Making Hearth Level - Advice

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Al1981

New Member
Dec 4, 2021
1
Bath
Hi,


Hi, I'm looking to install my wood burner in a fireplace where once a gas fire lived.

I’m getting to fire breast plastered and made good whilst also fitting some fireboard within the firebox. One area I’m looking for advice on is the hearth.

To make sure I meet above stove clearance regulations, I’m having to keep the hearths thickness slim. I looking at levelling off the area and tiling.

I’ve attached a couple of photos to show you what the situation is, now I have removed the old hearth.

The original T shaped hearth sat on, at the front, floorboards (pink) and a thick concrete/stone slab (green) and at the back, some think bricks (red) and some large old 20mm+ tiles (not shown) which in turn sat on what seems to be, a think layer of grit, small rocks and course sand stuff (yellow).

There is a difference of about 7mm between the top of the bricks (that aren't not perfectly flat) and the flat surface of the concrete/stone slab & floorboards.

Does anyone have a suggestion on how they’re level this, bearing in mind i need to keep the eventual hearth thickness to a minimum. Ideally, i'd shave the bricks down to the level of the slab/floorboards but imagine that could be tricky, even though it doesn’t have to be perfect as I’m going to eventually covering it all with tiles.

Sorry for the long post. If you are still with me, any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Fireplace 2.jpeg Fireplace 3.jpeg Fireplace 1.jpeg