Fireplace

[rosinante]

Accessing the hive mind , I need to render a fireplace to make it flat enough to tile with porcelain tiles , is normal 4 to 1 sand and cement with plasticiser ok , then heat resistant tile adhesive , tiles and hr grout ?approx 100 to 115mm clear all round , cheers fellas
Chris

 

[julianf]

I believe that lime render is more thermally stable (less cracking, which would, ultimately, come through to your tiles) but as to if its needed, who knows.

Ive got NHL3.5 lime behind our log burner. Even with the gaps specified in doc j, the surface temp of the lime has, on occasion, exceeded 100c. There is no visible degradation whatsoever.

 

[Dcal]

I've an inset stove in a 2m wide chimney breast.
It was plastered with sand and cement, it cracked.
I had it redone and this time fixed a sheet of 3mm weld mesh to the face and replastered it with sand and cement, it cracked again.

I like the sound of the NHL3.5 lime.

 

[julianf]

Our place is stone, so a couple of coats of 3:1 (sharp sand:lime) and you are left with a rough (floated) finish.

If you want a smoother finish, a third skim with 3:1 (I probably go heavier on the lime to get a smoother mix) but with a finer sand (nice sharp, rather that building) gives a nice enough finish. I mean it's no gypsum but it's smooth enough.

Wear gloves with the lime. Even if you don't use PPE for anything else in your life, still wear gloves with the lime. Or don't, your call, but let us all know how your hands work out if you don't.

I wear glasses anyway. If I got any in my eye I would be straight in whatever water stream I could find for a good amount of time. It sneaks up on you.

 

[gaz1]

your tiling it so dosnt matter just bond plaster it and then plaster it

dont dab tile cement on tiles make sure it has a good backing along back of the tile for thermal transfere or it will break the tiles

 

[rosinante]

your tiling it so dosnt matter just bond plaster it and then plaster it

dont dab tile cement on tiles make sure it has a good backing along back of the tile for thermal transfere or it will break the tiles
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Hi , having read a bit on line about nhl5 I think I will emulate your fireplace and render only , I only have about 700 mm width and height and 350mm depth , so it will only be a small stove, your fireplace looks very good , thank you for your replies ,

 

[julianf]

This is ours, photo from years back (posted here previously) -

You cant see much of it, but you get the idea.

That whole wall is rough texture lime (its an old stone and cob wall). I skimmed the adjacent wall (behind the chest of draws) in a lime putty top (ie a smooth finish), but we figured we liked the different textures.



ps. the other fireplace in the thread linked to above is in putty skim with limewash for comparison - again our place is old (just old, rather than old and fancy!) so the curves etc are in keeping

 

[rosinante]

Ours is a 70s bungalow , but it's in a tiny hamlet in Cornwall , a little rustic is needed ,
Chris

 

[gaz1]

Hi , having read a bit on line about nhl5 I think I will emulate your fireplace and render only , I only have about 700 mm width and height and 350mm depth , so it will only be a small stove, your fireplace looks very good , thank you for your replies ,

this one is just a cast iron stove

the surounding material is just plaster and painted walls still solid



new stove fitted

 

[Dcal]

This is ours, photo from years back (posted here previously) -

View attachment 340155
View attachment 340156

You cant see much of it, but you get the idea.

That whole wall is rough texture lime (its an old stone and cob wall). I skimmed the adjacent wall (behind the chest of draws) in a lime putty top (ie a smooth finish), but we figured we liked the different textures.



ps. the other fireplace in the thread linked to above is in putty skim with limewash for comparison - again our place is old (just old, rather than old and fancy!) so the curves etc are in keeping

I really like those floor boards, some rich bint would give Harry Enfield a fortune for them.

 

[julianf]

I really like those floor boards, some rich bint would give Harry Enfield a fortune for them.

I seem to remember it was £65 for the lot. They had only been down a couple of weeks when that photo was taken.

We were proper skint back then. I costed up some structural chipboard and the cheapest laminate I could find and it worked out more expensive than getting a bunch of old scaffold boards.

The hearth for the log burner (and the Rayburn) was a full size snooker table that I won off ebay for, iirc, £20 something. I know it was less than £30 as I gave the chap £30 and didn't have the heart to ask for the change....

The whole time money thing. We are not as poor any more, and I'm not sure I'd go through the same process! But when youre skint and want to get stuff done you find ways.

 

[Dcal]

I wasn’t being facetious, I think they look great.
Mightn’t suit a Wimpy box but in that room they look like they have been down for a hundred years.

When I built my house, money was in short supply and I bought a load of old flooring that came out of a government office that had been demolished.
It had been covered with thin fibre board with many thousands of staples shot with an air stapler (I assume)
It had originally been fixed with lost head nails and I had such fun de-nailing enough boards for the whole house, but the real killer was trying to pull the 3/4 inch long, fine wire staples that had been put in absolutely everywhere.
I got good at getting just the right balance between gripping or cutting the staples with a set of knips by the end of it, but there are still lots of cut wires and pin holes in the floor.
I told the Mrs it just adds character,
Turns out the timber was Keruing which is used for lorry beds, so it is tough enough and it has lasted well.
I posted a few photos of the last time i refinished it in reply to another thread.

Stripping oak floor and re-finish

Most of the family is away next week so I want to take the opportunity to strip the finish off the oak floor in the dining room and re-apply. This is solid oak flooring 90mm wide T&G strips. Under the dining table the finish is worn through from the chairs (and feet). Should I use a chemical...

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