Joining slate effect laminate to fireplace hearth

[nhearle]

We've just laid really nice slate effect laminate in our kitchen, and I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas how to make a a tidy join to a stone fireplace hearth?

Hiding the expansion gaps around the walls is easy with skirting, but I'm wondering what to do around the fireplace so it looks like a natural join. Ideally I'd like to grout it with concrete or grout, but clearly you can't just fill the expansion gap with concrete. Wooden beading would look...er...not good.

One idea is using tinted caulking which is compressible. Another idea I had would be to somehow attach very simple wooden beading to the fireplace, and grout over the top of this, thus still allowing the floor to expand underneath.

Does anyone have any other ideas, or experience of this?

cheers

Nick

 

[big-all]

its an expansion gap so must be clear to allow expansion

i assume the fireplace is unused or at least not by a real "burner"

 

[Nozzle]

You don't need to have an expansion gap ALL the way around the laminate flooring, but what yo do need is to have sufficient gap for expansion. Why not just "double-up" on the opposite side of the room to the hearth? (Where I make the assumption there is a skirting board)

Nozzle

 

[nhearle]

Thanks for the replies. The fireplace is in use. I've left plenty of gap on the opposite wall, but my concern would be that the floor in front of it would get warm and may not expand equally enough for the gap on the opposite wall to absorb this...

 

[ree]

Always leave an expansion gap, according to Mfr's Instructions (typically 10mm to 15mm for laminate) all the way around the perimeter. All the way.

There are many custom edging, trim or molding strips to cover the expansion gap. Go google them, or the laminate suppliers.