How to Caulk Fireplaces & Laminate Flooring

If you lay a laminate floor in your living room and it comes up against a fireplace, you will inevitably have a small space between the floor and the fireplace. It's not possible to cut the laminate flooring so that it's completely snug against the fireplace, and in fact, you are supposed to leave about a quarter-inch of space to allow for movement of the floor. However, this doesn't mean you have to live with the space there. By caulking that area between the floor and the fireplace, you can close it off, while leaving it flexible enough that the floor can still move.

Household spray cleanser
Paper towels
Caulk (to match the floorboards)
Caulk gun
Utility knife
Long nail

Instructions

- 1
  Spray down the gap between the flooring and the fireplace with a household cleanser. Wipe down the area with paper towel, getting up all the cleanser. Tuck the paper towel into the gap and run it along the length of it so no moisture remains in that space.
- 2
  Put a caulk tube in the caulk gun. Use a utility knife to cut off the end of the tube at a diagonal angle so the hole in the tip is about a quarter-inch across.
- 3
  Slide a long nail into the hole and break the seal inside, releasing the caulk. Compress the trigger until caulk comes out the end.
- 4
  Place the tip of the tube against one end of the gap between the flooring and the fireplace molding, while holding the gun at a 45-degree angle. Compress the trigger until the caulk comes out and starts to fill the space.
- 5
  Drag the caulk gun slowly back along the line, letting the caulk fill the gap. Run the gun along the whole length of the line, keeping the caulk smooth and even.
- 6
  Run your thumb along the freshly laid caulk, smoothing it out. Repeat for each line where the floor meets the fireplace.

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