Wood floor sanding-grotty old hearth (boarded-up fireplace) Help, advice, information, answers and tips on all types of flooring from laminate and carpet to timber and vinyl

[joanna_ford]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help?

We're about to have our floors professionally sanded and varnished, a in the small bedroom upstairs there is an old hearth in front of a boarded-up fireplace. It is tiled, but some of the tiles are missing and have been filled-in with concrete.

What would be a suitable way of restoring the hearth just so it looks ok when the floors are sanded? Options I thought of are:

1. removing the remaining tiles and levelling the hearth and then painting.

2. removing the remaining tiles and concrete and re-tiling

I basically need a fairly easy and cheap way of smartening it up. If I do need to chip out the old concrete (about a 6-inch square area) would I need some kind of power tool to do this (I have a power drill)?

Thanks,

Jo

[ALDA]

JOANNA,

ONE EASY WAY,

PROVIDING YOU DONT WANT A WORKING FIRE PLACE, BUT JUST USE AS A FEATURE/FOCALPOINT IN THE ROOM,

IS TO CLAD THE OLD HEARTH WITH BATTENS AND SHEET MDF OR PLY OR PLASTERBOARD AND MAYBE SOME MOULDINGS TO THE REQUIRED STYLE AND DECORATE IN A FINISH YOU LIKE.

(STONE EFFECT PAINTS MIGHT LOOK GOOD)

ALDA

[joanna_ford]

Thanks for the reply Alda. I actually already have the fireplace itself plasterboarded over, so it just looks like a regular wall. It is the exposed hearth (part-concrete repairs, part-tiles) that I need to smarten up a bit.

Do you mean I can clad this with MDF? It wouldn't be walked over much, as its right next to the wall, but it would need to be strong enough to take the weight of someone.

Thanks,

Jo

[ALDA]

YES, THAT WILL BE OK. (BUT REMEMBER THAT THE FIRE PLACE/HEARTH COULD NOT BE USED WITH THIS MATERIAL IN POSITION).

PERMANENT OPTION

DRILL, PLUG AND SCREW 18mm THICK MDF DIRECTLY TO THE HEARTH AND EDGES IF REQUIRED.

OR

TEMPORARY OPTION

I SUPPOSE IF YOU WISH YOU COULD MAKE AN OPEN SIDED TRAY/BOX OUT OF 18mm THICK MDF, THAT YOU CAN JUST LAY/SLIDE OVER HEARTH.