How to Glue a Hearthstone Into Place

A home's fireplace is often prized as a practical and attractive central feature, whether it was custom-built on-site or largely prefabricated and only assembled within the house. To function well for an extended period of time and be aesthetically pleasing, a fireplace's parts and installation should be planned carefully. One central aspect of the fireplace is the hearth, which extends into the room in front of the firebox and can be made from bricks or a number of types of stone. Certain hearth stone materials are meant to be attached to the underlying floor using a construction adhesive.

Hearthstones
Carpenter's pencil
Masonry, diamond or another suitable saw
Measuring tape
Construction adhesive
Level
Grout
Damp sponge
Silicone caulk

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare the site for the front hearth. Remove any flooring finish or material necessary to expose the plywood subfloor, concrete slab or flooring substrate. Make sure that the area is clean and free of dust and debris.
- 2
  Lay out the hearthstone without any adhesive to determine if any cuts will be necessary to achieve the desired size or appearance.
- 3
  Cut the hearthstone to size using a a masonry saw, diamond saw or another tool capable of cutting the specific hearthstone material.
- 4
  Position the hearthstone on the subfloor. Use a measuring tape to ensure that the stones are centered or otherwise aligned as desired. Leave 1/4-inch joints between each stone and between the stones and any adjacent material.
- 5
  Trace around each stone, creating outlines, and remove the stones from their locations.
- 6
  Apply adhesive liberally to the floor within the outlines you drew, and to the back of each stone, but put no adhesive within 2 inches of the edge of each stone. Use a polyurethane adhesive or another type of construction adhesive suited for use with the specific stone material and subfloor.
- 7
  Press the hearthstones into place, making sure to leave a 1/4-inch gap between each stone. Set a level atop the stones to make sure they aligned correctly and make any necessary adjustments by pressing down on high spots.
- 8
  Fill in the spaces between the stones with grout. If grout accidentally gets on the exposed top of the hearthstone, use a damp sponge to clean it off before it dries.
- 9
  Run a bead of silicone caulk around the perimeter of the stones, placing the caulk between the stones and any flooring or other material type.

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