SA vinyl tiles into an old fireplace.

[LadyHomeLover]

A handyman has laid a floor of sticky-back vinyl tiles on top of new hardboard in my home office. He's laid it right into the fireplace recess as the fireplace is now only ornamental and it seemed the best way to do it.

However, it's left a raggedy gap where the vinyl tiles meet the upright walls. See pics. I don't know what to do about it. Not only does the "finish" look horrible after an outlay of hundreds of hard-earned pounds, but as the room gets mopped regularly, the join needs to be somewhat waterproofed. I fear that repeated wet getting into that join will make the tiles curl up.

I've sat here staring at it glumly for a bit and am considering to cover the gap. I've come up with (a) small timber quadrant, painted; or a cartridge of black silicone sealant. I can't think of anything else at present.

What is the correct way of dealing with this kind of floor when it abuts a fireplace? What can I to gain a nice and waterproof finish?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can advise.

LHL.

 

[KenGMac]

LadyHomeLover, good evening.

A possible off the wall suggestion?

How about fixing some timber skirting to the bottom of the two sides of the fireplace? paint them black and the skirting will blend into the fireplace appearing like a base plinth?

Are you going to fit a Skirting to the room there does not appear to be any fitted just now?

As for water damage? how about you consider using mastic as a sealant to all the floors cut surfaces and use mastic to stick / glue the skirting to the fireplace.

You will then be faced with a very small amount of filling of the top of the skirting, the two sides of the fireplace are anything but smooth if also painted black then all will merge visually.

Possibly worth a thought?

Ken.

 

[dazlight]

Thin bead of Black silicone around the edges will sort it out.
Shouldn’t be laid on hardboard though. Not the best of subfloors that for gluing too.

 

[KenGMac]

Gaps when seen up close are large and very, very uneven Mastic will be all over the place??

 

[LadyHomeLover]

How about fixing some timber skirting to the bottom of the two sides of the fireplace? paint them black and the skirting will blend into the fireplace appearing like a base plinth?

Are you going to fit a Skirting to the room there does not appear to be any fitted just now?

As for water damage? how about you consider using mastic as a sealant to all the floors cut surfaces and use mastic to stick / glue the skirting to the fireplace.

You will then be faced with a very small amount of filling of the top of the skirting, the two sides of the fireplace are anything but smooth if also painted black then all will merge visually.

Hello Ken and thank you for your thoughts on this problem. The other three walls of the room are skirted with 14 inch deep ogee. Would be hard/impossible to match it. But as the new stuff (as per your suggestion) would not abut it, maybe it does not need to match. There would be a lot of cutting and mitering to go around the bits that can take skirting, whereas quadrant beading would be really easy to cut and fit. Also skirting cannot go into the actual fireplace recess, leaving that problem still to solve.

LHL

 

[LadyHomeLover]

Thin bead of Black silicone around the edges will sort it out.
Shouldn’t be laid on hardboard though. Not the best of subfloors that for gluing too.

Thanks Daz for replying.

You're saying these sticky back tiles should not be stuck onto hardboard at all? Too late now, but am curious to know this for the future.

 

[LadyHomeLover]

Gaps when seen up close are large and very, very uneven Mastic will be all over the place??

When you say "mastic" I assume you are talking about something different from silicone sealant?

 

[KenGMac]

LadyHomeLover, good evening again.

Mastic is a term I use which encompasses Silicone Sealant, all sticky stuff various names.

As for the Skirting idea?

The Skirting could be something like 100.mm high, 15. mm thick with a rounded top, the dimensions of the Skirting can be 50.mm high or 75. mm high Etc. it is there only as a visual blind, with three miters not all that onerous, this type of Skirting is cheap so if you muck up a miter you have a load left to keep on trying, if not perfect some Polyfilla will assist???

The Skirting as above is simply there to emulate a secondary base plinth in the stone work.

I would suggest the Skirting above be fitted to the outside edges of the stone fireplace, touching the Skirting on the wall. The new skirting could be taken across the front of the Fireplace stone, and returned, but, only to the rebate before the tiles on the inner surface of the old hearth area.

As for making the cut flooring look presentable as it touches the tiled section of the old hearth? Quadrant bead? using clear silicon to fit it?

Hope this assists??

Ken.

 

[LadyHomeLover]

I would suggest the Skirting above be fitted to the outside edges of the stone fireplace, touching the Skirting on the wall. The new skirting could be taken across the front of the Fireplace stone, and returned, but, only to the rebate before the tiles on the inner surface of the old hearth area.

As for making the cut flooring look presentable as it touches the tiled section of the old hearth? Quadrant bead? using clear silicon to fit it?

Hope this assists??

Ken.

Thank you so much, Ken, these are great ideas to solve this wee problem.

LHL

 

[bobasd]

keep it simple, as dazlight says, thin bead of black will do the trick. smooth off with a soapy finger.

 

[LadyHomeLover]

Gotta buy some black silicone!

 

[Keithmac]

Ive had excellent results with Screwfix No Nonsense black (and brown) silicone.

Wasn't expecting much for the price but it's excellent!.

£2.60 a tube (you need a mastic gun as well), use blue masking tape to get a very nice line.

And a solution of washing up liquid and water to damp finger or tool first as said above.

 

[KenGMac]

OK But?

Silicone works well were there is an even gap. and a flat wall to work with.

If on the other hand the wall is rough and the [in this case] the floor has vastly varying gaps the result may be OK?

Worth a try?

Ken

 

[opps]

I do not understand why you want to use black silicone.

Wouldn't a caulk the same colour as the floor make more sense?

eg https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unika-ColorSealant-Colours-Waterproof-available/dp/B00P82UULY?th=1

Other brands and colours are available.