Loose tiles and cracked hearths fixed in Union Park

How far the extension reaches in front and to the sides

Section R1001.10 sets the size. A hearth extension reaches at least 16 inches in front of the fireplace opening and at least 8 inches beyond each side of it. Those figures apply to openings smaller than 6 square feet.

We measure your existing extension against the opening, then mark where it meets or misses the rule. A hearth that looks generous can still be short at one side, and a narrow apron often explains why floor finishes near the fireplace carry heat marks.

When the whole hearth finish should be replaced

Replacing the whole finish makes sense when many tiles are hollow, the matching tile is gone, or the extension has to grow to meet the size rule anyway. It also gives a chance to rebuild any layers the original job left out.

Full replacement is a bigger scope and a bigger visual change, so we only suggest it with a reason. The estimate lists removal, base preparation, the new finish, the edges and trim, and any flooring that has to be adjusted around the new extension.

• Removal and disposal
• Base preparation or rebuild
• New finish and setting materials
• Edges, trim and floor transitions

Small burn pits on the hearth surface

Tiny dark pits or glaze burns on a tiled hearth usually mark where embers landed and cooled. On many finishes they are cosmetic, and they show the extension doing its job.

Where the marks bother you, individual tiles can be replaced. If burn marks sit right at the outer edge of the extension, we also check whether it reaches far enough, since that edge should be well clear of where embers come to rest.

Hearths in front of corner fireplaces

A corner fireplace throws its heat and sparks at an angle, and its hearth is often cut at angles to match. Those angles make it easy for one side of the extension to stop short of the distance past the opening that the code asks for.

We measure along each side of the opening as well as straight out from the center. Where one side falls short, we show how the extension can be reshaped so both sides meet the rule and the hearth still sits comfortably in the corner.