KAWMET W17 (12.3 kW) (600x492) Fireplace Door
KAWMET W17 (12.3 kW) (600x492) is a complete cast iron fireplace door measuring 600 × 492 mm overall, intended for the KAWMET W17 (12.3 kW) fireplace insert. The set includes the door, frame, glass and ash pan — a ready-made firebox front, not a bare leaf casting.
The casting is made of grey cast iron, grade 200 — a material that withstands repeated heating to firebox temperatures and cooling without the warping typical of thin sheet metal. The pane is heat-resistant Schott ROBAX® ceramic glass rated to 760 °C: it does not crack from temperature differences and does not haze over the seasons. Set weight — 17.6 kg.
Key features — W17
- Overall dimensions 600 × 492 mm (W × H)
- Main pane 480 × 315 mm — approx. 1510 cm² of visible fire
- Glass: heat-resistant Schott ROBAX® ceramic rated to 760 °C
- Material: grey cast iron, grade 200
- Set weight 17.6 kg
- Set contents: door, frame, glass, ash pan and a handle set (door handle and ash pan handle)
- Fit the KAWMET W17 (12.3 kW) fireplace insert
- Also used for closing open fireplaces, in tiled stoves and in masonry grills
- Manufacturer: KAWMET, Poland
Which insert these doors fit
The manufacturer assigns this set to the KAWMET W17 (12.3 kW) fireplace insert. The overall dimensions of 600 × 492 mm match the opening of that model — a door from a different KAWMET insert will not fit, as every series has its own frame outline.
If you are buying the door not as a replacement but for a masonry firebox, what decides is the size of the opening in the surround. Measure it before ordering and compare it with the overall dimensions above — picking by insert name alone does not work here.
What closing the firebox with a door achieves
A closed firebox behaves differently from an open fireplace. A glazed door reflects up to 35 % of the thermal radiation back into the combustion chamber: less radiant energy passes through the glass, while the temperature inside the chamber rises markedly. A higher temperature means more complete combustion of the wood gases — higher appliance efficiency and lower fuel consumption for the same heating effect.
The second effect is practical: the air supply to the firebed can be controlled, so the intensity of the fire and the temperature are held at a chosen level instead of being left to the chimney draught. A closed firebox also means a lower fire risk and an end to smoke escaping into the room.
Installation — a 17.6 kg set
At 17.6 kg this is one of the lighter sets in the category: the door can be fitted without a second pair of hands, and the frame does not need propping while the mortar sets. The low weight also means less load on the hinges — which matters for how tightly the door keeps closing after a season of being opened several times a day.
What the set includes
The set contains the door, frame, glass and ash pan, plus a handle set: the door handle and the ash pan handle. It is a complete assembly ready to be fitted — not a bare leaf casting for which the frame and glass have to be bought separately.
Where else these doors can be fitted
Beyond replacing the door in an existing insert, the manufacturer lists three other uses:
- Closing an open fireplace — converting an open firebox into a closed one, the most common reason for buying a separate door.
- New fireplaces — the door as a ready-made front for a firebox built from scratch.
- Tiled stoves — replacing or completing the front of a masonry heater.
- Masonry grills — enclosing the firebox of a garden grill.
In each of these cases what decides success is the size of the opening in the surround, not the insert model — measure it before ordering.
How do I check whether the door fits my fireplace?
Measure the firebox opening — clear width and height — and compare it with the door's overall dimensions: 600 × 492 mm. The frame needs something to rest on, so the opening must not be larger than the outline of the door. Replacing the door in a finished insert is simpler: the set is assigned to the KAWMET W17 (12.3 kW) model and fits without modification.
How does ceramic glass differ from ordinary heat-resistant glass?
The Schott ROBAX® ceramic used here withstands 760 °C and — more importantly — tolerates the sharp temperature difference between the hot centre and the cool edge at the frame. Ordinary toughened glass cracks under those conditions. Ceramic also does not lose transparency with use: a pane that looks permanently hazed is usually just fouled with soot from damp wood.
Can these doors close an open fireplace?
Yes — the manufacturer lists this as one of the main applications, alongside new fireplaces, tiled stoves and masonry grills. Closing an open firebox is in fact the case with the biggest gain: an open fireplace delivers only a small share of the wood's energy to the room and sends the rest up the chimney. The conditions are a matching opening size and a sound, correctly sized flue — worth consulting a chimney sweep before converting.
How should the cast iron door and the glass be cared for?
Clean the glass cold, with a fireplace glass cleaner or a damp cloth and a little wood ash — ash is a mild abrasive and handles the deposit better than most detergents. Do not scrub the cast iron wet: sweep the ash away and wipe with a dry cloth. If the glass fouls quickly, the cause is usually wood that is too damp or burning with the air supply throttled far down, not the glass itself.
KAWMET fireplace doors are cast in Poland, at the works in Zadąbrowie. Your nearest representative will confirm availability and purchase terms.
