How to Remove Concrete Fireplace Hearth

Question

Our house is weird and has an upstairs lounge. This has the only fireplace in the house. I am in the process of removing the fireplace and I have already removed the surround and made the walls good etc

On the floor I have encountered a large concrete slab that goes all around the fireplace (hearth). It is resting on the floor joists, and is about 1.5" thick, and a metre'ish long.

I need to get rid of it and I can see only 4 choices.

1) Use an angle grinder with stone cutting disk to cut it off "flush" to the wall. This will create a lot of mess I know.
2) Use an SDS hammer drill to break the slab up. Again more mess.
3) Cutback the floorboards that butt up to the slab and then try and pull it free in one piece. Will that be possible or will it be cemented in position?
4) Somehow try and disguise it - i.e. a screed applied over the floorboards to try and "equalise" the levels. This one feels a bit of a bodge though?

Has anyone else faced this problem? The house is 17years old.

Regards Marc

Phil Common · Accepted Answer

I've come across slabs like this in Victorian houses; either slate or concrete. The easiest way is probably you third option: get into the edges and lever it up with a crowbar. Unless the house is empty, the mess from using an angle grinder will be with you for months. Levered up, it might break itself up into smaller bits..!Good luck

marc_ely · Answer

Our house is weird and has an upstairs lounge. This has the only fireplace in the house. I am in the process of removing the fireplace and I have already removed the surround and made the walls good etc

On the floor I have encountered a large concrete slab that goes all around the fireplace (hearth). It is resting on the floor joists, and is about 1.5" thick, and a metre'ish long.

I need to get rid of it and I can see only 4 choices.

1) Use an angle grinder with stone cutting disk to cut it off "flush" to the wall. This will create a lot of mess I know.
2) Use an SDS hammer drill to break the slab up. Again more mess.
3) Cutback the floorboards that butt up to the slab and then try and pull it free in one piece. Will that be possible or will it be cemented in position?
4) Somehow try and disguise it - i.e. a screed applied over the floorboards to try and "equalise" the levels. This one feels a bit of a bodge though?

Has anyone else faced this problem? The house is 17years old.

Regards Marc

dom · Answer

I've reduced, rather than removed, a friends deep fire hearth to under floor board height. They'd tried and angle grinder and made very slow and messy progress on a concrete slab containing lots of flint.

Instead, we spotted it all over with an sds drill bit until it was a honeycomb, then levelled it out with the chisel bit. Drilling raises very little dust, though the chisel bit does send a few chips flying.

Alissa · Answer

this is a fantastic idea . I've been using a sledge hammer and its taking ages.thank you

Brian Gaff · Answer

Oh dear a post with no context or the date of the original. Oh, wait... its  come from that crap interface site again! :-)  Brian

tabbypurr · Answer

what is?

alan_m · Answer

Yep, another reply to a 12 year old post suggesting using a sds drill to  drill holes.

Andrew · Answer

The contruction slab for a proper fire should be more like 5 inches thick. Have fun drilling that with even an SDS drill.

Andrew · Answer

First floor, so I guess putting back all the downstairs ceilings :-)

How to Remove Concrete Fireplace Hearth

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