How to level my fireplace?

[DIYnewbie1985]

Hi there!
I am relatively new to DIY and would appreciate some advice on how to level my fireplace.

Currently the fireplace is lower than the floorboard (up to 3cm) , and I am planning to fill it with self levelling concrete/ compound to bring to the same level. However, I am not sure how I should seal off the floorboard edges to protect from self levelling concrete? If you look closer at the photo below, there are two layers of floorboard (original and new) and they are not completely even. I thought about using a trim but not sure if it will work if the layers of the floorboard is sticking out at different height. How should I seal the edge of the floorboard in my case?

Any advice would be super helpful.

 

[JohnD]

Is the fire in use?

I see the stone slab is sunken and cracked. Your new screed will crack if placed on it.

Is it on the ground floor?

Is the floor wooden, with a ventilated void under it?

Is there anything to prevent you lifting a floorboard?

 

[robinbanks]

Do you assert that it is the wooden floor that is truly level and the fireplace stone is not? I ask because it looks like the planks that are cut ramp down towards the wall

 

[DIYnewbie1985]

Is the fire in use?

I see the stone slab is sunken and cracked. Your new screed will crack if placed on it.

Is it on the ground floor?

Is the floor wooden, with a ventilated void under it?

Is there anything to prevent you lifting a floorboard?

Fireplace is not in used currently. The plan is to level the fireplace with the floorboard so I can place a fireplace hearth and install a wood burning stove. Do you think I need to dig up the whole stone slab?
The fireplace is indeed on the ground floor. The top layer of the floorboard is engineered wood - lay on top of some sort of underlay on top of much order original floor board. Therefore I don’t think there is a ventilated void as such! I don’t think I can lift the floor board without doing damage ….

Any advice would be appreciative!

 

[DIYnewbie1985]

Do you assert that it is the wooden floor that is truly level and the fireplace stone is not? I ask because it looks like the planks that are cut ramp down towards the wall

I just measured with my spirit level and the wooden floor board is relatively level ( not perfect but it is close) !

 

[JohnD]

Yes, I think you need to dig it out.

It is not clear what the slab is resting on. It might be rubble in a low brick shell built as part of the chimney breast. Or it might be on earth. Or it might be resting on wooden joists.

It would be greatly preferable to look under the floorboards to assess the job.

If there is not a void below the floor, ventilated by airbricks in the external walls, there is a risk of damp and rot

 

[Loofah]

Assuming you have adequate clearances for the stove then you could consider a piece of slate cut to fit

 

[Koolpc]

Assuming you have adequate clearances for the stove then you could consider a piece of slate cut to fit

This...

 

[DIYnewbie1985]

Yes, I think you need to dig it out.

It is not clear what the slab is resting on. It might be rubble in a low brick shell built as part of the chimney breast. Or it might be on earth. Or it might be resting on wooden joists.

It would be greatly preferable to look under the floorboards to assess the job.

If there is not a void below the floor, ventilated by airbricks in the external walls, there is a risk of damp and rot

Thanks… it looks like more rubble underneath. Would I still need to pull all the slab out before I relevel ?

 

[DIYnewbie1985]

Assuming you have adequate clearances for the stove then you could consider a piece of slate cut to fit

Thanks … I will look into it. I assume that I will need some sort of underlay so the slate won’t crack because is the unevenness?

 

[JohnD]

I think you will find there is a sort of rectangular brick box beneath the floor, rising out of the footings and incorporating the party wall, the base of the chimneybreast, and the front apron where there is usually a slab or hearthstone.

If you break up this slab, I think you will find the box is full of damp rubble all the way up to floor level. If you dig it out and expose the clean bare brick, damp can evaporate off the brick, and there will be no rubble to absorb damp and carry it up by capillary action. Capillarity does not rise far in clean bare brick that has no plaster or render.

If necessary, you can open the box below the floor so that air can flow from the underfloor void and up the chimney, the airflow will help evaporate away damp

It is not very hard or complicated once you have broken the slab.

If the fireplace is to be used again, you can mount a slab or paving stones on dwarf or honeycomb walls, but leave a void for ventilation. You can put a wooden floor back in front of the chimneybreast if you are not going to have an open fire. Some posh homes put brass grills in the floor for fresh air to feed the fire without causing a draught in the room.

 

[JohnD]

Assuming you have adequate clearances for the stove then you could consider a piece of slate cut to fit

Yes, slate can look very good.