Problems removing a Hearth

[Newbie182]

Hi all,

Hoping you may be able to offer some advice.

We have a victorian style gas fire place with a large hearth which takes up to much floor space as the living room is quite small. The Hearth measures 130cm wide, 45cm length and 7 cm height. The hearth is basically concrete which has been tiled over to decorate. I was hoping to remove the tiles and cut the concrete back to 30cm length and re-tile.

When removing the first row of tiles on the hearth I noticed that there seems to be what looks like metal pipes buried in the concrete and I'm not sure what they are for.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Richard C]

If the fire is still in use, you must maintain a minimum hearth size to comply with Building Regs:
http://www.stovesonline.co.uk/stove-hearth-size.html

Are the pipes copper or steel? What size are they? They could be anything but most likely part of an old heating installation, back boiler system or they could still be in use; you need to be sure before you go cutting them out!

 

[Newbie182]

Hi Richard,

Many thanks. They are steel pipes, but unfortunaly i don't know their size as they are still encased in the concrete hearth.

I will try to get someone out to have a look at them as I am concerned in case they are still in use.

Thanks again

 

[realpearson]

The hearth is possibly just steel reinforced concrete. I removed a hearth from a fireplace myself and i simply forced it out with gorilla bar. i was expecting to be able to break the hearth up but discovered after first whack that it was reinforced.

hope that helps - not a fan of cutting mystery pipes either!

 

[UKMICKY]

Lift the floor boards and see what under there.

Most likely reinforcing bars