Hearth(?) question

[Ugh!]

We have a Rayburn stove fitted into a small 'ingle nook' fireplace. The front of the Rayburn extends (overhangs - the base is 6" above floor level) into the room by 4". The gap between the stove base and the floor was filled with a (non- loadbearing) plinth of cement.

I am laying a woodchip floor, which will have laminate laid on top, and would appreciate advice regarding a suitable hearth.

The original floor was of boards on joists with a large (22"x56") slate slab set in and supported by noggins to be flush with the boards. As the slate is cracked in several places I want to remove this and wondered if I can use an alternative method to fireproof the floor.

Could I simply lay the chipboard up to the wall, re-install the plinth, tile a suitable sized area on top of the floor and lay laminate up to these?

 

[pieman]

The approved documents are very specific about the area and thickness of non combustible material to form a hearth, and they make it pretty difficult to have combustible material underneath.

if you put 'building regulations approved documents' into google you can get the whole lot, up to date, free as .pdfs. You'll want part J: heatproducing appliances.