Osburn Narrow Faceplate (U Shape), Inspire

Yes. A faceplate is a required component of the Osburn Inspire wood insert OB02045 installation — one faceplate option must be selected and installed to complete the insert's installation against the masonry fireplace face. The Inspire insert is supplied without a faceplate as standard and requires the owner to select one of the three available options — the AC01020 U-shape narrow faceplate, the AC01022 4-sided narrow faceplate, or the AC01021 cuttable faceplate — to cover the gap between the insert body and the masonry fireplace opening and provide a finished installation appearance.

U-shape means the AC01020 faceplate covers three sides of the insert opening — the top panel and both side panels — in a configuration shaped like the letter U, without a bottom panel. It is the correct choice when the Inspire insert rests directly on the masonry fireplace floor and sits tightly within the opening with only a small gap at the top and sides that requires narrow faceplate coverage. Because the insert rests on the floor with no gap below it, no bottom panel is needed to complete the finished appearance — the hearth floor itself provides the visual closure below the insert. This is the most common installation configuration for masonry fireplaces with a flush hearth floor.

The AC01020 and AC01022 are both narrow faceplates for the Inspire insert with the same 30-inch width, but they differ in configuration and height. The AC01020 is U-shaped covering only the top and both sides at a height of 25-1/8 inches, with no bottom panel, for use when the insert rests on the fireplace floor. The AC01022 is 4-sided covering all four sides including a bottom panel at a height of 26-7/8 inches, for use when the insert is raised above the fireplace floor — such as on a row of bricks — and a bottom panel is needed to provide a fully enclosed picture-frame appearance around all four sides of the insert. The 4-sided faceplate is also 1-3/4 inches taller overall to accommodate the bottom panel dimension.

The Inspire insert offers three faceplate options. The AC01020 is the U-shape narrow faceplate measuring 30 inches wide by 25-1/8 inches high, covering the top and both sides without a bottom panel — for use when the insert rests directly on the fireplace floor. The AC01022 is the 4-sided narrow faceplate measuring 30 inches wide by 26-7/8 inches high, covering all four sides including a bottom panel — for use when the insert is raised above the floor. The AC01021 is the cuttable faceplate measuring 32 inches wide by 50 inches high in 16-gauge steel, cuttable to any shape with a grinder — for use when there is a wider gap or a decorative arched opening. One faceplate must be selected to complete the Inspire insert installation.

Yes. Non-combustible facing material such as tile, stone, or brick surround can come into contact with the Inspire insert faceplate once correctly installed. The faceplate is designed to provide the transition between the insert body and the masonry fireplace opening face, and non-combustible fireplace surround materials are routinely installed adjacent to and in contact with the faceplate edge as part of the finished fireplace installation. Combustible materials must not be placed in contact with the faceplate — all clearance requirements specified in the Osburn Inspire owner's manual and local building codes must be observed for all materials in the vicinity of the installed insert and faceplate.

The AC01020 faceplate is installed as part of the complete Inspire insert installation alongside a chimney liner — flex liner kits sized for the Inspire insert's flue collar are required to line the chimney. The AC01298 5-inch oval fresh air intake kit provides a dedicated outside combustion air supply for installations requiring one, and the AC01349 5-inch fresh air intake register with airtight damper provides the companion wall termination component. The AC03095 blower assembly with variable speed control provides an upgraded convection blower option for the Inspire insert. The AC05959 metallic black stove paint aerosol allows touch-up of the faceplate and insert body finish during the installation's service life.