Fireplace Footprint Tile Question

[halo2jak]

I bought this 1926 craftsman style home a year ago, and I just made it to the living room as far as the remodel goes. I tore up the old hardwood floor, due to animal stains all over the place, and I have 1" x 5" x 3/4" planks underneath. I was redoing the hardwood floors with 3/4" x 2 1/4" prefinished cherry oak. And there is a nice fireplace in the living room, that had built in cabinets on each side of the fireplace, but I had to remove the cabinets to rip up the piss stained floor underneath, and will be re-installing the cabinets after I redo the hardwood floor.

Here's what I want to accomplish. The fireplace has 1/2" thick brick pieces around the floor in front of the fireplace. They aren't secured down anymore, they are all loose. Underneath them looks like a concrete bed. I was wanting to splurge and buy some nice black Granite, because the area is so small, I won't break the bank buying expensive tile. I don't have an Insert installed at the moment, but I was going to get one probably within the next couple years. How deep should I expand my existing footprint so I can be safe to buy any option of insert for my fireplace in the future? The dimensions of the footprint are 72" x 19.5".

As of now, my fireplace is unusable (That's what a fireplace cleaning company told me). Apparently he said that when they put the fireplace in when the house was built, they didn't put the heating tiles or fire bricks all the way down in the fireplace, or some BS like that. Then he told me it was going to cost $3500 for a new insert installed. What I don't get, is that there were ashes in it when we moved here, and this house is 84 years old, so obviously the fireplace has worked for the other people that lived here for a long time. Also, thanks for your input, I really appreciate it!

 

[begreen]

Listen to the chimney sweep. If this is an unlined chimney it is a time bomb. Mortar cracks will have developed over time in which creosote can accumulate. Also, if there is wood contact, pyrolysis can occur eventually lowering the combustion point for the wood.

Does his estimate include the insert? If yes, it is within the ballpark for an average install.

The depth of the hearth depends on how far the stove projects onto the hearth. It needs to have 16-18" extension in front of the insert's door. How deep was the original? If about 24" it should cover most inserts.

 

[halo2jak]

Ok, sounds good. How big should I make the Footprint in front of the fireplace since I have the hardwood floor ripped up? Should I make it 30"-36" deep? I'm going to tear up the brick on the floor and put Black Marble tile down with white swirls in it. Will 30-36 inches deep for the footprint give me plenty of room for an insert that I will have installed later in the future?

 

[firefighterjake]

Just one comment here . . . if your fireplace does not have tile or a liner it really has a serious issue . . . and this should be repaired. Sure, it may have been like that for 80+ years, but all it takes is one errant spark and what was there is no more . . . I mean . . . I may not wear a seatbelt while driving (although for the record I do) and I could go years without having any issues, but the one time I get in an accident and end up getting ejected through the windshield . . . well hopefully you get my point. Just because you go for a long time with no issues or repercussions does not make something safe. I would suggest getting it fixed before using the flue.

 

[halo2jak]

Yeah, I'm going to get it fixed before I use it, for now I will use the furnace to heat the house. But, I'm finishing my living room this weekend, and I was wanting to expand the existing footprint (72" x 19.5") to something more deep than just 19.5". I'm replacing the brick footprint with marble tile. How deep should I make it to accomodate ANY wood insert that I will have installed in the future?. Is a 30"-36" deep footprint plenty?

 

[fossil]

If you're talking about coming out 30"-36" from the front face of the existing brick structure (the opening of the fireplace), then the answer is a definite yes...that's plenty of "footprint" for any insert you might install. If you're measuring from the back inside wall of the existing fireplace, then we need to know how deep the fireplace is from the front wall. Rick

 

[thechimneysweep]

Maybe if the insert owners and dealers post the biggest hearth requirement for the model(s) they own or carry, we'll get a one-size-fits-all number.

The most-protruding insert model we carry, the Hearthsone Clydesdale, extends 11" onto the hearth and requires 16" of floor protection in front, so you'd need a total hearth depth of 27" in front of the existing fireplace facia.

Anybody have or sell an insert that needs more than 27"?

 

[halo2jak]

Ok, inside the fireplace from the back to the Opening in the front of the fireplace is 25" deep, and it's 20" wide at the back of the fireplace, and 30" wide at the front of the fireplace opening, making a trapezoidal shape inside the fireplace. Oh, and it's 26" high in the front opening of the fireplace, Any suggestions on what type of woodburning insert would be good for my fireplace?

 

[Got Wood]

You may want to consider riping out the whole old fire place unit and replacing with a zero clearance FP. I'm not well versed in cost but probably safe to say it would be more expensive, but also will likely look and work better (thats probably opinion vs fact). I made this choice when I installed the FPX 44. The insert option I saw didnt thrill me.

 

[begreen]

Ok, inside the fireplace from the back to the Opening in the front of the fireplace is 25" deep, and it's 20" wide at the back of the fireplace, and 30" wide at the front of the fireplace opening, making a trapezoidal shape inside the fireplace. Oh, and it's 26" high in the front opening of the fireplace, Any suggestions on what type of woodburning insert would be good for my fireplace?

There is a panoply of inserts to choose from. Give us a bit more info on the room where the fireplace is located, house size and the goals for this insert. Budget would help too.