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I have a 1950s house with parquet flooring downstairs. The only trouble is there is a huge concrete hearth in each of the main rooms, which looks pretty ugly and is cracked in one of the rooms anyway.
I've managed to get some parquet blocks to match what we have and want to dig out the concrete (I believe it is a constuctional hearth from what I have read)
Is there any problem with this.
From the small bit I have dug out the parquet and hearth seem differently laid. The parquet is 22mm thick with 35mm concrete below that. The hearth is a layer of concrete approx 25mm thick, with hardcore underneath that going down to another lower layer of flat concrete type stuff. Total drop from top of the parquet to this layer is 55mm.
The photos may help:
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace1.JPG
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace2.JPG
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace3.JPG
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace4.JPG
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace5.JPG
So my plan was to break up and hearth, clear out the hardcore, lay some more concrete to be level with the base under the parquet, and lay the parquet.
As well as a general 'will this work', my main questions are:
1. How do I get the hearth out - will I cause damage hitting it with a hammer/chisel i.e. maybe crack the concrete base below it.
2. Will the hearth be attached in any way to the foundations/wall or will it just rest on the base below.
3. In terms of depth, how many mm should I allow for the parquet glue/bitumen, or is it such a thin layer as to be irrelevant.
4. How should I remove the bitumen that is already on the blocks - mainly bottom but some has got onto on the top of blocks also.
5. If we put a gas fire in will the heat cause any problem being near the parquet - I assume the heat is the reason for having the concrete hearth.
6. Will any of this cause any problems with any damp proof layers, which I assume must be below the lowest concrete layer and attached to the foundations.
That will do for the minute - hopefully I'll be back later for advice on finishing the flooring.
Thanks for your time. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Kevin
I've managed to get some parquet blocks to match what we have and want to dig out the concrete (I believe it is a constuctional hearth from what I have read)
Is there any problem with this.
From the small bit I have dug out the parquet and hearth seem differently laid. The parquet is 22mm thick with 35mm concrete below that. The hearth is a layer of concrete approx 25mm thick, with hardcore underneath that going down to another lower layer of flat concrete type stuff. Total drop from top of the parquet to this layer is 55mm.
The photos may help:
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace1.JPG
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace2.JPG
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace3.JPG
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace4.JPG
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.robson/fireplace/fireplace5.JPG
So my plan was to break up and hearth, clear out the hardcore, lay some more concrete to be level with the base under the parquet, and lay the parquet.
As well as a general 'will this work', my main questions are:
1. How do I get the hearth out - will I cause damage hitting it with a hammer/chisel i.e. maybe crack the concrete base below it.
2. Will the hearth be attached in any way to the foundations/wall or will it just rest on the base below.
3. In terms of depth, how many mm should I allow for the parquet glue/bitumen, or is it such a thin layer as to be irrelevant.
4. How should I remove the bitumen that is already on the blocks - mainly bottom but some has got onto on the top of blocks also.
5. If we put a gas fire in will the heat cause any problem being near the parquet - I assume the heat is the reason for having the concrete hearth.
6. Will any of this cause any problems with any damp proof layers, which I assume must be below the lowest concrete layer and attached to the foundations.
That will do for the minute - hopefully I'll be back later for advice on finishing the flooring.
Thanks for your time. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Kevin