I'm going to DIY laying some 18mm engineered wood flooring in my new house, but the issue is that I want to keep the original flooring as intact as possible for later restoration (10-15 years down the line).

The hearth is a set of beautiful (if slightly damaged) tiles, that appear to be handmade and most likely date back about 100+ years. The issue is that they sit about 7mm proud of the rest of the entire flooring. I've planed a few arched boards, so the floor is now as flat as you could hope, but this rectangle I'm not sure what to do with or how to lay the floor over it without causing issues with the new floor.

https://preview.redd.it/mwhiwzwu74x91.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a63028ba406bb5c98de6a80160adbc4156f37a4

Comments

MarvinHeemyerlives t1_iuhntgx wrote on October 31, 2022 at 12:31 PM

#379,952

Remove the tiles and replace with a piece of plywood the same thickness as rest of floor.

Waltzing_With_Bears t1_iuhr324 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 1:00 PM

#380,934

Honestly I would just leave it, your hearth being a little high isnt a problem, unless its really bothering you, in which case you could get some slightly sloped tiles (or flat ones and use a bit of filler) and make it stand out a little more, or use some bricks or similar

crashorbit t1_iuhubws wrote on October 31, 2022 at 1:27 PM

#381,995

Chances are the tiles are fixed to the floor with mastic. Carefully pry them loose with a putty knife and wonder bar. then store them away somewhere safe for when you want to re-use them. Fill any significant voids with plywood or floor leveling filler before you cover with the flooring.

MrSnowden t1_iuhuv04 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 1:31 PM

#382,187

I have lived in a ton of very old houses. In some the Hearth was higher than the floor (by a small amount, but sometimes by up to several inches), and I have been in houses where the hearth was a little bit lower than the flooring and there was just transition molding going from floorboard to hearth (which actually helps contain cinders). Its part of the character of older houses. I'd not worry about it.

jaxpaboo t1_iui4zq4 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 2:46 PM

#385,116

Out of the box solution... mill down a few planks of your new flooring for what is going over the tile. So take some of your 18mm down to 11mm.

nonoohnoohno t1_iui9sa1 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 3:19 PM

#386,584

Replying to MrSnowden (#382,187)

I think the concern is that they're laying new floor ON TOP of this. The height difference matters in this case.

DKlurifax t1_iuinf8t wrote on October 31, 2022 at 4:50 PM

#390,899

Replying to crashorbit (#381,995)

I'd follow this guy's suggestion. This will in my opinion give the best results.

DotAccomplished5484 t1_iuiorxq wrote on October 31, 2022 at 4:59 PM

#391,342

I advise against trying to pry up the tiles for later reuse. Tiles can be removed successfully if you know what you are doing, but it is a real skill and the price for not possessing that skill is permanent.

HorsesRanch t1_iuiufg8 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 5:37 PM

#393,143

In the photo that you wisely provided, I can see that there is a 'frame' of wood coving that surrounds the laid bed of tile - this can be done in a 'reverse' fashion, allow the same 11/2 to 2" wide area with either hardwood or (if you can find it) nifty decorative tile sections to lay in. If you are placing a wood stove back onto the hearth, it will keep the chips and ash/coals on the tile area - by the way, even at the angle of view that is nice right pleasing tiles worth keeping. Horse

FRIKI-DIKI-TIKI t1_iuixyhg wrote on October 31, 2022 at 6:00 PM

#394,275

Replying to DotAccomplished5484 (#391,342)

Yes removing tile without breaking them is an art and honestly more time consuming than using a multi-tool to cut around the entire area, and then pry the entire tile surface up via the cut out subfloor as a single piece, then use a plywood the same size as the offset and glue the old subfloor to the new riser plywood.

If the subfloor is concrete you will have to remove them, you might want to see if you can find matching tiles to replace any that get damaged, or consider what you would like to install in the event that they do get damaged.

First thing I would do is pop those framing pieces and see what I am working with below the tile.

mully_and_sculder t1_iuj7cnd wrote on October 31, 2022 at 7:02 PM

#397,314

Probably the easiest aesthetically pleasing option would be to screw some 6-10mm board over the hearth and put new tiles on it. That should make up the difference to your new floor and leave a similar raised tile hearth that you can put some trim around to cover the gap