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Corner fireplace
Hi Joe. Thanks to your instruction and help I am slowly but steadily working my way flooring my son’s condo. Bedrooms and the hall that creates the line across the whole space are done.
Am doing a modified backwards install in the living room – while the planks are inserted backwards I am going in the correct direction of the side joints so I can lay one on top of the other instead of trying to slide them under. Pretty easy actually.
But now I am reaching an area that my son and I are not in agreement on.
There is a floor height corner fireplace at end of living room. He purchased a 24″×48″ porcelain tile to replace old white tiles on hearth.
Floor there is still not level, even after self-leveller.
Both floor and fireplace slope slightly downward toward right side and center is slightly higher.
Should we add more self leveler (where would we end it??) or level it by hand where tile sits?
Our original plan was to grind down the high parts so the tile would be level with flooring, no transition or border.
Well that didn’t work! There must have been a repair done because part was different concrete, extra hard and full of stones. Over 4 hours of grinding and it still wasn’t close to low enough and center remained higher. Hence the self leveler.
Tile is sitting level on spacers right now. You can see both sides need to be raised. Flooring is just loosely placed around area.
Should we cut planks as laid individually to follow edge of tile, or lay them into tile area, mark tile outline on top, then use multitool or mini circular saw to make straight cut along each side, then install tile in the cutout area?
How much space to leave around tile?
How do we transition from tile to flooring, esp since it is different heights along tile?
ANY suggestions are appreciated!!!!
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7 Replies
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Thanks so much for your video. You gave us a lot of info and helpful suggestions.
So, yes, the tile area is higher at center right than the 2 sides. That is where the crazy hard rocky concrete is that barely changes with hours of grinding. Any tips that might give us better results?
And as you described in your video, there is a high spot in front of that one, about 6-8 inches in front tile edge. Since there is some, maybe not much, self leveler over that area, that should grind off before we hit that stubborn stuff and might mean less grinding (fingers crossed).
The T molding def sounds like the best way to cover tile edge. I don’t think it will look bad, will make it look finished. Possibly even accentuate that tile.
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What steps do I take now that decided to use T molding?
Do I still have to grind? My daughter in law wants to know if there is a solution without grinding under tile.
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Watch this for grinding solution – https://youtu.be/iLwOGSjbnbw?si=wLcukKLyFMI052wx
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You might be able to rent that. The manufacturer of your plank will sell a T mold
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I have watched this video – it’s really good! – and followed it when we did grinding as floor prep. I bought grinder with diamond blade. We used it to remove mortar when we removed old tiles in kitchen, hall, bathroom and hearth then to sand down quite a few high areas/humps esp at room perimeters. The concrete and mortar sanded down VERY easily – in fact there were 2 or 3 of spots that got circle depressions because we didn’t move it fast enough when we first started.
In the center of the fireplace area, however, the concrete is completely different: it has a different texture, is filled with small rocks and is extremely hard. We took turns trying to grind down that area for about 4 hours over 2 days and it only flattened it slightly. We assume it was some kind of repair or patch. That was why we decided to try selfleveler which did help raise the sides but prob needed another coat.
The floor & hearth are the next to last project before they have to move in as lease ends on 15th. My daughter in law is pregnant and says she can’t handle grinding again as she has to stay out of the house until all dust that doesn’t make it to wet-dry vac settles and all is vacuumed/mopped/ wiped twice. Says she needs to start deorating & moving stuff in asap.
I’m trying to balance giving them what they want and doing a good job while respecting her needs.
I’ve been reno-ing this condo basically by myself for past 4 months (gutting, plumbing, tiling, cabinets, wood door & trim restoration, sheetrock repair/replace (cat urine), lighting & electrical, closet gut/rebuilds, the list goes on LOL. My son helps on weekends.
Flooring is going great thanks to your videos and advise. But this fireplace hearth is DIL’s breaking point. Rest of floor could be done in a day, maybe 2, if not for that.
So trying to make this as easy and mess free as possible for her. So wondering if you have any ideas. If not I will be back to the grind again tomorrow.
Thank you my friend.
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You can get the floor wet and grind that way. It will be messy. The problem is that self leveler does not grind easily. Concrete is much easier.
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