Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - How do you Install Laminate Around the Fireplace Hearth ??

Firts timer with laminate flooring. Need to know the best approach to butting up to a fireplace hearth made of mortar and stone ??

Could I cut the Laminate to the hearth and then feather in with mortar ? Or ????

Help !

Thanks All !!

Thoroughbred

I haven't tried it with laminate, but I scribed my hardwood flooring to my stone hearth and cut the contour with a jigsaw. It turned out well. I imagine you could do the same with laminate.

Is the hearth already existing? If not, leave a sufficient gap at the bottom next to the floor when you install the stone to slide the laminate under. A board equal to the thickness of the laminate and pad plus about a sixteenth that can be knocked out later works well. That's the cleanest way and makes a seamless transition. If the hearth is already installed and there is no gap at the bottom, is there grout at the bottom that you may be able to knock out of that area? I've never done it myself, but saw one once that had been done that way. They knocked the grout at the bottom out, installed the laminate, and then re grouted to cover it. It looked like the laminate grew there. I'm not sure what they did to keep the grout from adhering to the laminate though. The stuff does need to be allowed to expand and contract or buckling could occur. I would think something as simple as saran wrap and then trim it later might work. Cutting the board to the hearth and then feathering it after would also work, provided you keep in mind the need for the board to move and make sure the board is somehow kept from adhering to the mortar and you don't cut it so close it doesn't have the gap it needs. As slick as laminate usually is, I don't personally think it would stick all that well any how, but caution is never a bad idea.

Just got done doing a family room with a brick fireplace that was out of square by about an inch from left to right. Used 12" ceramic tiles to trim it on all three sides as well as restoring it to square. Looks great and didn't cost alot. Just allow for a transition strip between the laminate and tile. Good Luck!

Many prefer to undercut a stone or brick hearth and slip the laminate or hardwood beneath.