How to fit a fireplace console
Updated: 22 October 2026
The boxes are in the hall, one of them feels light, and the television is still on the floor. Fitting a fireplace console means waiting until every carton is there, building it square on a soft surface, standing it with help, fixing it if a child can pull the screen, and only then plugging a heater you have already checked for 230 V. This page assumes you have chosen the product. It stops before any new wiring. The rows and the weights are on the [fireplace console comparison](/hub/fireplaces-and-stoves/fireplace-console). We used amazon.co.uk listings, RoSPA, GOV.UK and Electrical Safety First. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The boxes are in the hall, one of them feels light, and the television is still on the floor.
The boxes are in the hall, one of them feels light, and the television is still on the floor. Fitting a fireplace console means waiting until every carton is there, building it square on a soft surface, standing it with help, fixing it if a child can pull the screen, and only then plugging a heater you have already checked for 230 V. This page assumes you have chosen the product. It stops before any new wiring. The rows and the weights are on the fireplace console comparison. We used amazon.co.uk listings, RoSPA, GOV.UK and Electrical Safety First. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Weight | Assembly | Anti-tip | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  YITAHOME YITAHOME electric fire and surround | 26.2 kg | Flat-pack, about 50–90 minutes in UK reviews | Not stated | 8.6 | about £199.99 | View offer |
| Best value |  Adam Adam Malmo fireplace surround | 17.5 kg | Required; instructions included | Not stated | 5.8 | about £167 | View offer |
| Alternative |  OneBlis OneBlis 98 inch farmhouse fireplace wall unit | 60.3 kg | Required; four boxes | Kit included | 5.6 | about £1,260.85 | View offer |
On this page
Before you open the hardware
Count the boxes against the listing before you open a fitting pack. The fire and the LED strip often travel in a second carton, which is what OneBlis reviews describe. The 98 inch farmhouse unit, ASIN B0GGSDKRQZ, ships as four boxes, at 60.3 kg and 198.1 cm tall. If one carton is missing, stop. Read the rating plate on the fire before you commit the afternoon. Great Britain's sockets are 230 V with a BS 1363 plug. If the plate or the listing says 110 V or 120 V, do not assemble it as a UK heater and do not buy a transformer to make the plan work. On this set, a United Kingdom review dated 10 January 2026 says that about the OneBlis 70 inch H21014vc and the 90 inch H21014. The fluted 70 inch and the 98 inch do not state voltage at all, which is its own reason to pause. The detail is on the UK plug and voltage page. Lay the parts out and match the numbers before the first screw.
The build on the floor
Build on carpet, a blanket or the cardboard, not on bare kitchen tile. Do not over-tighten cam locks. The panels crush. Keep the fire in its sleeve until the carcass is square, and check a front-sliding insert before you fix the last rail. UK reviews put the 26.2 kg YITAHOME suite at about 50–90 minutes. A shop's 2–2.5 hours for a 58 inch stand is a rule of thumb, not a timed test of these ASINs. The Adam Malmo, at 17.5 kg, is a wall-mounted frame, and the fire is not in the box. If a leg arrives cracked, stop. Reviews of the fluted 70 inch describe legs that snapped when the finished unit was moved. Build it where it will stand.
Getting it upright
Two people are the sensible default once the unit is more than a small suite. The 98 inch wall unit is 60.3 kg and almost two metres tall. One person can walk a 17.5 kg surround to the wall. Do not tip a 44 kg or 60 kg cabinet alone, and do not lift it by a leg. At 198.1 cm the farmhouse piece needs headroom, including coving. If you cannot drill, that tall unit is the wrong buy. Retailer guides often say a suite needs a skirting cut to sit flush. That is guidance, not a rule for every model. The choice of suite versus console is on the buying guide.
Strap, gap and socket
RoSPA's advice on flat-screen televisions is to use a wide, stable base and anti-tip straps into a stud, because a toddler can pull on the set. In this comparison only the 98 inch listing names an anti-tip kit. The other consoles do not say a kit is included, so you may be adding straps yourself. Fix into a stud or a proper wall plug, not into plaster alone. If the supplied bracket is not enough for your wall, or you are not confident drilling, stop and use a competent person. If the television sits above the fire, Which? wants more than 8 inches, and preferably 12 inches or more, between the heater and the screen. The YITAHOME is a fire and surround, not a cabinet for a large television's feet. Keep the heater about a metre from curtains. Do not cover it or dry clothes on it. Plug it into its own wall socket. Electrical Safety First says not to use an extension lead. GOV.UK says to unplug when you leave or sleep. A quoted lead of about 1.5–2 m was not measured on these six ASINs, so use the lead in the box. A new socket is an electrician's job. If the plug runs hot, stop. Do not open the heater.
Common questions
Can I build it when one box is missing?
No. The fire and the LED strip are often in a second carton, and the 98 inch unit in this set ships as four boxes. Starting early is how panels get forced and how the glass sits on a hard floor while you wait. Leave the fittings packed until the count matches the listing.
How long does assembly take?
It depends on the carcass. UK reviews put the YITAHOME suite at about 50–90 minutes. A shop's 2–2.5 hours with two people is a rule of thumb for a 58 inch stand, not a timed test of these ASINs. A wide console with a picture manual can take a morning. The 17.5 kg Adam surround is a shorter job, and it still needs the wall fixing.
Do I need two people?
For a small surround, one person can manage 17.5 kg. For the 32 kg, 44 kg and 60 kg consoles, use two people to stand the unit. Do not lift a tall cabinet by a leg. The 98 inch piece is 198.1 cm high, so you also need the ceiling height before you recruit the help.
Do I cut the skirting?
Many retailer guides say a suite on a flat wall needs a skirting cut so the back sits flush. That is guidance, not a fact about every model. If you cannot cut the timber, check whether the unit is meant to stand proud, or choose a console that does not pretend to be tight to the wall.
Where does the anti-tip strap go?
Into a stud or a proper plug, so a child cannot pull the television over. RoSPA is the UK source for that. In this set only the 98 inch listing states that a kit is included. The others leave you to add straps. If you cannot drill, the tall unit is the wrong buy.
Can the heater share an extension with the TV?
No. The heater goes on its own wall socket. Electrical Safety First advises against an extension lead for a portable heater, and GOV.UK says to unplug when you leave or sleep. The television can use another socket. Keep about a metre between the heater and curtains.
When do I stop and call someone?
Call an electrician for a new socket or a chased cable, and if a plug or socket runs hot. Call a competent person if the wall fixing is beyond the brackets supplied. Stop the build if the plate says 110 V, if a box is missing, or if a leg arrives cracked. Do not repair a heater whose voltage you cannot read.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts were taken from the listings on 19 October 2026.
- Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, non-compliant room heater example (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, fire safety in the winter (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Electrical Safety First, portable heaters (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Which?, buying an electric fire or stove (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- amazon.co.uk listings for the six ASINs (retrieved 19 October 2026)