Good day all,
I'm looking for suggestions for installing 3/4 x 5" Acacia hardwood over a transitional area of an old concrete fireplace hearth bed surrounded by 5/8 plywood subfloor.

Location is in southern Ontario, Canada. The room is is over a heated crawl space, the hearth bed is a thick pour of Portland cement into a cradle suspended between joists. 12" x 72"

Problem is the pour is near level with the subfloor and doesn't allow installation of 1/4 or less plywood underlayment

This area is is about 8" forward and parallel to my starting wall.
Some thoughts:
- fill the void with felt, float the hardwood glueing the tongues
- trowel level with thinset, cover with poly vapour barrier then float the floor as above
- trowel level with thinset then directly glue ( concerned with curing time and moisture)
Your thoughts are greatly appreciated

Steve from Canada

I'd use some self leveling compound or a good cement patch as they set and dry faster and are a higher strength (psi) than thinset. , then use Pl Premium in that area.
But out here in my area theres a code of 18" out from the fireplace which needs to be some sort of tile, brick or stone.

Same here for code (wood burning) but I'm converting to gas insert.

What leveler would you suggest, we have a high cement content generally for ceramic or a high poly content used for vinyl .

Thanks for the input.

I use Mapei products.

Update:
As suggested, I used a good floor lever recommended for parquet flooring. I waited for a good cure then PL'd that section of floor in place.

BTW I wouldn't recommend the use of PL Premium for installations as it's near impossible to remove from the surface once it sets.

all urethane adhesive is near impossible to remove of a finished floor.

I just ran into the same thing. I used a self leveler then used PL Subfloor, as I usually glue the last few rows anyways it was nothing to worry about

That was only what, a 1' x 4' area? lol Try gluing in 1,200 ft in a house with urethane adhesives. Due diligence means cleaning up after yourself every day. Making walk out paths with the cardboard or paper. It ain't that hard.