How far does the hearth need to stick out?
That comes from the appliance and from Part J. As a general rule a stove tested to keep the hearth below 100 degrees can sit on a 12mm superimposed hearth, and anything else needs a full constructional hearth. The hearth must project in front of the appliance and to the sides by the distances in the appliance instructions, and there is a minimum overall size for the constructional hearth underneath. We check what is already under your floor before quoting rather than assuming.
Can I have a wooden beam above a stove?
Yes, provided it sits outside the appliance clearance to combustibles and outside the required distance above the opening. Oak beams above stoves are one of the most common things we fit and one of the most common things we see fitted wrongly. The number comes from the stove instructions and, where the beam is close, a heat shield or a deeper lintel detail solves it properly rather than hoping.
Will an oak beam crack?
Air dried oak moves, splits along the grain and darkens, and most people fitting a solid oak beam want exactly that. If you want it to stay closer to how it looks on day one, kiln dried oak moves much less. Neither is a fault and we will show you both before you choose, because it is a look rather than a quality question.
Slate or granite for the hearth?
Slate is the traditional choice here, takes a honed or riven finish and forgives the odd knock. Granite is harder, comes in a wider range of colours and takes a mirror polish that shows dust and scratches more. For most stove hearths on the Fylde we fit slate, and it is worth seeing samples wet as well as dry, because slate darkens noticeably when it is sealed.
Can you match a hearth to an existing floor?
Usually. Where a hearth is being set into an existing floor, whether that is boards, tiles or an oak floor, we can cut it in flush or set it proud as a deliberate feature, and detail the junction so it looks intended. Bringing samples to the room and seeing them in daylight is worth ten minutes and saves regretting a colour.
Do you supply the beam, or can I source my own?
Either. We supply oak in the usual sections and finishes, and if you have found a reclaimed beam you love we will happily fit it, once we have checked it is sound, straight enough to fix and not so wet it will move badly after fitting. Reclaimed timber sometimes hides old fixings, so it gets checked over before it goes anywhere near a saw.
