Hearth repair specialists for Lake Fairview fireplaces

The insulating layer some manuals require

Some factory-built fireplace manuals ask for more than a noncombustible surface. One maker specifies a layer of noncombustible, inorganic material with a stated thermal conductivity under the finish, and shows how to work out the thickness needed from the rating of the material chosen.

That layer is easy to lose in a remodel because it hides under the tile. When we replace the finish on a hearth like this, we confirm what the manual requires underneath and rebuild the layers in order, so the new surface keeps the protection the original design had.

• A noncombustible, inorganic insulating layer
• Thickness worked out from its rating
• The finish laid over it in order

Heat marks on the floor beyond the hearth

Discolored wood, shrunken vinyl or a scorched rug just past the hearth edge tell a story. Heat or embers are reaching further than the extension covers.

We compare the marks with the measured extension and the opening size. The answer may be a larger extension, a change in how the screen or doors are used, or both. You get a written explanation of the cause before any repair is proposed.

• Discolored or cupped wood
• Shrunken or softened vinyl
• Scorched rug fibers
• Marks right at the hearth edge

Cracks after furniture or a heavy load

A dropped television, a slid piano or a moved cabinet can crack hearth tile in a single moment. Impact cracks usually radiate from one point, which makes them easy to tell apart from cracks caused by the base.

Impact damage over a solid base is usually a tile replacement. We still check the base under the point of impact, because a hard enough blow can crack the bed too, and it is better to find that before the new tile goes down.

Brick hearths laid in patterns

Brick hearths are laid in running bond, herringbone, basketweave and other patterns. A repair has to follow the same pattern, joint width and brick size, or the patch reads from across the room.

We record the pattern and the joint profile before lifting anything, then relay the units the same way. If replacement brick is needed, we look for size and color first, then texture, and show you the choice before it goes in.

• Running bond
• Herringbone
• Basketweave
• Stack bond and borders