Need Hearth Replacement Tiles

[bboulier]

I need to replace about 9 cracked hearth tiles. A picture is shown below. The tiles are 4"x4". I live in Northern Virginia. Any suggestions about where we might be able to replacement tiles would be gratefully appreciated.

 

[KaptJaq]

They are not as popular as they were in the mid '50s when I guess your hearth was done. Any good tile shop should be able to order them for you. One source for brick red is:

http://www.mexicantileandstone.com/gallery.php?level=picture&id=5535

A number of places sell via amazon but it is hard to tell the color...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030H1HMU...e=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B0030H1HMU

 

[begreen]

Getting an exact match online is going to be a challenge. Instead I would chisel out one of the broken tiles and bring it into some local tile shops. A good one should be able to locate a close match. You might also want to log on to the www.johnbridge.com. It's a great tile site with a forum that may be able to help you.

 

[bag of hammers]

Another idea might be (depending on the "pattern" of busted tiles) to break out a couple more in addition to the broken, and replace with something different - a contrast - e.g. maybe a few dark (charcoal) slate tiles, same size or cut to size, random pattern? That may be a really dumb idea, or maybe a great chance to get a bit creative with a hearth update...? Just a thought...

EDIT - +1 on begreen's suggestion re: John Bridge. Just built a kerdi shower from scratch with their help. Great site.....

 

[Village Idiot]

In my area of NoVa (Vienna), houses are being torn down left and right. Most were built in the 50's and have the same hearth tiles. You could go to any house that is being prepped for demolition and see if the owner/builder will let you go in and rescue some tiles.

Before we had our house demolished, we listed it on Craigslist and had a couple of "Open House" Saturdays. People came by and ripped out all kinds of stuff. We even had someone come and pay us for the oak flooring which they ripped out over a few days. Ultimately we made a couple of thousand off the whole deal. Not bad for something that was going to be trashed.

 

[bag of hammers]

Ultimately we made a couple of thousand off the whole deal. Not bad for something that was going to be trashed.

Villiage Idiot? LOL - great handle, and what a great idea...

 

[bboulier]

In my area of NoVa (Vienna), houses are being torn down left and right. Most were built in the 50's and have the same hearth tiles. You could go to any house that is being prepped for demolition and see if the owner/builder will let you go in and rescue some tiles.

VI thanks for the suggestion. We also live in Vienna, so I know the housing market. (As an aside, I am guessing that you also a Big Green Egg cook. Am I right?) I think we will also try the advice that we take a tile down to a local tile shop to see if they can be matched.

 

[Village Idiot]

Bryan, I have only admired BGEs from afar. I do have a big smoker though. If I tie them up right, I can fit 16 chickens in it. When I smoke I always do a full dozen and sell the extras to my friends.

Last year I took one to my new neighbors as a welcome to the neighborhood gift. They shyly asked what all the people going in and out of my house with pots and pans were doing. Once I explained they were getting chickens I could see they were relieved. They must have been thinking I was running a crack house or something.

 

[bboulier]

Bryan, I have only admired BGEs from afar. I do have a big smoker though. If I tie them up right, I can fit 16 chickens in it. When I smoke I always do a full dozen and sell the extras to my friends.

Last year I took one to my new neighbors as a welcome to the neighborhood gift. They shyly asked what all the people going in and out of my house with pots and pans were doing. Once I explained they were getting chickens I could see they were relieved. They must have been thinking I was running a crack house or something.

I inquired because there is someone with the same handle on the BGE forum. I thought it might be you. In my mind, firewood and smoking meat go together well.

 

[Peak and Pine]

They are not as popular as they were in the mid '50s when I guess your hearth was done.

Huh? Not getting that. You mean the tiles themselves, or the color or the size or what? What is pictured has never gone out of style. However, to the OP, as well-meaning as the suggestions heretofore have been, you're not going to find an exact match by spooking around demolished houses or Craig's List. You wouldn't find an exact match if you'd originally bought them at Lowe's and went back 6 months later to get more. Different batches, different times, etc. This, on the other hand is a great suggestion (hats off to you Bag o' Hammers):

Another idea might be (depending on the "pattern" of busted tiles) to break out a couple more in addition to the broken, and replace with something different - a contrast - e.g. maybe a few dark (charcoal) slate tiles, same size or cut to size, random pattern? That may be a really dumb idea, or maybe a great chance to get a bit creative with a hearth update...? Just a thought...

From your posted pix the cracked tiles are all at the edge. If the unseen ones are likewise, you could re-do the entire border. I'm partial to blue.

 

[fishingpol]

I had those tiles on my hearth and a few of them cracked as well as the mortar joints. They are commonly referred to as red quarry tile. I had a very hard time taking them out and broke almost every one with a sledgehammer to remove them. I also rebuilt the subfloor as time caused the wood to shrink and dry out causing deflection issues. Stand on the tiles and see if there is any movement, if so they will probably crack again. I hope it does not turn out to be a major tear out job for you. Good luck.