fireplace and hearth help

[mattnsiony]

Hi, this is my first post, apologies for my ignorance!

I am currently trying to install a solid fuel fire after the old gas fire was removed. we have had the chimney checked and swept.

My plan is to build up the hearth in front of the fire and in the hole using bricks and then tile over it with quarry tiles...the question is:
would bricks be ok or should I use something else like concrete?
do I need to use any kind of special mortar because of the heat?
should I tile the whole hearth or only the outside which will be visible?

We have been given an old cast iron fire insert but this is slightly to big or the hole that is currently there, meaning we will have to enlarge the hole and put in a new lintel....This seems fairly straight forward but im not sure I want to be messing with the structure of the fireplace myself...we have been quoted £200 for the new lintel to be put in and for the fire to be installed...is this a decent price or is it an easy enough job to do myself?

I have also been told that the sides in the hole should be filled in so that the fire fits in perfectly to prevent any pockets of gases, soot etc, what would be the best to use to fill in the hole?

Thanks in advance! I am trying to upload a few photos...

 

[mattnsiony]

.....

 

[Oldfireplace]

You will need a suitable surround for that insert before you can go any further.

 

[Sean85]

Hi sorry to jump in on your post but I'm looking at doing something similar. I want to build a brick hearth and just leave it brick, not sure if I should do a small concrete base to set the bricks on first or weather to put the bricks straight on the floor, it's a concrete floor, have you had any luck with finding out if bricks are ok? I do know that you can supposedly make your cement muck a bit more heat proof by mixing mica in with it or something called vermiculite. Don't know if this is any help?!

 

[longdogs]

It might be a good idea to check on the required dimensions necessary for a hearth. We had a guy round last year to fit a new fire but he wouldn't fit it unless we changed the existing hearth to meet Elf & Safety regs. Ended up having to reolace it with a new one which was about two inches longer and an inch higher - even though the previous one had been in place for about twenty years without burning the house down.

 

[Goldspoon]

Hi,

Firstly, all solid fuel installations should be completed under Building Control approval or by a competent person registered as such (e.g. Hetas).

Suggest you read Doc J of the Building regs - it is all in there.