Directions to Make a Hearth Pad Child Protector
Making a protective bumper pad for your hearth promotes a safe environment for your or other children. Make a hearth pad protector from a foam strip secured to the hearth by double-sided tape or adhesive Velcro strips. Foam is easily cut with scissors and can be inexpensively custom-fit to your existing hearth. You can purchase foam in craft or fabric stores, or recycle a foam mattress pad no longer being used. Protect your children by making a hearth pad that can be finished in about an hour.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Foam strip - 6-inches width by 2-inches thick by length of hearth
- Scissors
- Black marker
- 2 - two-part Industrial strength adhesive hook and loop tapes - continuous measuring length of hearth
Instructions
Measure the continuous length of the side edges of your elevated hearth and the length of the front edge of the hearth. Your protective hearth pad will cover the sharp top front edge along your hearth. According to Fireplaces Now, hearth pad protectors are an inexpensive way to make your fireplace safer for children. Most hearths are rectangular in shape. Measure and cut a strip of foam to the length measurement of your hearth. Household scissors cut through foam. If your household scissors aren't sharp enough to smoothly cut the foam, a fabric store can cut the foam for you, usually free of charge. Foam can be purchased at craft stores. Some home improvement stores may also have foam sheets in stock. Measure and cut two continuous hook and loop tapes (two hook sides and two fuzzy sides) to the length of your foam. Hook and loop tape is commonly referred to as Velcro, which is a popular brand. The hook side is the prickly, rough side. The loop side is the soft, fuzzy side. You will need two hook tapes and two fuzzy tapes. Rolls of industrial strength hook and loop tape can be purchased at home improvement stores. Fold the 6-inche wide foam in half horizontally so that each half measures 3 inches wide. Make a mark on one side of the foam at this measurement. This is the back of the hearth pad. Place the black mark over the edge of your hearth. There should be 3 inches of foam to fold on top of the hearth edge and 3 inches of foam to fold down the front of the hearth. Hold the foam strip in place with the black mark on the hearth edge. Place a loop tape beneath the top edge of the foam strip. Remove the backing from one hook tape and press the tape on top of the hearth, 3 inches from the edge of your hearth. Press the hook and loop tapes together. Fold the foam strip down the front of the hearth. Place one loop tape beneath the bottom edge of the foam strip. Measure down 3 inches on the front of your hearth and press the adhesive side of the remaining hook tape horizontally across the front sides/front of the hearth. Press the loop tape connected to the foam to the hook tape connected to the hearth.
