Removal of constuctional hearth and relay flooring over it? Help, advice, information, answers and tips on all types of flooring from laminate and carpet to timber and vinyl

[exeterphil]

I've reached a dilemma with our opened up living/dining room, and feel stuck with what to do.

We're about to relay all the floorboards, replace some joists in the living room and sand the floor, but have an issue with the constructional hearth in the dining room, which unfortunately has had all the orginal tiles smashed and looks quiet ugly.

Options I'm considering are:

1. To remove all the damaged tiles, chissel off a layer of the concrete over the rest of the heath and retile, so the new tiles are level with the floorboards.

2. remove the old hearth (since it won't be used), extend the joist into the fireplace and lay new floorboards.

Please help

Thanks
Phil (Exeter)

[exeterphil]

Thanks for all your replies...
Seeked professional advise, and completed the job myself.

Removed the old hearth completely, along with over 30 rubble sacks of old building debris. Replaced half the joists, timber treated everything, and made good the passage of airflow below the property. Relayed all the good floorboards and used 10 boards from a reclamation yard. Extended the joists into the old fireplace and boarded over it nicely. Sanded the floor this weekend, ready to stain and varnish in a few days (after the dust has settled).


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