Raising height of fireplace hearth

[damson]

The previous owners opened up the chimney breast in our living room. We've had it professionally swept and put in a fire basket in the opening, at the back of the original hearth.

The sweep warned us that because the opening was very wide and the flue short (we're the top floor of a 3 floor house) that the fire might not draw properly and that the room might get smoky. He has been proved correct! He suggested that one way would be to raise the bed of the fireplace on which the firebasket sits.

We're keen to do this ourselves but not sure where to start - I'm assuming this should be done with firebricks and standard mortar and then some kind of fire proof hearth added on top?

Will we need to extend the height of the rest of the hearth to join the new level?

Any other options or alternatives anyone can think of?

Any help much appreciated!

 

[masona]

Read this, not sure if it will solve your problem.

 

[damson]

Thanks Masona that's certainly helpful indeed. I was trying to find a way forward without having to access the roof and the chimney (last resort) - I've now bought some firebricks and have raised the fire basket temporarily which has helped quite a bit but it's not an attractive solution and I wondered if there was a permanent way of raising the level of the hearth. I quite like the look of those gas fires in the wall but suspect that real fires require a hearth at the same level and which would extend into the room.

any other thoughts?

thanks again

 

[masona]

have raised the fire basket temporarily which has helped quite a bit

You really want to get it right first time,I would suggest to pop down to your local fireplace merchants and they may have the solution you need or to insert a reducing kits to make the surrounding smaller etc.

 

[damson]

Hi Masona

Sounds like a good idea re merchants. But what's a reducing kit?

cheers

 

[masona]

I don't know if they still do it,in the old days they used to make the internal surrounding smaller for better heat and air flow,not sure what they do now or don't.Best to get advice from 2 or 3 fireplace merchants as they might try to sell you something you don't need.