Hearth tile and stone repair in Engelwood Park

What sits under the hearth matters as much as the tile

Section R1001.9 has hearths and hearth extensions built of concrete or masonry, resting on noncombustible supports, with reinforcement for their own weight plus every load placed on them. The support keeps a heavy slab from settling and keeps heat away from the structure below.

A finish repair over weak support tends to crack again along the same line. When a crack pattern points to the base, we open enough of the hearth to see it and give you the support repair and the surface repair as two separate prices.

Slate hearth tiles that flake or split

Slate splits in layers, and on a hearth those layers can begin to lift at the edges of a tile. A flaking surface catches ash, looks worn and gets worse under foot traffic.

Light flaking can sometimes be trimmed back and sealed. Tiles coming apart deeper are replaced. Because slate varies from lot to lot, we discuss color and thickness before ordering, so the new tiles sit flush with the old ones.

• Light flaking trimmed and sealed
• Deeper splits replaced
• New tiles matched for color and thickness

When the firebox floor needs work too

Cracked firebrick in the floor of the firebox, loose units at the back of the opening or open joints in the firebox walls often appear alongside hearth damage.

Those items belong with firebox repair and are written as their own lines. Doing both in one visit can save time, and keeping them separate on the estimate lets you see what each part of the fireplace needs.

• Cracked firebrick in the firebox floor
• Loose units at the back of the opening
• Open joints in the firebox walls

How visible a hearth repair will be

Every repair on an older hearth shows a little. New tile is cleaner, new grout is brighter and replacement stone rarely carries the exact same veining.

We tell you before the work how visible the repair is likely to be, and offer options when you want it less noticeable, such as a wider replacement or a planned contrast. There are no surprises when the drop cloths come up.

• New tile looks cleaner
• Fresh grout looks brighter
• Stone veining seldom repeats
• A wider replacement or a planned contrast as options