Hi,

I actually think bog-standard paving stones would look nice for a hearth.

Is there any reason not to use them? I was thinking of using fireproof
screed under the grate and then coming out from the grate in a semicircle
(well, a polygonal approximation) and using paving stones, fixed with a
suitable adhesive, for the rest of the hearth. Would that be OK?

My tile-cutter is supposed to cut up to a thickness of 38mm. I've used it
on brick slips 22mm thick and it's done a good job. There are paving stones
available that are 24mm, 28mm and 32mm, so I am hoping the cutter will cut
them too, maybe if I take the precaution of putting in a new grinding disc.
Advice would be welcome.

(I realise that any salesman at a shop that sells both paving stones and
fireplaces is likely to try to flog me an expensive everything-included
fireplace and suck his teeth when I talk about making a hearth out of
paving stones, but I'm aware that most kitchen tiles are fine for
fireplaces even if they're not sold as such, and I've also installed the
fireback and tiled the chimney breast myself and would like to make the
hearth too.)

Thanks in advance!

Harry

On 02/06/15 21:21, Harold Davis wrote:
Hi,

I actually think bog-standard paving stones would look nice for a hearth.

Is there any reason not to use them? I was thinking of using fireproof
screed under the grate and then coming out from the grate in a semicircle
(well, a polygonal approximation) and using paving stones, fixed with a
suitable adhesive, for the rest of the hearth. Would that be OK?

Yes - I see no reason why not.

Use ordinary cement based tile adhesive of the stones are honed on the
bottom (ie flat).

I have slate tiles under my stove which gets damn hot and no issues -
those were fixed with ordinary tile adhesive onto sand/cement screed.


My tile-cutter is supposed to cut up to a thickness of 38mm. I've used it
on brick slips 22mm thick and it's done a good job. There are paving stones
available that are 24mm, 28mm and 32mm, so I am hoping the cutter will cut
them too, maybe if I take the precaution of putting in a new grinding disc.
Advice would be welcome.

(I realise that any salesman at a shop that sells both paving stones and
fireplaces is likely to try to flog me an expensive everything-included
fireplace and suck his teeth when I talk about making a hearth out of
paving stones, but I'm aware that most kitchen tiles are fine for
fireplaces even if they're not sold as such, and I've also installed the
fireback and tiled the chimney breast myself and would like to make the
hearth too.)

Thanks in advance!

Harry

In article ,
Harold Davis writes:
Hi,

I actually think bog-standard paving stones would look nice for a hearth.

Is there any reason not to use them? I was thinking of using fireproof

I suspect they might be quite susceptable to stains, particularly if
anything greasy/oily gets spilled on them.

screed under the grate and then coming out from the grate in a semicircle
(well, a polygonal approximation) and using paving stones, fixed with a
suitable adhesive, for the rest of the hearth. Would that be OK?

Building regs include minimum dimensions for hearths (things like must
be 1" or 2" above floor level (I forget which now). You probably want
to check that out whilst designing it.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Harold Davis writes:
Hi,

I actually think bog-standard paving stones would look nice for a hearth.

Is there any reason not to use them? I was thinking of using fireproof

I suspect they might be quite susceptable to stains, particularly if
anything greasy/oily gets spilled on them.

This house has two hearths made of natural gritstone slabs. I was about
to say that stains were nonexistent, but now that I look, I see that one
of them has two large dark patches on it. They count as "character" to
my eye. They might even have been there when the stones were laid - I
say that because they go right up to the edge of the slab concerned but
not onto the pointing.

Now that I come to think of it "bog standard" paving probably varies
quite a lot across the country.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England