Problem taking hearth out! Help!

Orby1 · 13 Jan 2009

Hiya,
I knocked out a hearth today, that we didn't want.

Problem is, as I was knocking it out, some of the cement from below came out with it, there was nothing I could do, I tried not to! Anyway it loks like I'm down to the damp course. I was happy thinking I could just smooth over any lumpy bits left over with a bit of cement but will it be ok here to just fill this hole in with cement? I have no idea really - I'm confident enough to do it as long as I know it's the right thing to do.

Please help!! Advice is badly needed here!!!!

Many thanks, Orb.

WabbitPoo · 13 Jan 2009

Are they tiles under there? What's under those - more concrete?

Alastairreid · 13 Jan 2009

remove any loose concrete, brush plenty of pva around, backfill and level off. it will be fine........done hundreds.

Orby1 · 14 Jan 2009

alastairreid said:
remove any loose concrete, brush plenty of pva around, backfill and level off. it will be fine........done hundreds.

Those aren't tiles under there, it's the plastic kinda foam damp-course stuff. Or at least I presume that's what it is!

Thanks Alastair, couple of questions mate..:
Do you mean PVA glue?
What do you mean by backfill? I was planning on basically just chucking a load of cement in and levelling it off!!!

Alastairreid · 14 Jan 2009

yes orby1,
pva glue.
backfilling is exactly as you just described.

gday2uk · 14 Jan 2009

That's not a damp course a) because there is a join in it and b) because it doesn't even meet the wall.

Looks like some kind of insulation.

Roofer · 14 Jan 2009

That would seem to be more of a plinth than a hearth as it had been built over the existing skirting, was it just a feature under an electric or gas fire?

The floor construction is strange - as the level appears to be the same under the carpet it can be assumed the floor build up is the same all over; which seems to comprise approx 25-40mm of a plaster-like screed over some white insulation?

Orby1 · 14 Jan 2009

Thanks Alistair/everybody!
Yes, the hearth/plinth/whatever it is, is just built on top of the existing floor and up to the skirting board, and yes it was under an electric fire.

Thanks again.

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Problem taking hearth out! Help!

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