Laying a herringbone pattern brick hearth

[vicky whitworth]

Hello, we have decided to lay a herringbone brick hearth with an area of 30" by 45" and with the bricks laid on their side. Does anyone have any advice about doing this? Should we put a border of bricks down first and then infill with the herringbone? I think we would at least have to do that at the room side of the hearth. Even better does anyone have any pictures of a hearth with herringbone bricks. I have tried googling but have not had any success except to find a site where it says, "Herringbone pattern is the outside entertainer's patio style of choice"! which made me feel slightly sick about the whole idea. Thanks for any advice. Vicky

 

[Jon Maine]

I would decide on your pattern first based on the size of the brick you have, cut them, lay them out dry on a template board or even in place so you are happy with the pattern and joint spacing.

Once you are happy lay a bed of mortar and sit all the bricks in place and get the spacing an levels correct.

Mix a drier mix of mortar and chop it in the joints with the edge of your trowel.

Job done.

 

[vicky whitworth]

Thank you, Jon, for your reply. Over the weekend we bought the bricks and I'd sort of roughly laid them out on the floor in front of the fire. My fantastic builder (not even having been forewarned we were going to ask him to do the hearth)arrived on Monday, saw them and said, "oh wow! I'm going to have a really good day today. I'm so looking forward to doing this job." Later heard on the phone to the electrician saying, "I'm doing a really good job today - laying herringbone bricks in a hearth."
And the job he's done is stunning. All bedded on lime mortar and pointed up. What can I say... these guys are stars. Vicky

 

[skier-hughes]

and his name and number is?

 

[Jon Maine]

And the picture is?

 

[vicky whitworth]

I wasn't sure if it is OK to give names and numbers of builders on this site? Is it Ok if I do that?
As for pictures I'm completely technology incompetent and I work on a Mac but I'm going to have a go but I don't have high hope.

 

[skier-hughes]

A recommendation is always good, blatant advertising is frowned upon.

 

[Moo]

If you work on a Mac, everything will be easy-peasy.

 

[vicky whitworth]

I've had no joy getting pics up yet but my other half says he'll help over the weekend.
If it's OK to make a recommendation my fantastic builder is Mike O'Leary and his company the Heritage Coast Building Company at http://www.heritagecoastbuilding.co.uk. Mike operates in the Bridport, Lyme, Axminster area. He has got a great team of guys working for him all of whom treat my house with respect and problems with good humour. Mike has an Msc in some aspect of environmental studies which doesn't necessarily make him a good builder but means he is sensitive to environmental issues as well as caring about older buildings.

 

[CHRIS]

Mike has an Msc in some aspect of environmental studies.

I work with a few of them and all that means is they can fill in a waste transfer license and set up a nice bin area! Slackers.