Fireplace Questions

nicks43skr

Hi,

Myself and my girlfriend recently opened up the fireplace on our 1930's house.

We intend to use this as an open fire to begin, and perhaps install a woodburner later.

A sweep has confirmed the chimney is sound.

At present, the base of the firebox is rough hardcore - I intend to patch this with sand and cement , and then pour in self levelling floor screed, to include the external hearth (300mm projection on the front), to a depth of around 30-40mm.

I will then tile this using some slate tiles, with a thickness of 10-15mm.

I have raked out the mortar from the bricks inside the firebox and re-mortared with a standard mix bag of sand a cement from a DIY store.


I will then stand a grate on the tiles in the firebox and use as an open fire.

Does this all sound satisfacrtory?

I've read about fire cement, but really not sure how and where this is applied.

Thank you.

suisidevw

Yes, sounds fine. You don't even need self levelling screed. Just use a sloppier mix of mortar and tamp it out to make level prior to tiling. What sort of fire are you putting in? If it's only a basket, the above is absolutely fine, if you're putting in a fireplace, there is more work involved, which I can give you some info on and pictures...

nicks43skr

Hi,

At present, we're going to use a standard grate standing on the tiles - in future we're intending to put in a woodburner.

I just wanted to use the self leveller to get a good finish!.

Is using standard mortar ok in the fire-box? i'm just worried about the integrity of this.

Thank you.

suisidevw

In the firebox? What do you mean by this? Any pics? You will be able to self level a sloppy mortar very easily with a piece of wood ready to tile. This will then be suitable for the woodburner too when you put that in. What about behind the fire? Do you have open brickwork? Are you getting it rendered?

nicks43skr

Hi,

No the "back wall" and "side walls" of the inside of the fireplace has exposed bricks - I have repointed them with standard sand and cement.

I was intending to keep these exposed.

I can send a pic, but not sure how!

Thank you.

suisidevw

That sounds all fine then, I have my hearth laid on 'normal' mortar as a 3-1 mix and pointed a little weaker, all is great on both my stove and my open fire.

nicks43skr

That's good to know - thank you.

Do you think a 10-15mm slate tile, suitably bedded on a 30mm deep screed, would be sufficienct to sit beneath a grate and accomodate a woodburner in the future?

suisidevw

What's under the screed? A concrete constructional hearth>

nicks43skr

At present it's got a base of hardcore.

To the outside of the fireplace (300mm wide) is a concrete slab flush with floorboards

suisidevw

Lovely. Good luck and enjoy!

nicks43skr

Thank you.