# Hearth Pad on subfloor or on top of floating laminate floor?



## blackls1z (Nov 15, 2010)

I'm in the process of a remodel and I have a question.  I'm going to be installing a laminate floating floor in the living room where the 30-NC will  be located.  I'm going to be building a hearth pad out of metal studs for it to get the R value I need.  My question is.....do I build the hearth pad and install the stove first and then install the floor around it?  Or can I install the floor first and put the hearth pad on top of it?



Thanks


-Colin


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## begreen (Nov 15, 2010)

You can do either. Just make that pad stiff, it's a heavy beastie.


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## wendell (Nov 15, 2010)

I have great hesitation in disagreeing with our esteemed moderator but you must install the floor around the hearth pad. A floating floor must be able to move and if you place the hearth pad on top of it you pin it and will most likely pop some joints elsewhere down the road.


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## nate379 (Nov 15, 2010)

Disagree.  It's not any worse than other heavy furniture in your house that will be on the floor.  Fridge, washer/dryer, couch, etc.

I put the pad on top of my laminate floor.  #1 my floor was already there and I didn't want to tear it up.  #2 if I wanted to change out the pad or even move the stove I wouldn't have to re-do the floor.


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## RoseRedHoofbeats (Nov 15, 2010)

I'm doing the same thing, and I'm putting it on top. Like hell I'm cutting that many pieces of laminate to fit around it. 

~Rose


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## blackls1z (Nov 15, 2010)

Ok thats what I was thinking....I have a pretty heavy entertainment center and was thinking that it wouldn't be THAT much different. especially with the hearth distributing the weight nice and evenly.  PLUS the fact of all the extra cutting involved with going around it.    Thanks guys!


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## wendell (Nov 16, 2010)

I was going to put mine on top until a friend who is in construction said he has seen several cases of joints popping when people put something very heavy over a section of the stove. You may get away with it, but if you don't, you're going to have to tear out your floor.

There was a thread here about a month ago where somebody had the problem of a floating floor popping after a stove was installed so it does happen.


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## begreen (Nov 16, 2010)

True indeed, though I thought the diagnosis in that case was that the floating floor was frequently nailed down and not allowed to float. When the stove was started up, the heat of the stove expanded it.


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## grommal (Nov 16, 2010)

To be on the safe side, I'd lay the flooring around the hearth, not under it.  Cutting the flooring is easy enough.  First lay the flooring so that it extends into the future hearth area a little bit on all sides.  Then mark the hearth outline with a marker.  Then take a circular saw, set the blade so it goes just deep enough to cut the laminate, and saw the excess away.

When I replaced my woodstove, I needed hearth protection to extend out a little farther from the raised brick hearth.  Unfortunately, I had just installed new laminate flooring the year before, which meant I needed to saw my brand new floor.  But, it was very easy to cut the flooring away with a small cordless saw and lay a row of tiles around the hearth.  (All just on concrete slab in my case, so no worries about combustibles, except the laminate.)


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## blackls1z (Nov 16, 2010)

Oh no....what to do what to do  lol.


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