Kachelofen
Kachelofen (plural 'kachelöfen' in German) is a type of masonry stove made out of specialized stove tiles and other refractory materials and originates from central Europe. Unlike brick finished or rendered stoves, kachelofen stoves usually have higher surface temperature, depending on their design characteristics. Just as there are different types of masonry stoves, there are different types of kachelofen - for simplicity we can categorize them as light, medium and heavy and also single or double skin. These distinctions are useful and important when choosing the stove, its size, shape and nominal heating time - how long the stove stays warm for. Just like other masonry stoves, kachelofen too, has a system of flues inside it which extracts the heat which is then stored and released into the house.
Making stove tiles is a highly specialised and skilled job and different techniques vary from person to person. Tiles can be either pressed or poured into moulds or hand rolled and cut using fire clay. Tiles are then glazed or hand painted using glazes from naturally occurring minerals. Refractory heat channels are then designed and built in line with client's preferences and requirements and also with mason's experience - some stove builders prefer to use traditional building techniques and clays, whilst others choose modern materials, newly developed mortars or even metal inserts. The result is a unique stove that suits the house and serves its purpose, whether is it heating, cooking or baking.
Kachelofen can be either individually designed or made to look like one of the original stoves as far back as few centuries. Antique kachelofen (or kakelugn, as they are known in Scandinavia) are popular choice in period interiors and because they were originally built using just clay and sand, they can be dismantled, moved and rebuild again, only this time with new system of internal flues. Some tile makers make replicas of traditional antique kachelofen, which are significantly cheaper than antiques whilst maintaining the same look and charm. Download Brochure or request current list of antiques or to talk about individually designed kachelofen, Contact us.
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