Continuity Problem

[lightpanther]

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Hello. I have been laying a floor for the first time (been an adventure) and am certainly a noob. As seen in the photos it spans open plan across a larger room and a smaller room. I have ended up with a continuity problem near the boundary between the two rooms. I understand that the supreme time to have sorted that out would be before I even began, but I am seeking a "local" solution at this point...I do NOT want to take the whole floor up and start again. What would be the best solution to solve this problem in that area?

Options I am considering at the moment are a transition strip across that diagonal...or, continue the main room flooring into that narrow hallway area with the arches (removing the flooring that is there at the moment, which is presently continuous with what I am calling the "smaller room" (visible inside the arches) and then creating a transition strip at the boundary between the hallway and the smaller room. Both of these options would of course mean that there is not perfect continuity across the whole floored area, but I don't see a solution for that (other than starting again).

Anyway, I seek the advice of the seasoned experts here.

 

[Floorist]

Easiest would be a transition across the diagonal.

 

[lightpanther]

Thanks for the reply. Would this be the general advice of the experts?

What kind of transition though? That's a high traffic area. I don't want a "bump" there that folks might trip over? Are the above two suggestions my only two possible solutions (short of beginning again)?

Also, if I may, what kind of saw would I use, exactly, to cut vinyl floor planks *already installed in position*?

 

[Incognito]

Thanks for the reply. Would this be the general advice of the experts?

What kind of transition though? That's a high traffic area. I don't want a "bump" there that folks might trip over? Are the above two suggestions my only two possible solutions (short of beginning again)?

Also, if I may, what kind of saw would I use, exactly, to cut vinyl floor planks *already installed in position*?

What exactly are those "vinyl floor planks"?

I cut vinyl with a utility knife. Some of the harder finishes on an LVT/LVP can be warmed with a heat gun to cut from the surface. Aside from a transition molding of some sort------which would depend on exactly what TYPE of vinyl flooring you're dealing with------you can possibly put in what's called a "Header". When wood flooring meets in various locations throughout a home often across the doorway or opening a board or a few boards can be turned perpendicular to change the layout slightly allowing the installer to shift to a different line/direction. In your case the header could be installed across that angled opening. Cant say how nice that would look. Those photos are really blurry.

Who's idea was it to start at different points and meet in the middle? That's just crazy. It's actually a common joke in our trade. I've seen cartoons and heard stories about goofy apprentices and installers that made that mistake. I never saw an ACTUAL picture though. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Incognito]

Google Image Results for

"header board flooring"

https://www.google.com/search?q=hea...hYnUAhUE02MKHWQWAsIQ_AUIBigB&biw=1062&bih=457

 

[Floorist]

What exactly are those "vinyl floor planks"?

I cut vinyl with a utility knife. Some of the harder finishes on an LVT/LVP can be warmed with a heat gun to cut from the surface. Aside from a transition molding of some sort------which would depend on exactly what TYPE of vinyl flooring you're dealing with------you can possibly put in what's called a "Header". When wood flooring meets in various locations throughout a home often across the doorway or opening a board or a few boards can be turned perpendicular to change the layout slightly allowing the installer to shift to a different line/direction. In your case the header could be installed across that angled opening. Cant say how nice that would look. Those photos are really blurry.

Who's idea was it to start at different points and meet in the middle? That's just crazy. It's actually a common joke in our trade. I've seen cartoons and heard stories about goofy apprentices and installers that made that mistake. I never saw an ACTUAL picture though. Thanks for sharing.

I saw a DIYer who put down peel & stick. He started on one side and his wife on the other and tried to meet in the middle.

 

[Jon]

There was a joke around years ago with a black and white tile checkerboard pattern with 2 blacks together in a doorway

 

[Ernesto]

Doubt you could do a header board with a click vinyl plank. A glue down, yes.

 

[Incognito]

Doubt you could do a header board with a click vinyl plank. A glue down, yes.

I could not tell from what I could see in the photos the sort of vinyl they were working with. I agree it would be crazy complicated/impossible to make a header board work with click/lock unless you cut off all the assembly mechanism and glued that section down which would void any warranty and risk buckling up the planks when temperature/humidity changes.