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About to lay down flooring...How do I fix this part of my slab?

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  • Dec 20th, 2018 9:02 am
Jr. Member
Nov 2, 2018
191 posts
79 upvotes

About to lay down flooring...How do I fix this part of my slab?

So I am about to lay down Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring in my basement. I ripped up the carpet, and the concrete looks smooth and level, but I was greeted by this nice little surprise under my fireplace. Seems as though there may have been a "hearth" under this fireplace at some point, and it was removed. The concrete patch job is quite raised, in fact is seems like my concrete slab even slopes up towards it slightly.


Does anyone have any advice on how to best tackle this......Grind it down? If so, how do I go about that...Angle grinder? Smash/chisel it out and fill? Somehow put tile over it in that section?

Thank you for the help.

https://imgur.com/a/WhhQotw
thumbnail_20181216_215507.jpg
5 replies
Deal Expert
User avatar
Feb 11, 2007
21248 posts
25711 upvotes
GTA
It's a small section so an angle grinder with diamond wheel should be able to take care of it with some labour. Make sure you wet it down to control dust.
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Deal Fanatic
Nov 17, 2012
5381 posts
5001 upvotes
Toronto
Consider putting some tile down as a new hearth. Use thinset to level out the tile in that area and run the planks up to it with the proper trim etc.

Is this a working fireplace? If so you need to have something there by code anyhow.
Jr. Member
Nov 2, 2018
191 posts
79 upvotes
torontotim wrote: Consider putting some tile down as a new hearth. Use thinset to level out the tile in that area and run the planks up to it with the proper trim etc.

Is this a working fireplace? If so you need to have something there by code anyhow.
It is a working fireplace, but it has a gas insert in it right now. Which I am planning to keep. I would like to do a nice tile hearth, but Im not sure exactly how to trim/connect the floors to the tile, as the tile will probably be sitting a good 1/2" higher than the floors
Deal Fanatic
Nov 17, 2012
5381 posts
5001 upvotes
Toronto
If it's only 1/2" or so then perhaps rent a jackhammer and chip away at it without going all the way through the floor and then come back with self-leveling cement to smooth it out.
Jr. Member
Sep 12, 2017
193 posts
139 upvotes
As a flooring installer....I'd say it needs to be ground down if its a 1/2" above the rest of the floor. A grinder with a diamond double row cup wheel will make short work of it. Usually we'd use a shroud over the wheel attached to a vacuum, however we're starting to get into a lot of tools that are not exactly in the workshop for most DIY guys. Spraying down the area with water can help control the dust too. I've even used a small cardboard box upside down with one side cut out half way to get the grinder in and allow you to work inside, with the vacuum hose cut and taped in the side for dust pickup.

Over grinding it is fine so don't worry about the finish. I'd suggest using Mapei Planipatch to skim over the rough parts and give you a good smooth surface for your lvt glue to bond to.

CHM.

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