Hearth repair specialists for Rio Grande Park fireplaces

A crack that runs across several tiles

A crack that jumps from tile to tile in a straight or stepped line usually follows something underneath, such as a crack in the slab, a joint between two pours or a change in support. Tile seldom breaks in a line on its own.

We trace that line to its source before choosing a repair. Replacing the tiles along it without dealing with the base produces a neat hearth that shows the same line again later. The estimate explains what we found and what each option addresses.

• A crack in the slab below
• A joint between two concrete pours
• A change in support under the hearth
• Movement at the firebox seam

Cracks in a poured concrete hearth

A poured concrete hearth, bare or stained, can develop shrinkage cracks early on and structural cracks later. The first kind usually stays fine and narrow. The second kind widens, steps or comes with a height change across the crack.

We read the crack before treating it. A narrow, stable crack can be cleaned and filled to match the surface. A crack with movement or a height change sends the job back to the support question, and the estimate shows both options when both are possible.

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

Fire tools and grates that chip the hearth

Pokers, shovels and log grabbers get dropped. A heavy grate slid across the opening drags on the edge where the firebox floor meets the extension. Over a few seasons those small impacts add up to chipped glaze and cracked edge pieces.

We repair the damaged pieces and suggest simple changes, such as a tool stand placed off the edge and a pad under the log carrier, that keep the new finish looking new.