Need Help With Hearth Construction...Anyone Know A Mason On Delmarva?

[fdegree]

OK, here is my problem...I can't find a local mason that wants to work. I have found this quite hard to believe in todays economy, but that is a discussion for another forum.

I want to build a raised hearth. The framing of the hearth is no problem...I can handle that myself. But, I want to finish the raised hearth, and the rear wall, with manufactured stone (environmental stone). Masonry work is not something I have any experience with, so I was going to hire that part out. But, I can't find a mason who wants to even return my calls...I've tried four different masons over the past 2 weeks.

So, this brings me to 2 questions:
1. How difficult is the masonry work and can someone talk me through it in a simplified step-by-step manner?
2. Does anyone know a reputable mason, in the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) area, who would be interested in the project? I live in the little town of Seaford, DE

 

[mellow]

Can you post some pictures of the area your wanting to build it at, might get some comments going.

Masons are a tricky bunch in this area, I will call a friend of mine that is in the business and see if he does hearths.

 

[fdegree]

The computer drawing is the approximate size of what I want to have done.

The photo with the blue tape is where it will be placed within the living room. The dashed line shows the separation of the raised area from the carpet level area...the blue tape on the wall shows the approximate height of the stone on the back wall.

The photo of a finished hearth shows similar material that we want used to finish off our hearth.


Thanks

 

[xman23]

I did corner install as the picture. Mine was a base material was 2" thick, 18" x 18" sand color, stone finish manufactured pavers, and a border of limestone. The back walls are cultured stone (brand) river rock. 5' each side and 5' high with a limestone mantel. My base pavers and walls are put over stucco screening Nailed to the wood fllor and the sheet rock walls. I used a guy the stove store had doing there jobs. I saw some of his work in the store. The few in the store didn't look to good but I thought he had just did them quick. Well mine looked like crap wrong dimension (couldn't see the drawing forgot his glasses) base was not symmetrical layout, he decided to use black grout. He refused to fix it. No way this was staying, I ripped it out (didn't pay for it) The rip out took me 1/2 an hour.

So I drove around and found this type of stone being put up on a builders model house. The job was perfect. The builder gave my the number of the guy. Great guy. His job at my house has gotten him a few more jobs. One other place I would check is with local material supplier, they can hook you up with a stone guy in you area. Just go see there work. If your handy you can do it yourself, not much different than tiling a bathroom floor.

Tom

 

[mellow]

http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Delmarva.Natural.Stone.Company.Inc.Greenwood.DE.302-349-5050

Have you tried calling those guys?

 

[fdegree]

So I drove around and found this type of stone being put up on a builders model house. The job was perfect. The builder gave my the number of the guy. Great guy. His job at my house has gotten him a few more jobs. One other place I would check is with local material supplier, they can hook you up with a stone guy in you area. Just go see there work. If your handy you can do it yourself, not much different than tiling a bathroom floor.

Tom

I appreciate the advice, but...

My brother is a builder and gave the name and number of his mason...no response - apparently he would rather go fishing than work (wouldn't we all :cheese. My sister-in-law works at a brick/stone supplier and gave me the name and number of 2 people she deals with on a regular basis...once again, no response. My neighbor gave me the name and number of a contractor that did an addition to their house. He did answer the phone upon my first call, and he said he would get back with me to schedule a time to look at what I wanted done so he could give me an estimate...never heard from him again.

I'm beginning to think it's me... :red:

 

[fdegree]

http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Delmarva.Natural.Stone.Company.Inc.Greenwood.DE.302-349-5050

Have you tried calling those guys?

No, I had not thought of them. In fact, I know the owners son...where has my head been. Can't hurt to call them.


Thanks

 

[xman23]

I think the problem you may be having is all masons don't do this, hence the no response. My guy got started doing real field stone walls. I think he coincides himself a stone artist. He laid out my irregular shaped stones on the floor, shuffling them for hours until he had the right look. My father"s neighbor had a boy friend / girl friend team do a great looking manufactured stone installation on the outside of the house. She was the artist doing the layout and he the glue up to the wall. The river rock I did does require a good layout to keep the grouting consistent. A friend of mine, who never did this before did the exposed exterior basement wall of his house with something that looks like your picture. It was called a dry stack, no grout. It went up real easy. One tip, since the pieces are stuck to the wall, start at the top and work down, you avoid the mud dropping down on the finished stones. So good luck you will find some one, I'd talk to tile people.

Tom

 

[mellow]

Did you find someone?

 

[fdegree]

Not quite...

I did stop into Delmarva Natural Stone and left them my drawing so they could work up an estimate. After a week and no response, I called them...they said they had not gotten to it yet. Then he said he would come out to my place the following day to look at what I wanted, but if I hadn't heard from him by 11:00 a.m. the following day I should give him a call (which I have a bit of problem with...doing his follow-up for him...but I accommodated him anyway since I didn't have any other choices). So, at 11:30 the following day I called him...he was too busy to come out and he would call me back. He did call back but I was outside cutting grass and missed the call. Still waiting on this guy to call again.

Today, my sister-in-law gave me 2 more names and numbers. I called both today and they both said they were interested and would stop by my place sometime next week to look at everything...we'll see if they follow-up with their promise

I never thought this would be so difficult.

 

[fdegree]

Well, out of 10 people that I contacted, only 3 actually showed up at my house to look at the project. Of those 3, 2 have responded with an estimate. Both are in the same ball park, but more than I had expected.

Since I feel like I need to get this stove installed by the end of the year because of the tax incentive, I have decided to forgo the raised hearth at this time. I am going to pursue the purchase of the stove and everything necessary for the installation...which will include a prefabricated hearth pad. Get it all installed over this summer (utilizing the off-season to get a better deal...I hope). Perhaps we will install the raised hearth next summer...if it fits in our budget then.

 

[mellow]

Can you update this thread, looking at redoing my mantle this summer and curious how you got yours done.

Thanks.

 

[eyefish2]

OK, here is my problem...I can't find a local mason that wants to work. I have found this quite hard to believe in todays economy, but that is a discussion for another forum.

I want to build a raised hearth. The framing of the hearth is no problem...I can handle that myself. But, I want to finish the raised hearth, and the rear wall, with manufactured stone (environmental stone). Masonry work is not something I have any experience with, so I was going to hire that part out. But, I can't find a mason who wants to even return my calls...I've tried four different masons over the past 2 weeks.

So, this brings me to 2 questions:
1. How difficult is the masonry work and can someone talk me through it in a simplified step-by-step manner?
2. Does anyone know a reputable mason, in the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) area, who would be interested in the project? I live in the little town of Seaford, DE

Looks to me, the way you have this layed out 1) you have a"drawing" - you took the time to do it AND 2) you have it layed out with tape what you want AND 3) you can build the hearth base - do the framing. Looks like you are the man for the job. It seems to me you have the brain to get it done and the detail to get it done right. Just a matter of determining the proper steps and proper materials AND do you have the time to figure this out and want to do it. From my personal experience, I built a tile hearth pad last fall (easy compared to your project). It was a matter talking to people who had done this type of work and getting some confidence that I could do it as well. In the end, I have a hearth pad that I am proud I built and looks as good as other tile work I have looked at. I also saved several hundred dollars. Wish you luck on getting this job done. Either yourself or a finding a mason.

 

[fdegree]

Can you update this thread, looking at redoing my mantle this summer and curious how you got yours done.

Thanks.

Actually I was quite fortunate in not finding a mason...if I had found a mason, I would have had that hearth built. Well it turns out my stove can't go in that location due to the intersection of 2 roofs just above there...we originally thought we would clear this intersection, but when the installer came and looked at it, he determined it was not going to work without elbows and offsets in the pipe. So, we changed our minds and move the stove to a different location in the living room.

To save money, we decided to go with a hearth pad for now, and thought we might build the actual hearth later on. But, we kind of like the setup we have with the hearth pad, so we may never actually build the hearth.

I'll send you a PM with some information that might help.

 

[DanCorcoran]

"If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with"!

 

[madison]

Pics of what you were previously thinking of doing in my sig link below. Little late to the thread... Link to stone mason's (broken link removed to http://www.stonefoundation.org/membersusa.html)

 

[fdegree]

Pics of what you were previously thinking of doing in my sig link below. Little late to the thread... Link to stone mason's (broken link removed to http://www.stonefoundation.org/membersusa.html)

That is a beautiful hearth..I really like the nonuniform lines. This picture should be in some company brochure.

Thanks for the link to the stone masons...I had found that site before, but there are none listed anywhere close to my area.

Oh well, it all worked out in the end...I'm quite content with what I have right now anyway.