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Screed under fireplace


MortarThePoint

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We've two fireplaces to receive stoves (WBS). Screed going in very soon and  finalising UFH in the rooms.

 

Am I right in assuming Cemfloor will be fine here? There will be an additional hearth material laid on top (e.g. 75mm stone)..

 

I have standard expansion perimeter strip elsewhere, but what should I use in the fireplace? It needs to be noncombustible for around the fireplace.

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The Approved Document describes two types of stove, those that are/aren't certified that they won't raise the hearth over 100c. This determines the total thickness of the hearth needed. From memory it's 12mm or 225mm. So check that first.

Edited by Temp
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5 minutes ago, Temp said:

The Approved Document describes two types of stove, those that are/aren't certified that they won't raise the hearth over 100c. This determines the total thickness of the hearth needed. From memory it's 12mm or 225mm. So check that first.

 

The depth should be fine, it's round the edge between wall and floor I'm concerned about. I've seen some links that say 125mm depth for constructional hearth and I'll have that. One WBS will definitely be 12mm compatible but not certain of the other.

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I would suggest no perimeter insulation on the one that needs the Constructional Hearth.

 

Should be ok on the other one. We have regular wood skirting around the inside of our recess. Think I would put perimeter insulation around before screeding, trim it back flush and cover with the stone. 

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9 minutes ago, MortarThePoint said:

 

I think I need something there for expansion

 
Why..?? Coefficient of expansion on concrete is around 10x10-6m/°C so if you heated up a 1m concrete slab uniformly from 15°C to 80°C then it would expand around 0.5mm. Expansion foam is there for a number of reasons, usually to de-bond the slab from the structure and also so as it dries and contracts you don’t get gaps. 
 

A 15mm expansion foam will also be pretty much covered when you have boarded and skimmed the wall behind - beware that ordinary plasterboard is not suitable for behind a stove - and the remainder of any foam will be below your hearth anyway so is not subject to any sort of temperature that would cause issues. 

 

 

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37 minutes ago, PeterW said:

 
Why..?? Coefficient of expansion on concrete is around 10x10-6m/°C so if you heated up a 1m concrete slab uniformly from 15°C to 80°C then it would expand around 0.5mm. Expansion foam is there for a number of reasons, usually to de-bond the slab from the structure and also so as it dries and contracts you don’t get gaps. 
 

A 15mm expansion foam will also be pretty much covered when you have boarded and skimmed the wall behind - beware that ordinary plasterboard is not suitable for behind a stove - and the remainder of any foam will be below your hearth anyway so is not subject to any sort of temperature that would cause issues. 

 

 

 

Back wall is brick so not getting plasterboard. I'm supposed to have something between the screed and wall to cope with 'expansion'. Sure it doesn't need to be thick, but should be noncombustible which the foam isn't. Is there something thin and compressible that is?

 

52 minutes ago, Temp said:

 

Air gap?

 

I thought of trying to creat this with wood sheet. 'oilboard' could be an option as has a smooth face, but I have to be certain I can get it out afterwards so I'd rather something noncombustible I can leave in.

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7 minutes ago, MortarThePoint said:

but should be noncombustible which the foam isn't. Is there something thin and compressible that is?


why ..?? Point me at the BRegs where it states that a below slab expansion material behind a structural slab required to be non-combustible and I’ll find you the product. 

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2 minutes ago, PeterW said:


why ..?? Point me at the BRegs where it states that a below slab expansion material behind a structural slab required to be non-combustible and I’ll find you the product. 

 It's not fully below slab, but comes to the surface. It will then have a noncombustible 75mm over the top.

 

Looks like Knauf do mineral wool perimeter insulation so that could work but it expect the screed would soak in.

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6 minutes ago, MortarThePoint said:

 It's not fully below slab, but comes to the surface. It will then have a noncombustible 75mm over the top.

 

Looks like Knauf do mineral wool perimeter insulation so that could work but it expect the screed would soak in.


So it doesn’t need to be non-combustible, you’ve answered your own question. Use the stuff that everyone else uses, move on .. 

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40 minutes ago, dpmiller said:

I went the constructional hearth route, but built off the subfloor with thermal blocks to minimise thermal bridging.  The edge foam for the screed went around this.

 

So the edge foam was outside the constructional hearth area?

 

I have a inglenook so think anything inside that counts as the constructional hearth area

Edited by MortarThePoint
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