Step 3 remove old hearth photo by brian wilder.
Finish wood floor around fireplace.
Tape thin plywood or cardboard to floor around hearth to protect floor from scratches and debris.
Place a scrap section of hardwood flooring and a piece of the underlayment you will be using on the subfloor flush against the fireplace where it meets the floor.
David sacks lifesize getty images the idea of installing hardwood flooring in a room with a fireplace is one that many homeowners find appealing until it s time to install the flooring around the fireplace mantel and hearth area.
The best method to finish a wood floor at an in situ fire hearth is largely not for the faint hearted but it is for those that require the neatest detailed looking finish.
This is a good time to consider building or buying a new mantel.
Trimming a wood floor around a hearth.
There s a bit more to it but that s the basic process.
The wood requires expansion gaps on all sides to.
Make sure all wood framing and lath are at least 2 inches away from the firebox opening as required by code.
Transitioning from hardwood to a hearth is tricky whether the hearth is level with the floor or raised.
The method we use is to undercut the hearth.
This process is very similar to undercutting a door lining frame.