Touchstone Recessed Electric Fireplaces

A recessed electric fireplace sits inside the wall so its face finishes flush with the surface, which means the wall has to be deep enough to take the firebox. This collection covers every Touchstone electric fireplace built to frame into a wall, from the slim units that suit shallow framing to the three-sided models that need the wall built out for them, plus an insert for an existing masonry opening.

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What Recessed Means, and What It Asks of the Wall

A recessed fireplace sits inside the wall so its face finishes flush with the surface rather than projecting into the room. That look is the whole appeal, and it is also the constraint: the wall has to be deep enough to swallow the firebox. A 2x4 stud wall gives you 3.5 inches of cavity and a 2x6 gives you 5.5, while most Touchstone models are 5 to 5 3/4 inches deep. So a 2x6 wall, or a framed enclosure built out for it, is the standard, and a 2x4 wall usually is not enough on its own.

Not Every Model Here Asks the Same Thing

The slim model in the range is 4 1/2 inches deep and Touchstone lists it for 2x4 walls. The three-sided models go the other way at 9 1/4 inches and need the wall built out for them. And one model is a true insert, built to drop into an existing masonry fireplace opening rather than into new framing, which is a different job again: you are filling a hole that already exists instead of making one. Check the depth on the product page before you plan the build, because it rules models out faster than anything else.

Frame to the Rough Opening, Not to the Fireplace

Every model publishes a rough opening that is smaller than its outside dimensions, because the face overlaps the opening on all sides. Build to that figure, line the framing with drywall, and keep the unit out of a load-bearing wall and away from exposed insulation or a vapor barrier. Power is the other decision to make before the wall closes: these plug into a standard outlet on a circuit they do not share, or an electrician can hardwire most of them so no cord shows.

If the Wall Will Not Take One

Recessing is not the only option, and nothing here is lost by skipping it. Every model in this collection also hangs on a surface bracket that screws into at least two studs, with no framing and no drywall work at all. It projects a few inches into the room instead of sitting flush. That is the version that suits a rental, a finished basement, or any wall you would rather not open up.

Where to Look Next

Touchstone Fireplaces is the full brand, Touchstone Sideline Electric Fireplaces covers the linear models, Touchstone Forte Electric Fireplaces the compact size, and Touchstone 3-Sided Electric Fireplaces the models open on three faces. Beyond the brand, Built-in Fireplaces and Electric Fireplace Inserts show the same installs across every maker we carry.

Frequently Asked Questions about Touchstone Recessed Electric Fireplaces

How deep does the wall need to be for a recessed Touchstone fireplace?

Deeper than a standard 2x4 wall in most cases. A 2x4 gives 3.5 inches of cavity and a 2x6 gives 5.5, while most Touchstone models are 5 to 5 3/4 inches deep. That makes a 2x6 wall, or a framed enclosure built out for it, the standard install. The slim model in the range is 4 1/2 inches deep and Touchstone lists it for 2x4 walls, and the three-sided models need 9 1/4 inches, so check the depth on the product page first.

Can I recess a fireplace into a drywall wall without framing?

No. Cutting an opening in drywall is only the first step; the unit has to sit in a framed enclosure built to the manufacturer's rough opening, lined with drywall, and it must not go into a load-bearing wall or sit against exposed insulation or a vapor barrier. If you would rather not build that, every model here also hangs on a surface bracket with no framing at all.

What is the difference between a recessed fireplace and an insert?

What you put it into. A recessed model goes into an opening you frame and build for it, usually in a wall that had no fireplace before. An insert goes into a masonry fireplace opening that already exists, so the hole is a given and the job is fitting the unit to it. Most of this collection is recessed; one model is a true insert. Measure your existing opening at both the front and the back if you are shopping for the insert, because masonry fireboxes usually taper toward the rear.

Do I frame to the fireplace size or to a different opening?

To the rough opening, which is smaller than the fireplace. The glass face overlaps the opening on every side so the finished install has no visible gap, which means framing to the outside width leaves you with a hole too big to cover. Every product page publishes the rough opening in width, height and depth. Build to those three numbers.

Should a recessed electric fireplace be plugged in or hardwired?

Either works, and it is worth deciding before the wall closes up. Plugging in is simplest: a standard outlet on a circuit the fireplace does not share with other appliances, with no extension cord and no surge protector. Hardwiring costs an electrician's visit and hides the cord entirely, which matters when the unit sits flush in a finished wall with nothing below it to conceal a lead.

How much heat does a recessed Touchstone fireplace give?

1,500 watts on the high setting with a lower setting beneath it, around 5,000 BTU, rated for roughly 400 square feet. That is supplemental heat for the room it faces rather than a replacement for central heating. Recessed models vent from the front rather than the top, which is what lets them sit flush in a wall and still put heat into the room. The heater switches off independently of the flame.