Hey, just looking to make a surround for a new gas fire I’m having installed (not touching any gas stuff, getting proper person in for that!)

Plan was to make a mantel piece and then tile in between this and the actual gas fire. The wall here isn’t overly flat so figured I could get some 9-12mm MDF and cover the wall between the fire and mantel piece legs giving a flat surface on which to tile.

However the instructions for the fire place state that the hearth must be non-combustible. Is this the same for this area or will it be ok tiled over?

Hope that makes some sense! Basically it’s the bit that’s marble that the fireplace itself backs on to in the picture linked below (the surround?)

Link

Cheers

dont use mdf.. its flammable.. amazingly fire manufactuers consider that plasterboard is not flammable so there is your answer.. check with your installer that he is happy with that and if not give the fire manufacturer a call and they ll tell you its okay.. the hearth itself ( the bit the fire sits on and sticks out) has to be 50mm high and non flammable so i would nt be keen on certifying an mdf hearth covered in tiles i m afraid.

Cheers! Hearth is luckily concrete so no wood there and is over 50mm high. Am I ok to go around the outside of this with skirting board to finish it off or as that’s wood, is it not allowed? Its outside the 300mm minimum allowance for the depth of the hearth if that helps?

Will give the guy who capped off the gas from the old fire for me a call and check to see if he is happy with plasterboard as a solution for the surround, if not I’ll have to try and improve my plastering skills and get something that resembles a flat wall!

Thanks again

Bump! Anyone know about the skiritng baord above? If not I need a re-think…..

if its beyond the minimum set out in the manufacturers instructions i tll be ok.. plenty have stone hearths and a hard wood polished deep surround around the hearth edges.. if that makes sense!! as for the surround/ plasterboard sound out the installer if he queries clarify with manufacturer but it ll be ok

Cheers, yeah minimum in 300mm in front and 150mm each side so plenty of clearance. I’ll give the gas man a call tomorrow before I fit the pasterboard, but sounds like it should be no problem!

Cheers for your help!