As the title says, I am building on to my hearth to have it meet code, as it is now it extends out 12.5", I just.bought.some 19x20 hearth stones I will be setting for the new hearth. I knocked the clay tile off of it last weekend and theres a pretty level bed of mortar there now that the tiles were on (hearth is brick). My question is can I frame in the extention butting cement backer board flush with the exisiting mortar, tape the seam and be able to lay the stone on tppe without having to worry about cracking of the mortar or do I need to cover the entire hearth with the backer board? Reason for.asking is if I have to do the latter I will have to make everything set higher and I habe minimal clearance in the Firefox for my insert, thanks.
Building on to hearth
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semipro
Minister of Fire
If you butt the board flush with the old hearth I'd think cracking of the new stones would be much more likely at the transition point. Perhaps if you stones are thicker this won't be an issue.
If you' re using thinner stones I think it would be worth installing the backer across the top of the whole hearth to prevent cracking at the transition.
It also depends upon how sturdy the structure for the extension is. Is it on top of a floor that deflects when you walk on it? Is it on top of a slap on grade. If the latter, cracking is much less likely to occur.
If you' re using thinner stones I think it would be worth installing the backer across the top of the whole hearth to prevent cracking at the transition.
It also depends upon how sturdy the structure for the extension is. Is it on top of a floor that deflects when you walk on it? Is it on top of a slap on grade. If the latter, cracking is much less likely to occur.
Its on top of ply subfloor. The stone is srounf 1 3/4". I hadn't thpugjt of the stone cracking, just the mortar between the stone along the seem
semipro
Minister of Fire
Given that stone thickness I think you're right; the mortar joint would probably break before the stone would.
Given the wooden subfloor under the extension I wouldn't consider butting the backer to the front of the old hearth.
How deep is the extension you're planning? Could you possibly cantilever the new stones with an overhand so the attachment to the floor is unneeded?
Idk about how it would look without some sort of an extention. I will be making the extention put of 3/4 subfloor and ,2x4s to ensure sturdiness. The extention itself will only be about 6 inches that way I can use the whole hearth stone and have a little over hang on the front and sides
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