Cracked hearths repaired and rebuilt in Pershing

Finding tile that matches an older hearth

The hardest part of many hearth repairs is the match. Tile lines are discontinued, glazes change and even the same product shifts shade between batches.

We start by asking whether spare tiles were left from the original job, since leftovers in an attic or garage often solve the problem. Without them, we show you the closest available options, or suggest a deliberate contrast such as a border that makes the repair look planned.

• Leftover tiles from the original job
• The closest tile available today
• A planned border or contrast band
• A full new finish when nothing fits

The ash dump door in the hearth floor

Some masonry fireplaces have an ash dump, a small cast-iron door in the inner hearth that drops ashes into a chamber below. Its frame can loosen in the masonry, and the door can warp, rust or go missing.

A loose or missing ash dump door leaves an opening into that chamber. We reset or replace the frame and door with a fitting unit and seal it into the hearth floor. If you no longer use the ash dump, we can discuss closing it properly as part of the work.

• Frame reset or replaced
• Door replaced with a fitting unit
• Sealed into the hearth floor
• Closed off if you no longer use it

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

Why a flush hearth needs its full extension

A fireplace whose firebox floor sits at the height of the room floor has nothing to stop a rolling log or a spray of embers. The hearth extension in front of it is the only barrier between the fire and the floor.

That is why the code keeps the full thickness rule for flush fireplaces, and why we measure their extensions closely. If a flush hearth is short or thin, we treat it as a priority item on the estimate.