a precision guillotine lift door and black Thermotte lining inside the firebox.

The glass area is approximately 1200mm wide by 523mm high, with a nominal output of 15kW. The appliance is German-made and backed by a 10-year manufacturer's guarantee. On a room of this scale, the wide flame picture was the right match for the client's contemporary feature-wall plan.

Planning

Designed with the builder before the wall was built

The fire was wider than the existing masonry breast, so the room needed structural work before the appliance could be installed. The masonry chimney breast was removed and Gallows Brackets were installed to support the remaining stack in line with Building Regulations and the structural requirements of the project.

We produced technical drawings for the builder at an early stage, so the opening, support and wall build-up could be prepared correctly. The feature wall was then formed using masonry, non-combustible metal studwork and Glasroc F FireCase boards, with an integrated TV recess and engineered ventilation.

From the top of the appliance, the flue rises vertically before a 45-degree offset into the masonry chimney. The final system used a 250mm stainless flue liner, twin-wall insulated flue sections, an anti-downdraught cowl, external air supply kit, heat vent system, flexible ducting and scaffolding for roof-level access.

The finish

Dekton cladding around a real wood fire

Once the technical installation was complete, we worked with the client's interior designer to bring the feature wall together. Dekton by Cosentino was used as the visible cladding, giving the room a clean architectural finish around the panoramic fire.

This was not a simple appliance swap. It was construction-led fireplace work, with structure, flue design, ventilation, TV position and non-combustible build-up all settled before the final surface went on.

Structural preparation.

Technical drawing supplied to the builder.

250mm stainless chimney liner.

The thinking

A feature wall planned around a real wood fire

This Barwick in Elmet project is the solid-fuel version of a feature wall: not an electric fire dropped into joinery, but a built-in Spartherm wood fire with the structure, flue, ventilation and cladding designed around it. The wide Linear 120 x 52 needed the wall to be treated as construction, not decoration.

Because the fire was wider than the original masonry breast, the structural decisions came first. The remaining stack had to be supported, the opening formed correctly, and the builder needed drawings before the wall build-up could move forward.

The build

Designer, builder and installer working from one plan

The finished 5 metre wall brings together masonry, non-combustible metal studwork, Glasroc F FireCase boards, ventilation, a TV recess and Dekton cladding. Each part affects the others. If the TV recess is wrong, heat management suffers. If the flue route is not agreed early, the feature wall can quickly become a compromise.

This is where early involvement matters. We supplied technical drawings, coordinated with the builder and then worked with the designer on the final finish. For anyone planning similar work around Leeds, that sequence is the lesson: decide the appliance and flue before the wall is closed.

Related proof

Another Spartherm feature fireplace

For a different built-in Spartherm project, see the Spartherm Linear Triple in York. The York fire is three-sided and porcelain-clad; the Barwick job is a wide single-face fire in a Dekton feature wall.

Questions about this kind of job

Asked and answered

Why did the Barwick in Elmet project need technical drawings?

The appliance was wider than the original breast and the wall included structure, flue routing, TV ventilation and non-combustible build-up. Drawings gave the builder a clear route before installation started.

What are Gallows Brackets doing in this feature-wall job?

The masonry chimney breast was removed from the room, so Gallows Brackets were fitted to support the remaining chimney stack above in line with the structural requirements of the project.

Can a TV recess sit above a real wood-burning built-in fire?

It can, but only when the appliance instructions, wall build-up and ventilation are designed for it. This Barwick wall included engineered internal and external ventilation around the recess.

Do you fit built-in Spartherm fires near Leeds?

Yes. Barwick in Elmet sits in the City of Leeds district, and this project shows the kind of construction-led built-in fire work we can handle near Leeds.

HETAS registered

Installed with care, certified with confidence

Carl self-certifies every installation and notifies Building Control on your behalf, so the work is signed off properly and your certificate of compliance is issued for your records.