Hi,
Bear with me; I have no idea what I'm talking about. But I'll try to be as descriptive as possible. I've just moved into a new home with a fireplace. A wood-burning insert was removed, and I'm using the fireplace just fine. But the hearth extension, such as it is, is not to code. (Needless to say, I've got a heavy screen and am very careful.)
Here's what I've got: The firebox is 34.5"W x 30"H and sits 16.5" off the floor. The fireplace itself is 89" wide. The existing "hearth extension" runs the full 89" length, but sticks out only 4" from the fireplace opening. It is a 2.5" thick piece of bluestone. The entire fireplace is covered with mortar and bluestone.
I'd like to have a hearth extension that extends out enough, ideally, to meet code, but at least provides some protection from stuff flying out of the firebox and onto the floor. A nice place to sit would be an added bonus. I've been told by my chimney inspector that a proper extension, to code, would run me about $4,500 and require lots of construction (cutting out the floor, framing something underneath in the basement, pouring concrete, etc.). But I've been reading a bit online and am wondering about framing out a box upstairs (so as not to get the basement involved or necessitate pouring concrete) that is covered in some non-combustible material, and then mortar and bluestone. I've been hearing a lot about something called Micore and something else called Hearty Backer, and getting the impression that I could use these between any combustible materials (like wood) and the mortar/bluestone. But the terms are pretty Greek to me, so I'm not sure about what I'm reading.
Can anyone shed some light on this, in layman's (or women's) terms, that might help me find a less expensive and intrusive, but adequate solution? Or, if anyone's got any other ideas, feel free. I'd also been envisioning a hefty piece of slate or something, installed just above the existing 4" bluestone slab, and supported by some diagonal corbel kind of thing from underneath. Possible?
Thanks,
Lori
Bear with me; I have no idea what I'm talking about. But I'll try to be as descriptive as possible. I've just moved into a new home with a fireplace. A wood-burning insert was removed, and I'm using the fireplace just fine. But the hearth extension, such as it is, is not to code. (Needless to say, I've got a heavy screen and am very careful.)
Here's what I've got: The firebox is 34.5"W x 30"H and sits 16.5" off the floor. The fireplace itself is 89" wide. The existing "hearth extension" runs the full 89" length, but sticks out only 4" from the fireplace opening. It is a 2.5" thick piece of bluestone. The entire fireplace is covered with mortar and bluestone.
I'd like to have a hearth extension that extends out enough, ideally, to meet code, but at least provides some protection from stuff flying out of the firebox and onto the floor. A nice place to sit would be an added bonus. I've been told by my chimney inspector that a proper extension, to code, would run me about $4,500 and require lots of construction (cutting out the floor, framing something underneath in the basement, pouring concrete, etc.). But I've been reading a bit online and am wondering about framing out a box upstairs (so as not to get the basement involved or necessitate pouring concrete) that is covered in some non-combustible material, and then mortar and bluestone. I've been hearing a lot about something called Micore and something else called Hearty Backer, and getting the impression that I could use these between any combustible materials (like wood) and the mortar/bluestone. But the terms are pretty Greek to me, so I'm not sure about what I'm reading.
Can anyone shed some light on this, in layman's (or women's) terms, that might help me find a less expensive and intrusive, but adequate solution? Or, if anyone's got any other ideas, feel free. I'd also been envisioning a hefty piece of slate or something, installed just above the existing 4" bluestone slab, and supported by some diagonal corbel kind of thing from underneath. Possible?
Thanks,
Lori
