Hearth

[Tomdor]

I am going to replace carpet with engineered wooden floor. I have removed a massive hearth around the fireplace and left with a recess which goes down to concrete beams (no screed). I can level this part with a bed of mortar to align with the rest of the floor but my question is:

- should I lay engineered floor and then install hearth on top of it or
- leave it open and use the recess to build the hearth inside and wooden floor would be wrapped around the hearth

If this is just down to preference, for many reasons option two would be better in this case but I am wondering whether there is anything else I should be aware of.

To better illustrate the issue photo attached. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[tel765]

Is the gas fire staying?
Is the decorative brick surround staying?
Can you pull back the carpet, and then stand back and post a pic of the floor and the fire opening surround?

 

[JohnD]

Is it the ground floor?

How old is the house?

You will have to take damp into consideration.

You plan to put in a new hearth? What sort of fire or stove might you fit?

 

[Tomdor]

The gas fire is staying and the one we chose to install won't be looking nice in "hole in the wall". (https://www.stovax.com/stove-fire/inset-gas-fires/stockton-inset/)
The idea is to use decorative brick which matches the chimney breast, build the hearth's foundation and finish it up with fireplace tiles on the top. I need to be very careful though as the height and width of the opening needs to be reduced so every inch counts.

It is the ground floor of the 1985 house.

 

[tel765]

Using a sand & cement mix you could bring the recess up to the surrounding floor level.
Your choice of hearth could then be fitted inside the fireplace opening and in front of the opening dimensioned according to the Gazco Logic Mfr's instructions and dimensions.
There are various ways of setting the Gazco Logic inside the opening but Mfr's In's would apply again.
You must use a Gasafe installer for some or all of the fire installation.
Note: the installation manual will be on line.

 

[Tomdor]

Using a sand & cement mix you could bring the recess up to the surrounding floor level.
Your choice of hearth could then be fitted inside the fireplace opening and in front of the opening dimensioned according to the Gazco Logic Mfr's instructions and dimensions.
There are various ways of setting the Gazco Logic inside the opening but Mfr's In's would apply again.
You must use a Gasafe installer for some or all of the fire installation.
Note: the installation manual will be on line.

Thanks tel765, I think what you described is the way to go forward. I also want to use decorative bricks to cover expansion gap between the raised hearth and wooden floor but need skilled brickie who will want to spend a bit more time for finishing touches. At the moment I will just need to measure up the space that needs to be left in the wooden floor for the hearth to go in later.