Expert: Bart Ogden - 6/4/2010

Question
I live in a rental and in my living room there is a raised brick hearth about 72 inches in length and width. It takes up so much floor space and is hard for furniture placement. I have no fireplace, but there was probably one there at some point. I have hardwoods in the rest of the room, so the HW meets the brick hearth, which is about 4 inches above the floor. Can I remove the hearth and put down HW in it's spot. I'm assuming it won't match perfectly but I don't really care because it will most likely be covered by furniture. Do you know roughly what a job like this would cost?? And if it's possible? Thank you!!!

Answer
Hi Melissa,

You can NOT remove the hearth from the front of a masonry or factory-built wood burning fireplace.  The hearth is there to protect the floor from radiated heat and embers/sparks.

A wood burning fireplace typically has to have a 16" to 20" deep hearth, depending on the opening sized of the  fireplace.

I recommend you contact a local CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to do some on-site previewing of your issues and offer suggestions for your particular situation.

You can find a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep at www.csia.org.

Additionally, ALWAYS get the permission of your landlord before changing ANYTHING in a rental or a lease situation.

Thanks for using AllExperts.Com and good luck with your project.

Sincerely,
A. Bart Ogden, President
Home Safe Hearth & Chimney, Inc.
Wichita, KS
Voice 316-265-9828
Fax 316-265-9890
www.HomeSafeKS.com

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep #2653
CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician #10
NFI Certified Wood Specialist
NFI Certified Gas Specialist
NFI Certified Pellet Specialist
NFI Master Hearth Professional
NCSG Technical Advisory Council Member

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