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Step 1
Narrow down your choice of suitable fireplace grates that fit in with your fire burning habits and the décor of your room. People who burn fires frequently should get a fireplace grate with thicker bars. Grates with thinner bars can be selected by people who seldom burn fires.
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Step 2
Decide on the design of the fireplace grate. Note that fireplace grate bars have ends that curl up. This is to keep firewood in place, so select the curl that will work with the size of logs you will be burning.
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Step 3
Pick out your fireplace grate and install it in your fireplace. The grate should be 3 to 5 inches above the floor of the fireplace and roughly centered in the fireplace. Moving the grate farther back in the fireplace may help prevent smoke from entering the room but could result in a fire that burns less efficiently.
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Step 4
Put wood on your fireplace grate and start your fire. As the fire burns, burned pieces of wood and ash will fall through the grate to the fireplace floor. Partially burned wood can be placed back on the grate, but the ash should be cleaned out of the fireplace in between fires.
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Step 5
Clean your fireplace grate by using a fireplace brush. The grate can be removed from the fireplace and scrubbed with a detergent if a more thorough cleaning is desired.
