Hearth for Solid Fuel Fire

arroli

I have opted for a solid fuel open fire installation and have surround and cast iron insert..now debating best type of hearth..this has to be slabbed and joined for solid fuel heat,( so not one piece of granite.)

I am wondering if its possible to use quarry tiles for this, laid on a concrete bed....would I need special heat resistant tiles? Sellers on ebay sell thick quarry tiles, seem better quality than Wickes etc.

Any advice welcome..thank you

rustyboy21

Quarry tiles will be fine, as long as you bed them on a decent thickness of concrete.

Go 18'' or more out from the front of your cast insert.

They may mark more than other materials with moving the ash pan cover all the time to empty the ash pan, but if you can live with this, then there is no issues really. If you can get glazed they will mark a little less, but still mark unless you are very gentle. Black will show scratches a bit more.

Ceramic tiles can also be used if you want, many hearths are made up of them. Just keep away from Blues ( cobalt blue) and victorian greens. The acid in soot will make them blotchy, you may also have a bit of crazing on them after a while, but that just makes them nicer and more in keeping with the fireplace in my opinion.

You could also go with the cheapest option of a couple of paving flags, nothing stopping you really, they are not combustable

munchings-n-crunchings

Slate always makes a nice looking hearth, and being a natural product is perfect for this purpose. The bed of a snooker table is perfect if you can find one being scrapped. Another similar product, is Indian Stone. You can get it in a colour called Kotah Black, and resembles slate.
York stone would be another option.
Natural stone product are more timeless than ceramic options.

You can get Victorian quarry tiles in various thicknesses, and sizes, and are nothing like the modern ones. I've just check ones I have, and they are 1.75 inches thick, and then 6x6, 7x7, 8x8. So think about the final appearence you would be going for.

Regards
Munchie

Gloomendoom

Lots of info on hearth construction here...

Building Regulations Part J

If you can find it.

arroli

Thanks everyone for your advice and help. I have opted for a 96mm black quarry tile from 20th Century Fires. They sell heat resistant tiles, but then again I expect most quarry tiles are this.

Most other small tiles I found were 150mm, so these will be fine.

rustyboy21

I haven't heard of them for years, used to deal with them for their Art deco fireplaces.

Thanks for that, will have to make a visit to them and get some of their tiled fireplaces in my showroom, Unique and when you get someone in who likes them, they cannot be persuaded not to. Not to everyones taste, but I love them.

Your tile choice should be fine. I think you can clean them with linseed oil if they get dirty. If you can get a hearth plate for under the ashpan cover, then it will protect them a bit more.