
Repairing a Fireplace Hearth
- Remove Broken Pieces. Using a chisel and hammer, masonry chisel and grout saw with a razor knife, remove the old hearthstone, any broken tiles, and all the ...
- Clean Away Dust. Don safety goggles and wear a breathing mask when you remove the old hearth flooring. ...
- Prepare Wood Length. ...
- Pour New Hearth Stones. ...
- Smooth the Concrete. ...
- Allow Adequate Drying Time. ...
Full Answer
What is the best stone for a fireplace hearth?
Types of Stone Veneer
- Thin Stone Veneer. When it comes to interior design, every square inch of space counts, since stone veneer is often placed on top of an existing wall, you want it ...
- Full-Dimension Stone Veneer. ...
- Dry Stack Stone Veneer. ...
- Mortared Stone Veneer. ...
How to reface a fireplace surround and hearth?
The Material You Choose Can Make a Huge Difference
- Mantel. The mantel is one of the major eye-catchers of your fireplace. ...
- Surround. The surround is also a big part of the look of your fireplace. ...
- Firebox. When refacing your fireplace, you normally would not be replacing the firebox. ...
- Hearth Extension. ...
- Fire Safety Screen. ...
How to install a fireplace heart?
Install the grout between the grout joints with a rubber grout float. Mix the grout to the consistency of peanut butter and force the grout into each grout joint so no cavities will be left behind. Measure the finished height of the hearth with a tape measure. Frame the edge of the hearth with a finished hardwood that matches the woodwork in ...
How to clean a limestone fireplace hearth?
Things You Will Need
- Sweep loose dirt and debris from the limestone hearth, using a hand-held vacuum. ...
- Mix 2 tablespoons of high-alkaline cleaner into a bucket of water. ...
- Wet a cloth with the cleaning mixture and wring out the excess water. ...
- Wet a clean cloth with water, and wipe it over the hearth to remove the soap and bleach.

How do you restore a fireplace hearth?
0:083:23How to Restore an Old Fireplace | This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe've got a lot of bricks that are pulling away that's right so what we're going to do is just digMoreWe've got a lot of bricks that are pulling away that's right so what we're going to do is just dig out all the joints that want to fall out yep.
How do you fix a cracked hearth?
0:243:21how to fix firebox crack, cracked fireplace, fireplace repair - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we're just gonna kind of get all the dust off of it. Now we're going to take our mortar. And we'MoreSo we're just gonna kind of get all the dust off of it. Now we're going to take our mortar. And we're gonna spread it into the hole like so to fill the.
How do you repair a brick fireplace hearth?
4:186:16How to Repair a Damaged Fireplace Brick | Ask This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd slip it in I'm gonna wiggle it in. And I'm in so we did the bed joint with mortar. We did theMoreAnd slip it in I'm gonna wiggle it in. And I'm in so we did the bed joint with mortar. We did the head joint we did the head joint over here. Now what we're gonna do is this top bed joint. Now.
How do you repair a crack in a concrete hearth?
0:093:07How To Fix Cracked Mortar or Concrete in a Fireplace with Mor-flexxYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn order to do this I found a wonderful product. This product is called more flex. This product isMoreIn order to do this I found a wonderful product. This product is called more flex. This product is from a company called sashko. And it's a water-based sealant that is sand filled.
Why did my hearth crack?
The hearth may have been insufficiently reinforced, thus too little rebar, metal mesh, or nothing at all. Heat stresses, caused by heating and cooling cycles can cause cracks. A properly built hearth should have been designed to prevent that.
What to use to fix cracks in fireplace?
Fireplace Crack Repair Costs Homeowners can purchase a tube of refractory caulk for around $15 to repair any small cracks or holes. This caulk works well for repairing small chips or cracks in firebrick, re-pointing mortar joints between firebricks, and bonding bricks together.
Can you glue firebrick?
When the bricks are installed or break, they are glued and patched with several formulations of a substance called kiln glue, kiln cement or kiln grout. The glue is sometimes mixed with ground firebrick and water to make a patching compound called kiln or refractory mortar.
What is fire cement?
Fire Cement is a ready-to-use putty which is heat resistant up to 1250oc. There are a number of manufacturers and brands and it's available in different sizes in both black and cream. The cement can be used to seal joints in wood stoves, especially around the area where the flue rises out of the top of the stove.
Can you repair fire bricks with fire cement?
Directions (for Individually applied Fire Brick): Apply fire cement to the area that is being repaired, using the trowel. If the brick has broken into more than one piece, apply a layer of cement along one edge of the break and push the pieces firmly back together. Wipe any excess cement from the brick.
Will a concrete hearth crack?
Will the concrete, or in the case of Paloform, will concrete fire pits crack? The short answer is no. For the long answer, read on… Concrete, as it is widely used in bridges, foundations and other construction applications, has gotten a bit of a bad rap.
What kind of mortar do you use in a fireplace?
Sakrete® High Heat Mortar is a dry, medium-duty mortar ideal for setting masonry units in fireplaces, fire pits or chimney applications such as setting clay flue liners and paring a smoke chimney chamber. It has high heat resistant characteristics and excellent strength properties.
Can I caulk around my fireplace?
Fireplace caulking is a little different than caulking around a bathtub, for example. The goal of caulking a fireplace crack is not only to cover the crack but also to force the mortar compound into the crack.
How do you fix a crack in a stone fireplace?
8:0311:30STONE FIREPLACE REPAIR - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then the fireplace won't get a little water here then the fireplace won't crack as bad see thatMoreAnd then the fireplace won't get a little water here then the fireplace won't crack as bad see that so now we're just getting a sponge in water. And we're going over it the sides like that.
Will a concrete hearth crack?
Will the concrete, or in the case of Paloform, will concrete fire pits crack? The short answer is no. For the long answer, read on… Concrete, as it is widely used in bridges, foundations and other construction applications, has gotten a bit of a bad rap.
What is a hearth fireplace?
A fireplace hearth is the floor area within a fireplace. It is made from noncombustible materials, such as brick or stone. The hearth extension is the noncombustible material in front of and at the sides of a fireplace opening.
Fireplace Facelift
Anatomy of a Fireplace Click "enlarge this image" to see illustration labels.
Remove Old Hearth
Tape thin plywood or cardboard to floor around hearth to protect floor from scratches and debris.
Prepare Hearth Base
Notch the ends of a 2x4 to make a screed that's a foot longer than the hearth; its bottom should fit easily in the excavated area. For the flush hearth, cut the notch depth equal to the thickness of the new hearth stone, plus 3/8 inch (for thinset).
Spread Thinset for Hearth
Stick suction cups to new hearth slab and test fit on the hearth base.
Fit Wood Mantel
Set mantel on hearth, tight against new surround. Align with outline on wall.
When did Phil Hansey's fireplace set the author's house on fire?
Watch out: At PYROLYSIS EXPLAINED we document a Phil Hansey fireplace design that set the author's house afire on New Years' Eve in 1969. Gaps in the fireplace exposed wood to heat from the fire, eventually setting the house wall on fire.
What happens if you have a chimney and flue?
have the chimney and flues inspected for safet y, especially if the same chimney carries other flues such as for your home heating boiler, furnace, water heater - as movement in a hearth can stress, crack, damage other chimney components making the chimney unsafe, risking fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Is caulking safe for a fireplace?
Caulk is Not a Safe Repair for Hearth Settlement. In an easy-to-spot case of movement and separation between a fireplace hearth and the building floor take a look at the white caulk installed in an open crack between the hearth face and the floor in our photo (left).
Where is the hearth located in a fireplace?
The hearth is found at the very bottom of a fireplace. It’s the slab of non-combustible material that sits flat at the base of the fireplace on which a fire or fireplace unit sits. It can be found surrounded by the walls of the fireplace inside the firebox, and extends out into the room past the fireplace opening.
What is a fireplace hearth made of?
Fireplace hearths are made out of a non-combustible material such as granite, stone, marble, ceramic, cement or slate.
How thick should a fireplace be?
InterNACHI recommends that for any size fireplace opening, the thickness of a hearth should be at least 4 inches (102mm). In the UK, Building Regulations state that hearths must be at least 12mm thick when temperatures on the surface of the hearth will not exceed 100 Degrees Celsius.
How far should a fireplace hearth extend?
InterNACHI recommends that for fireplaces that have an opening of 6 square feet (0.56 square meters) or smaller, a hearth should extend at least 16 inches (406mm) out into the room from the opening , and by at least 8 inches (203mm) away from the sides. For fireplaces that have an opening of greater than 6 square feet, the heath should extended at least 20 inches (508mm) out from the fireplace, and at least 12 inches (305mm) to the sides.
What is the floor of a fireplace called?
In some cases the hearth is the floor located outside of the firebox, while the inner floor of the fireplace can sometimes be known as the ‘firebox floor’. The extension of the hearth into the room from the fireplace opening is also referred to as the ‘hearth extension’.
Why do fireplaces extend out into the room?
A fireplace hearth extends out into the room in order to help prevent any soot, ash or burning embers from spilling or spitting out onto the floor of the room.
Why do you need a fire guard on a fireplace?
A hearth’s extension also provides a suitable and flat area for which a fire guard can be placed, in order to protect both users of the fireplace and furniture of the room from any hot embers that are released by the fire, and to help prevent young children and pets from getting near the fire.
