Fireplace hearth repair by local pros in Moss Park

Where wood flooring may meet the hearth

Wood flooring and trim may run up to the edge of a masonry fireplace's hearth extension under an exception in section R1001.11, provided that material stays 12 inches or more from the inner face of the closest firebox lining.

That distance matters after a flooring job. If new planks were pushed tight against a short extension, the edge of the floor can end up closer to the firebox than the exception allows. We check that measurement whenever a hearth repair meets new flooring.

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.

Tile found laid over plywood

Some hearth extensions turn out, once the old tile comes up, to be thin tile set on plywood or particleboard. The finish looked like a hearth, while the material under it can burn.

The code expects hearths and extensions of concrete or masonry on noncombustible support. When we find wood under a hearth finish, we stop, show you and price a proper extension. Tiling over that wood again is off the table.

• Work stopped when wood is found
• The finding shown to you
• A proper extension priced on noncombustible support

New tile glued over an old cracked hearth

One quick fix seen on hearths is new tile glued straight over old cracked tile. It hides the damage for a while, adds height at the edge and usually cracks along the old lines once the base moves again.

We remove overlays instead of adding another one. With the original surface exposed, we can see what failed and repair it properly, and the finished hearth ends at a sensible height instead of stacking layers.