Hearth tile and stone repair in Spring Isle

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

A hearth rug is an extra layer on top of the hearth

Fire-resistant hearth rugs sit on a hearth or on the floor in front of it. They catch ash and small sparks, yet the code's size rule is written for the hearth extension itself, built of noncombustible material on noncombustible support.

If a rug is covering a short or damaged extension, we recommend repairing the extension and treating the rug as an extra. We point out, too, when a rug is hiding cracks that belong on the repair list.

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

Brick hearths laid in patterns

Brick hearths are laid in running bond, herringbone, basketweave and other patterns. A repair has to follow the same pattern, joint width and brick size, or the patch reads from across the room.

We record the pattern and the joint profile before lifting anything, then relay the units the same way. If replacement brick is needed, we look for size and color first, then texture, and show you the choice before it goes in.

• Running bond
• Herringbone
• Basketweave
• Stack bond and borders