Local hearth repair for Lake Copeland homes

How thick a masonry hearth has to be

Section R1001.9.1 of the state's residential building code sets the minimum thickness of a masonry fireplace hearth at 4 inches. That is the solid floor under the fire, built of concrete or masonry and carried on noncombustible support.

Thickness matters on a repair because an old hearth is sometimes chipped down, ground flat or patched over the years. When we open a damaged area, we look at what remains under the finish and tell you whether the base still has the depth the code expects, or whether it has to be built back up before anything decorative goes on top.

Missing or crumbling grout on a tiled hearth

Grout locks tiles together and keeps ash and debris out of the bed. Once it cracks and falls out, tiles move independently, edges chip and the hollow spots spread.

If the tiles are still firmly set, the fix is to rake out the damaged grout and regrout with a product suited to the location, matched to the existing color as closely as practical. If tiles are loose too, we reset those first. You see the difference between the two scopes in writing.

• Damaged grout raked out
• Loose tiles reset first
• Grout color matched as closely as practical
• Sealer applied where the material calls for it

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.

Waiting before the first fire after a repair

Setting beds, mortar and grout need time to cure before they meet heat. Each product's maker publishes its own curing directions, and a fire lit too soon can crack fresh work.

We tell you when the fireplace can be used again, based on the materials used, and write it on your invoice. If you need the fireplace by a certain date, mention it at booking so the schedule leaves room for the cure.

• Setting bed cure
• Grout cure
• Sealer cure on natural stone
• The date written on your invoice