Hearth repair specialists for Lake Mann Gardens fireplaces

Inner hearth and hearth extension are two different floors

The inner hearth is the floor of the firebox itself, where the fire sits. The hearth extension starts at the opening and reaches into the room. They are built from different materials and fail for different reasons, so we name which one is damaged before writing a scope.

Cracked firebrick on the firebox floor belongs with firebox repair, since that floor takes direct flame. Loose tile, a cracked slab or a short apron in front of the opening is hearth repair. When both need work, the estimate lists them as separate lines so you can see what each part of the job fixes.

Hearths that are used as a seat or a step

A raised hearth often doubles as a seat, or as a step up to the mantel shelf. That use puts concentrated weight on the edge, which is exactly where thin tops and unsupported corners crack.

The residential code expects hearths to be reinforced to carry their own weight and all imposed loads. When we rebuild a hearth the family sits on, we plan the support for that use and tell you what the finished edge is built to take.

Telling soot stains from real cracks

Soot and ash settle into fine surface lines, and a dirty hearth can look cracked when it is only stained. The reverse also happens, with grime hiding an open crack or a hollow tile.

We clean a test area before judging the hearth, then tap and check the finish. You get a repair list for real damage and simple cleaning advice for the marks that wash away.

• Test area cleaned first
• Tiles tapped and checked
• Real damage on the repair list
• Cleaning advice for marks that wash away

Edge profiles for households with small children

Square hearth corners can sit near the height of a small child's head, and many families ask for rounded edge pieces or a softer profile when a hearth is repaired.

We can fit bullnose or eased edge pieces where the chosen material allows, and we point out when a change in edge shape affects the height or size of the extension. The protection comes first, and the profile is chosen within it.

• Bullnose edge pieces
• Eased corners
• Extension size kept intact