How to finish a open fireplace

[illmonkey]

Last year I had my fireplace opened up and laid a hearth, and just put a cheap grate in there for some fires over winter. The plasterer said he’d use the fireproof sheets, I assumed he meant cement, he meant pink plaster! Regardless the plaster and dried and cracked

The back plaster started disintegrating so I removed it all. Then the sides started cracking, and now I’ve got a bit of a mess.

I don’t intend to put a log burner in, as I can’t justify the cost for the little amount of times I’ll use it. But I’d like to tidy this up!

I’ve already bought the same tiles, my plan was to just tile the back, but now the sides are shot, I’d need to do them too. Then I’d put a tile edge to the left and right sides. (I have enough tiles for back and sides)

Any other genius ideas?! TIA

[Bonefish Blues]

Conversation with the local granite wrangler (kitchen and/or monumental masons) and pick up 3 small pieces to stick into place as a back panel?

[Mr Pointy]

This page mentions a few types of suitable lining board - Hardiebacker is a common one:

https://stovefitterswarehouse.co.uk/pages/lining-a...

[dhutch]

You will be amazed how cheap a good local fireplace company can produce a proper slabbed up harth, and surround, with a clay fireback and throat lintel.

I put this into my previous house for a grand, all up including buying the companion set and the first five bags of coal.
That was ten years ago but still only £1400 in today's money. Thicker mantle top by request, including fitting.




The tiles are laid upside down on a flat surface (often an old snooker table) and then flooded from behind with a cement and lightweight aggregate mix, couple of bits of steel rebar, and you have a very durable thing indeed.