Hardwood flooring joint at fireplace hearth

[Ted Shrader]

Greetings all. It's been a while since I have posted, but I'm a very good lurker.

Question: I am installing ¾" x 5" solid oak prefinished hardwood in the foyer and den. In the den there is a traditional brick fireplace and hearth. My question is how to deal with the hearth. I intend to put a single course frame around the hearth. Should the hearth be undercut? If so, by how much and which tool to use. If not, how to treat the joint at the hearth? Base shoe or caulk.

Thanks,
Ted

[Jamie Buxton]

Greetings all. It's been a while since I have posted, but I'm a very good lurker.

Question: I am installing ¾" x 5" solid oak prefinished hardwood in the foyer and den. In the den there is a traditional brick fireplace and hearth. My question is how to deal with the hearth. I intend to put a single course frame around the hearth. Should the hearth be undercut? If so, by how much and which tool to use. If not, how to treat the joint at the hearth? Base shoe or caulk.

Thanks,
Ted

Undercutting might give the cleanest look. You'd undercut it with an abrasive wheel on a 4" right-angle grinder. But doing this in your den will make a terrible mess. You'd be throwing lots of very fine brick dust in the air -- really bad stuff to have around the room, and some will escape to go elsewhere in the house.

If you attempt to use base shoe, what are you going to nail it to -- the brick?

I'd just go with caulk. Search out a caulk color that is somewhat like the flooring color.