Fireplace hearth repair by local pros in Sand Lake Hills

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.

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

Damage that only shows once the finish is off

Some hearth problems stay hidden until the tile comes up, such as a cracked slab, an old patch, wood left under the base or a void where support has washed out.

We tell you before starting which findings would change the job, and we stop to show you if one appears. Nothing is added to the work without your approval, and the revised scope and price are written down first.

• A cracked slab under sound tile
• An old patch in the base
• Wood left under the hearth
• A void where support washed out

Choosing between a patch and a rebuild

A patch is quick and keeps most of the existing hearth. A rebuild takes longer and costs more, and it resets the base, the size and the finish together.

The right choice depends on what failed. We put both options side by side when both are reasonable, with what each one fixes and what each one leaves as it is. You decide with the facts on paper.

• What each option fixes
• What each option leaves as it is
• How long each one takes
• How each will look when finished