Which Stones Are Used for a Hearth for a Wood Burning Fireplace?

Slate

• While you can decide whether or not to use a tile format or a slab format, slate is one of the available options for a wood-burning fireplace hearth. It is a sedimentary natural stone that is used in a number of applications, from tile floors to roof shingles. Slate is durable, naturally heat-resistant and occurs in a variety of dark, earthy tones. It lasts for years when installed properly.

Granite

• Granite can be installed as a tile, but the slab format is the most common way to use granite in a hearth for a wood-burning fireplace or stove. The stone can be used polished or not polished, and color selections depend on where in the world you want to buy the granite. Granite is one of the most durable kinds of natural stone you can use in any project.

Marble

• Softer than granite but still durable, marble is available in a polished or rough format and can be purchased in tiles or slabs. Any of those options serves the same purpose as far as hearths are concerned. The color selection for granite applies to marble; you have an entire world’s worth of quarries from which to choose a marble color, but the import prices may differ.

Limestone

• Limestone tends to be light colors, such as creams and whites. It is a highly durable natural stone that works as well in wood-burning fireplace hearths as in outdoor patios and porches. The most common way limestone is purchased is in flagstone format, but it is available in slab sizes, too.