Hearth extension repair done right in Ocoee

Hearths in front of factory-built fireplaces follow the listing

A factory-built fireplace plays by different rules. Section R1004.2 says its hearth extension is installed in accordance with the listing of the fireplace, so the manual that came with the unit sets the size and the materials.

One maker's wood-burning model, for example, calls for an extension reaching at least 20 inches in front of the opening and 12 inches beyond each side, and another model can differ. We find the model on its rating plate before measuring, so the repair follows the right document.

• Model found on the rating plate
• Manual read for hearth size and layers
• Repair matched to that document

A crack through a single stone hearth slab

A one-piece stone hearth can crack from a point load, a dropped log or movement under the slab. Once it cracks, the two pieces may stay flush or begin to rock against each other.

A tight crack in a well-supported slab can often be filled and left in place. A crack with movement means the slab has to be lifted and re-bedded, or replaced if the break left pieces too small to trust. We explain the choice with the slab in front of us.

• A tight, stable crack filled in place
• A moving crack lifted and re-bedded
• A badly broken slab replaced

A hearth that cracked again after an earlier repair

When a hearth cracks in the same place after a repair, the earlier work treated the symptom. The cause usually lies beneath the finish, in movement of the base, a joint in the slab or a support nobody checked.

Bring whatever you know about the earlier job to the free inspection. We look past the finish, explain why the crack came back and write a scope that deals with the cause, so this repair does not become one more in a series.

Reinforcement in a rebuilt hearth extension

Section R1001.9 requires hearths and extensions to be reinforced to carry their own weight and all imposed loads. On a rebuild, that reinforcement is designed into the new slab from the start.

We describe the base construction on the estimate, including its support and reinforcement, so you know the new extension is built as a structural part of the fireplace and more than a decorative pad.

• Noncombustible support under the slab
• Reinforcement for its own weight
• Capacity for the loads it will carry