Loose tiles and cracked hearths fixed in East Park

Keeping a hearth extension from sliding

A hearth built as a panel or from loose units on top of the floor can creep away from the fireplace over time. One maker's instructions call for a means to prevent the hearth extension from shifting, together with the sealed gap at the fireplace front.

Movement shows up as a widening joint at the firebox edge or a finish sitting off square. We find what lets it move, secure it and reset the edge so the extension stays tight against the fireplace.

When the front edge of the hearth drops

A hearth extension whose front edge has sunk below the floor, or tipped away from the fireplace, has lost support somewhere. The finish often cracks along the line where the slab bends.

Our specialists check whether the drop is still moving, how far it reaches and what carries the slab. Depending on the answer, the fix may be to re-support and reset the existing extension or to remove it and build a new one on proper noncombustible support.

• Whether the drop is still moving
• How far along the edge it runs
• What carries the slab underneath
• Whether re-support or a rebuild fits

Firewood and kindling kept on the hearth

The hearth extension looks like a natural place to stack logs and kindling. Fireplace manuals warn against placing clothing and other flammable materials on or near the appliance, and a pile of dry wood beside the opening falls into that category.

Wood kept on the extension also chips its edges and scratches its finish. We suggest keeping the protected area clear, with a rack set back from the hearth, and we repair any tiles the stacking has broken.

Hot ashes and the hearth finish

Ash shoveled out of the firebox can hold hot cinders after the fire looks finished. One maker's manual has owners carry ashes out in a lidded metal container that closes tightly, and set it down on the ground or a noncombustible floor, far from anything that can burn.

A bucket on the hearth sits on a noncombustible surface, though its heat can still mark some finishes. If an ash container has left rings or cracks, we include those tiles in the repair and suggest a spot for the bucket that the finish can take.