TILED HEARTHS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 63, 8 December 1926, Page 17

TILED HEARTHS

laying and replacement WORKING HINTS The claying or replacement of a tiled hearth is within the ability of any handy man, and often will effect such an improvement in a room that it is well worth attempting. A popular size of tile, and one that can be laid in most hearths with little waste in cutting, is ’six inches by three. Where the hearth to be replaced has been laid with cement, or with odd-size tiles, it may be worth while to slightly enlarge or reduce the space framed in the floor, so that the new tiles may be laid with as little cutting as possible. The materials needed in addition to tiles will be clean sand and cement for mortar. The tools required will be a trowel, hammer, steel chisel and straight-edge. In replacing a cement hearth with tiles, the cement must first be removed to a depth of one inch with . the hammer and cold chisel. This is a rather dirty, toilsome, and unpleasant job, but it must be done thoroughly. If the new hearth is to be well and truly laid, the old cement must be removed everywhere to the depth stated. Any bumps left would spoil the work, and, on the other hand, removing the o d material to too great a depth would add to the difficulty of making the new hearth perfectly level When the opening has been cleared, the tiles should be laid out on the hearth to ascertain whether they will fit comfortably. If a space is left at the end that is too small to take a full tile, the floor must be cut away a little at each end, so that an equal number of tiles will fit into the opening. In some cases it may be less troublesome to fit strips of wood neatly into the hearth-opening at either end. Needless to say, adjustments' of this kind should never be made at one end The hearth must next be levelled over with mortar, to form a flat bed for the tiles. A straight-edge will be required for this about 4in or sin. wide and 12in longer than the hearth, with a piece cut out at each end deep. The mortar is then gauged 3 parts of sand to I part of cement This must be spread over the hearth with the trowel, and straightened over by drawing the straight-edge across from back to front with a zigzag motion, so that projecting portion in the middle of the straight-edge removes all superfluous mortar This operation must be repeated until the surface is quite straight and fin. below the top of the floor. It must then be left to stand until the following day to harden. Before commencing in the morning, the tiles should be soaked in water for a few minutes until they are saturated, and then stood on'edge to dram The mortar must be mixed 2 parts of very fine washed sand to 1 part of cement. It is better to make this up a few hours before, and to leave it standing in a heap to set. It can then be knocked up afresh with water for use. Ihe effect of this will be to “kill” the cement, and prevent it hardening off too rapidlv for the tiles to be laid easily. Laving should be commenced in either of the front corners, a bed of fairlv soft mortar being spread, and the tile pressed down until it is level with the floor. The next file is laid in a similar manner, keeping it quite close up to the first, and so on until the front row is completed, the surface of the 'tilefe being kept quite straight by testing them with the back of the straight-edge. The next and subsequent rows are then laid until the fireplace is reached. A certain amount of cutting will be required to finish off round the ironwork, the tiles being cut wide enough to push under the grate, so that the joint does not show. The cutting can be done with the corner of a sharp

iron chisel, tapping it gently .with the hammer until a nick is cut all along the line cn both sides of . the tile. A sharp tap on the back with the edge of the trowel will then cause it to break iu two. Some little practice is needed to carry this out successfully, and a certain amount of waste is bound to occur; this must be allowed for when ordering the tiles. When the tile has to be cut to a crooked line, it should be done by chipping small pieces off the edge, gradually working backwards until the line is reached. If the cut is made directly on the line in the first place the tile will probably break. It is hardly necessarv to carry the tiles back to th e wall under the fireplace. ■ It will generally be sufficient tthe back portion is finished off will’ cement.' although, tiles can he employed if desired. The hearth should be allowed a little time to set firm after it is finished, and should then be wiped over gentlv with a damp cloth to remove any mortar stains. If these are allowed to drv thev will be difficult to remove.