Brightening up concrete fireplace

[samwardill]

I have a disused concrete fireplace that I want to brighten up a bit. The house is a victorian terrace. The room is on the first floor. The chimney was blocked off some time ago. The fireplace is concrete and is flush with the floorboards so the previous owner just carpeted over it. We are going to expose the floorboards so the concrete fireplace would look unsightly. I want to tile the fireplace but I want to keep it flush with the floorboards. Can I chip out the concrete and lay tiles on top but flush with the floorboards? If this would not work does anyone have any other ideas?

[Rob graham]

Yes, you could certainly chip it out, and you would have to if you wanted to put tiles in that were flush with the original surface. But you'll find it very difficult to chip it out. You'd probably be better off to sledge hammer the whole hearth out and relay concrete a bit thinner.

Rob Graham

[Phil Anthropist]

It would probably be very difficult if not impossible to reduce the depth of the concrete by chipping it out, it is likely to break up completely. As the fireplace is in a first floor room you find that this concrete hearth is resting on some of the brickwork that forms part of the chimney breast in the room below. If so, you may be able to lift the hearth out completely then make good to a depth that allows the tiles to be laid flush with the floor boards. If you can lift a floorboard adjacent to the hearth this might let you see what the hearth is resting on and whether you can lever it out. If not, you may have to try breaking it up without damaging the brickwork below or the surrounding floorboards.

[cojack]

If you wanted a thinner solution, there are some very presentable vinyl sheeting that resembles tiles

Cojack