Any solutions to this? I am having this problem too - the tiles just above the fireplace center are falling off (have repaired once to have it happen again). I suspect the high heat rising up and out the top of the fireplace is causing the wall to expand and contract slightly so that it weakens the mortar and the tiles fall off. Is that possible? Is there a special high heat mortar/mastic? The fireplace manufacturer said: The area above the fireplace will get warm, warm enough that you may not want to touch. It is still safe as the area can reach temps of 325 degrees and still be safe. On the tile coming off, [fireplace co] has not had issues like this before. Please make sure that the area of “non combustible” around the fireplace was properly faced over with a non combustible facing and your tile person is using a mastic that will work in high heat areas.

I built a surround, mantel and overmantel using MDF, various moldings and honed travertine tiles (filled). I don't know how to post pictures, but, if you e-mail me I'd be glad to send you some. To answer your questions: You can install the travertine directly on the drywall using fortified thinset (don't buy the pre-mixed kind). Just make sure the drywall is well anchored, I drove some extra drywall screws into the studs before installing the travertine. I didn't seal my tiles, but, the honed finish is smoother than what you have. The reason to seal before grouting is that the sealant acts as a grout release and makes it easier to clean the grout from the tiles. With rough tiles I've found it helps to keep a water spray bottle handy which you can use to flush out any grout that gets in the holes before it sets. 1/8" spacing is good, however, if your tiles have rough edges you may have to go to 3/16". On the hearth you need plywood for strength and then you should put down some wonderboard or hardiboard. This is because code usually requires at least 1" of non-combustible material on the hearth (check your local code to be sure what the requirement is). You meet the requirement by calculating the thickness of your tile plus the thickness of the thinset (1/8' - 1/4") plus the thickness of the cement board. You should err on the high side. Hearths can get pretty hot, so the thicker the non-combustible layer the better (it acts like an insulator). Also remember to check your local code on the required clearances from the firebox opnening to the mantel and surround. In most jurisdictions this is 12" (for non-combustible materials). I used some corbels that are closer but I bought some made out of molded stone that are non-combustible.

We are installing a high efficiency gas fireplace that also serves as a source of heat for the upstairs. We need to provide access through the tiled fireplace surround to the heating vent assembly that goes upstairs and the gas union on the left side of the fireplace. My solution is to use three custom size recessed doors from Acudor. See example of their recessed access door below. From their specifications the combination of door panel, door frame and the air gap between them appears to be 3/16âÂÂ, which would dictate the grout line width for the entire fireplace surround. We plan on using 18x18 porcelain tile cut down to fit the design shown below. NOTE: All tile panels will be the same color. The door panels are shown in a different color for clarity. We thought we would start on the door panel side first to make sure the grout lines coincide with the access doors, and then do the face of the fireplace surround. Below is a picture showing the side panel with scrap wood installed to show the location of the framing for the Acudor recessed access doors. We used a story pole to determine the location of the framing for the doors. Does anyone here have experience with installing these types of access doors in tiled surfaces? Are we on the right path? Comments appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and consider my questions.

Joe: That's typically not legal unless there's a maintenance/repair issue that's brought up to the landlord and not addressed in a reasonable amount of time (and how long "reasonable" is depends on the type of request and how it affects habitability). States have very specific laws governing rent escrowing, and not following them could be a quick path to eviction. Jillian: I'd start with asking the landlord. They're not the ones that did the improper remodel, but they are responsible for fixing it. Could you explain more about the chips in the tub? Photos?