After multiple attempts of baby-proofing the hearth on our fireplace, I finally decided a more long-term solution was needed than the short-term solutions I was attempting.
My baby at this time of the blog post is a fast crawler and pulling himself up on everything. His favorite spot is the fireplace hearth. I tried using blankets and fireplace bumpers to cover the brick and sharp edges. Our fireplace hearth does not have smooth edges and the texture of the brick is very chunky and rough. I know baby-proofing is a hit-or-miss subject but after a few episodes of head bumps and loud cries, I knew it was time for another solution.
I have seen a few blog posts about these fireplace benches on Pinterest and instantly got inspired. The one we built (my fiance and I ) is detachable, it sits right on top of the hearth and when we are ready to expose the beautiful hearth one day there is nothing to it aside from pulling the bench out.
We honestly got away with this project for a rough estimate of two hundred dollars in materials and supplies. We added padding and foam for protection for our son but it also doubled as a nice bench for extra seating. Just a side note, our fireplace is functional however we do not use it. We also never plan on using it with the bench attachment on.
We started out by measuring the whole fireplace, I will leave the little notes we used for reference. We ensured extra room for notches for the fireplace so that it slides in flush. After the measurements, the wood was cut and we started framing around the hearth. My finance used the following tools and supplies for an idea on how to DIY this yourself.
2×3 boards
1/4″ sanded plywood
Batting
Foam
Fabric
Nail gun
Staple gun
Miter saw
Table saw
After everything was framed out it was time to assemble. The weight of the structure rests on top of the hearth, this is how we decided to build it/secure it. It does not wiggle or slide without extreme force. We used batting and foam along with fabric to give the structure a bench look and feel.
This bench has made such a difference in our everyday lives. The peace of mind that the exposed brick is no longer exposed to our baby while he is crawling around. The functionality that extra seating is now provided, the overall aesthetic (baby proofing is not always pretty), and the personality of building something for our home to serve a purpose for our family. If you are on the fence about it, take this blog post as a sign and go for it! It was a two-day project between my fiance and me (mostly because the fabric choice slowed us down. Every time I look at this project it brings a smile to my face, I wish we did it sooner!