Can I use Travertine for a Hearth??

[bluevin123]

Hi,

I finished tiling a Travertine floor and kitchen last month. On the floor was 600x400 Travertine, a really nice tile once sealed,anyway theres a few left over and he has asked me if I could use them for Hearths around his fireplace.. I dont see why not, but am seeking some good advice please as to whether this is feasible.
Cheers.

Vin.

[diamondtiling]

No problem at all, I have done 2 now and all are fine.

[Sean Page]

[brian c]

better seal them.

[bluevin123]

Cheers guys, thats what I wanted to hear, just wondered if the heat from the fire would be any concern really.
Cheers.
Vin.

[enduro]

Is the hearth for an open fire or a gas fire. If an open fire needs to be sealed really well otherwise the ash from the fire will mark it, just advice customer this.

[bluevin123]

Cheers Endoro, yeah its an open one,will def let customer know about the sealing.
Cheers mate.

Vin

[wayno1664]

the marble will take the heat no problem . use a good flexi adhesive/grout and seal them a few times and you should be fine

[Stan001]

If you mean hearth surround (the verticals) then ok, if you mean the actual hearth base then i personally wouldn’t. Although it’s ok for heat trav is too soft and the edges will chip and break when someone stands on it. A granite base can be cut for about £150 and laid in about 45 minutes – will last forever and look great forever.
(i may have misread your original posting but i think you know what i mean – would be great to see pictures afterwards, I’m always looking for fire base and surround ideas)

[diamondtiling]

If you mean hearth surround (the verticals) then ok, if you mean the actual hearth base then i personally wouldn’t. Although it’s ok for heat trav is too soft and the edges will chip and break when someone stands on it. A granite base can be cut for about £150 and laid in about 45 minutes – will last forever and look great forever.
(i may have misread your original posting but i think you know what i mean – would be great to see pictures afterwards, I’m always looking for fire base and surround ideas)

Travertine is laid on floors all the time and people walk all over it, why would the edges crack and chip Stan? If laid with 100% coverage and sealed and grouted it is perfectly ok for the fire hearth.

[Colour Republic]

I think he may be refering to when it is slightly raised on a plinth

[Stan001]

that’s right, the hearth is normally raised above the carpet or the surrounding floor carpet - in fact it’s a legal requirement of building regs (the dimensions are defined) and you'll find it also under HEATAS guidance. Trav is too soft to form a hearth base, as CR indicates, the edges will last 5 minutes!

[kilty55]

grey trav looks better for a fire i think,done this twice now

[kilty55]

that’s right, the hearth is normally raised above the carpet or the surrounding floor carpet - in fact it’s a legal requirement of building regs (the dimensions are defined) and you'll find it also under HEATAS guidance. Trav is too soft to form a hearth base, as CR indicates, the edges will last 5 minutes!

if the travertine is laid on a solid concrete base round the fire which they generally are i dont see any chipping issues if you round of the edges,ive seen plenty steps done in travertine indoors and have tiled a few also and either bullnosing or simly rounding the egges off should prevent chips surely?

[kilty55]

i know what your saying about a granite or honed slate hearth cut to size it does look good,,grey travertine may be a good option for a fireplace also as ash etc if its a real fire wont show up as bad

[Stan001]

in fact I previously posted about hearth dimensions here ..

Fireplace advice

[Stan001]

Even good trav is about 5~10% resin – I personally wouldn’t go near it for a hearth ref metal tongues and cinder damage – as you say you can have custom cut two pieces of granite that will butt up to form an invisible joint (one for under the appliance and the other cut to legal dims at the front of the appliance to dims to the side to combustible materials and to front forward of the fire door). The front you can have bullnosed and it will still look perfect 10 years after your trav is trashed.

[Dave]

This obviously depends upon the thickness used as well...i can get trav bullnosed and 38 mm thick....but i do agree it isn't as hard wearing as granite ...

What ever is used it needs to be easily looked after...

[diamondtiling]

Even good trav is about 5~10% resin – I personally wouldn’t go near it for a hearth ref metal tongues and cinder damage – as you say you can have custom cut two pieces of granite that will butt up to form an invisible joint (one for under the appliance and the other cut to legal dims at the front of the appliance to dims to the side to combustible materials and to front forward of the fire door). The front you can have bullnosed and it will still look perfect 10 years after your trav is trashed.

The thing is Stan the chap is not asking about granite, his post is about travertine, he has not mentioned carpets at all. Travertine will be fine if laid correctly. There is no need for an overhang if the fire is in a kitchen with a tiled floor, the fire might be set right back, it might be a log burner. If he wants to use travertine it will work.

[Dave]

I think all points have been covered lads...

[Stan001]

yes it will work, but its soft compared to other stones, that was my only point. And fyi even if the hearth is over a non combustible (like tile) I believe there is a minimum rise above that (I think 12mm from memory) to meet regs - so you do unfortunately have to have that overhang, and you do therfore need something that wont chip or crack at the edges. As Dave says, if you go trav Id go for thick trav and bullnose it, it will still chip and possibly crack though. IMHO trav isn’t the right stuff for a hearth. (These laws apply to fire dogs as well as wood stoves etc.)

[Stan001]

ok Dave - they were my last comments (we posted at the same time) the regs cover the issues.

[bluevin123]

Thanks guys,
Some very interesting points raised there,I will take it all on board,just gotta speak to the customer now.
Will hopefully post pics when complete.
Cheers.
Vin.

[Dave]

Pics we look forward to..