Tiling wood burning stove recess and hearth

[nogginthenog]

Hello. This is my first post in quite a while.
I'm about to build a dummy chimney breast for a wood burning stove. The lower portion will have sides of 7N blocks laid flat, against an existing brick wall. The recess will be quite large (approx. 1200 wide by 1500 high). The sides and the back will be tiled with 6 inch hand made tiles, that are quite heavy (600g each!).

Questions:

1) Would you fix Hardibacker board to the sides and back, or tile directly to the bricks and blocks? Or maybe a different board?

2) Which adhesive and grout would you use?

I'd really appreciate some advice, as I would like to avoid having to re-set loose tiles in the future once the stove is in place!

Cheers
Richard

 

[nogginthenog]

I've read a few posts on similar topics now. On consideration, I'm thinking of dispensing with the board. The brick is flat, the blocks are as flat as I can lay them, so why add another layer of complication, that might be subject to expansion and contraction?

Would still appreciate advice on adhesive and grout. Flexible? Heat resistant? Thanks.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Yes float over the blocks with a fast set flexible skim coat.

 

[nogginthenog]

Yes float over the blocks with a fast set flexible skim coat.

Thank you. Would you recommend a particular brand?

 

[Blunt Tool]

Thank you. Would you recommend a particular brand?

Mapei, Norcros, Isomat all good

 

[Flintstone]

Tilemaster setaflex for me.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Webber ...... the list goes on.
Your bound to have a CTD near you in Yorkshire.
Make sure the surface is dust free and damp down with a clean sponge.

 

[nogginthenog]

Thank you everyone, much appreciated.

Now that I've eliminated the boards, I'll have to increase my grouting gaps slightly, as I spaced the jambs to allow for an exact number of whole tiles, plus boards either side ;-) The tiles are slightly irregular sizes in any case (I make them).

Cheers
Richard

 

[Albert]

Thank you everyone, much appreciated.

Now that I've eliminated the boards, I'll have to increase my grouting gaps slightly, as I spaced the jambs to allow for an exact number of whole tiles, plus boards either side ;-) The tiles are slightly irregular sizes in any case (I make them).

Cheers
Richard

Can you stick up some pictures of your tiles Richard

 

[nogginthenog]

Can you stick up some pictures of your tiles Richard

I can give you a link:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/tanglebanktiles/

Cheers
Richard

 

[Time's Ran Out]

A real mix of styles in that one Richard!
Still I doubt if a wooden pail would have added to the ‘look’.
Tiles by Tanglebank tiles? Nice.

 

[nogginthenog]

Thanks. Wooden pail? <whooshing sound of that going completely over my head>

 

[Perry]

put something like this in the recess and tile the hearth.

 

[nogginthenog]

Hello

Following on from this. I've now built the recess to the stage where I am going to start the tiling this weekend.

Does anyone have any pointers on tiling with irregular hand-made tiles? They are 6 inches square, but vary in size by up to 3mm. Also, some are not perfectly square.

I've previously tiled a splashback with smaller tiles like this, and managed to do it something like, using a combination of tile spacers and random bits of card.

I understand the basic principle that each tile should be in the centre of its square on a grid. How do you folk who actually know how to tile go about this?

Many thanks
Richard