Flooring transition question.

[Brlymeguy]

Maybe a very dumb question, but I can't seem to find an answer. When you install a transition piece in a doorway to transition to another floor, does the transition strip usually slide under the jamb with the floor, or does it just butt up to the jamb on both sides?

 

[Incognito]

Maybe a very dumb question, but I can't seem to find an answer. When you install a transition piece in a doorway to transition to another floor, does the transition strip usually slide under the jamb with the floor, or does it just butt up to the jamb on both sides?

*********************
Not dumb at all but way too general a question. There are so many types of floors and types of transitions and types of door frames........then it also depends on the phase/sequence of construction; as in NEW, renovation/additions.....

This is much moreso a case by case SPECIFIC question where I would want to hear a LIST of specifics. Pictures help a lot. Details are essential.

 

[MikeAntonetti]

Good question and it may vary as incognito says. I initially hid it under jambs to avoid intricate cuts.

 

[Brlymeguy]

*********************
Not dumb at all but way too general a question. There are so many types of floors and types of transitions and types of door frames........then it also depends on the phase/sequence of construction; as in NEW, renovation/additions.....

This is much moreso a case by case SPECIFIC question where I would want to hear a LIST of specifics. Pictures help a lot. Details are essential.

Okay, so it's basically a new construction doorway, and I'll be using a standard 4 in 1 reducer molding to transition laminate to LVT tile. Basically a t-molding with a reducer piece. I undercut the trim and jambs so that the floor can slide under. I am also able to tuck the transition under if I choose, but I just didn't know if that was a usual practice. I'll try to grab a picture. I'm sure that would be more helpful.

 

[Brlymeguy]

Here’s basically what I’m dealing with. The reducer part, I figured I could notch the ends out slightly if needed to fit around the door stops. But just trying to figure if the transition should go under the jamb.

 

[MikeAntonetti]

I use to fit the threshold inside the jamb, notching the door butt about 1/4”. At first I did tuck one side under and but other side but over time I learned to cut tight to fit inside. The tape measure was hard to get exact width.

 

[Brlymeguy]

I use to fit the threshold inside the jamb, notching the door butt about 1/4”. At first I did tuck one side under and but other side but over time I learned to cut tight to fit inside. The tape measure was hard to get exact width.

Yeah. After measuring carefully, I cut a piece, and it still left a slight gap on the edge. At first I figured I could just fill it with something, but then I thought, what if I just tucked it under along with the floor. Wasn’t sure if people ever did that. I could cut another piece that is a little more accurate I’m sure, but didn’t know what would be best. Thanks for the insight.

 

[Mark Brown]

If you can match the profile of the transition, by all means tuck it under. Straight cuts are easier to make than fancy cuts and any time you can avoid fancy cuts do it!

Flat T-Type transitions, I will typically cut under the stop and cut tight to the jam, in your situation, I would probably recommend the same. It makes things sexy.

 

[Brlymeguy]

If you can match the profile of the transition, by all means tuck it under. Straight cuts are easier to make than fancy cuts and any time you can avoid fancy cuts do it!

Flat T-Type transitions, I will typically cut under the stop and cut tight to the jam, in your situation, I would probably recommend the same. It makes things sexy.

Makes sense. I will have to play around with it a little more. I think I may end up having to shim the transition slightly, and it may not slide under the jam, which would be fine if I could get a tight cut. It seems tough to get a super accurate tape reading, especially since I don’t think the door framing is 100% square. I will probably be okay, but this little finicky stuff drives me crazy. I can manage drywall and paint just fine, but when it comes to flooring or carpentry, that’s not really my thing. I just want it to be good enough so that it’s not an eyesore. Lol. I appreciate the advice.

 

[Brlymeguy]

And by the way, the guy who installed those door jambs left a 1/2” gap, thinking I would run laminate into the other room to meet the tile. Kind of crazy. I guess he didn’t think I would prefer to add another row of tile, but now I have to figure out how to fill that gap. Any ideas? I was thinking of using all the pieces of under-cut trims I made and filling that gap with them, then trying to use some kind of wood putty or something to smooth it out. Is there a better/more simple way?

 

[MikeAntonetti]

I demo tile and see those mangled up with so many cuts and heights. Most times floating is going down and I know there will be gap issues. Ive also pulled gobs of caulking filler out from under a lot of carpentry work.

 

[highup]

When installing a T-Type molding for a threshold molding, on occasion I have undercut the trim on each side of the door. Reason being, that sometimes the trim piece will extend way out and leave an unsightly edge. When I've done this I've done it typically on front doors or similar door leading to a garage. With a rigid trim it's obviously not possible to do this with a track and the molding must be glued in place. I will undercut the piece of trim and the t mold will slide underneath it starting here.

 

[highup]

The difference is like this except not in purple.
So it may not be a concern at this doorway it may be something to keep in mind.

 

[Brlymeguy]

The first picture with it just butted looks awful with the gap. Maybe it could be notched around to eliminate the gap. The second picture looks much cleaner. The thing working against me with trying to notch things is the doorway isn’t all that square to begin with, and I’m not great at making tricky cuts.

 

[Brlymeguy]

I demo tile and see those mangled up with so many cuts and heights. Most times floating is going down and I know there will be gap issues. Ive also pulled gobs of caulking filler out from under a lot of carpentry work.

Do you have a trick to filling a large gap to make it look like wood again? I definitely won't be using calk. I wonder if I could fill the gap up pretty decently with wood, then add some type of material to finish it off and smooth it out? Years ago, I actually filled a hole with plaster of paris in a piece of someone's rotting wood trim on their front porch, just as an experiment. Surprisingly, it has held up incredibly well. Hard as a rock and you can't tell that it was patched. I'm pretty sure this isn't really an ideal application for plaster of paris, though, but it was very surprising how well it worked. Open to any ideas.

 

[MikeAntonetti]

I use caulk and a few coats after it stops shrinking when it dries. You could tape the floor, use a 1” putty knife vertical to follow the contours of the trim. I use backer rod, a foam strand of various widths available, stuff it sufficiently back far enough 1/4” and proceed to fill crevice, run the putty knife vertical, maybe t shirt type material to wipe off the overage on the trim. Was thinking after it shrank and couple of coats to full height exactoknife the tape off but if floor moves those cut marks may be visible. So I’ve had lot of practice and am accurate. Not sure of tricks. I’ve caulked 3/4” gaps before from horrible carpenters going from tile to gluedown plank just for the challenge, it’s not a flooring guys responsibility, the apartments after we just left when done with flooring.
Uh, thought about you today, where a transition shouldn’t be(pic) I’m not even applying effort to remove it, just protect it from walking on. Eyesores hurt my eyes!

 

[Brlymeguy]

I use caulk and a few coats after it stops shrinking when it dries. You could tape the floor, use a 1” putty knife vertical to follow the contours of the trim. I use backer rod, a foam strand of various widths available, stuff it sufficiently back far enough 1/4” and proceed to fill crevice, run the putty knife vertical, maybe t shirt type material to wipe off the overage on the trim. Was thinking after it shrank and couple of coats to full height exactoknife the tape off but if floor moves those cut marks may be visible. So I’ve had lot of practice and am accurate. Not sure of tricks. I’ve caulked 3/4” gaps before from horrible carpenters going from tile to gluedown plank just for the challenge, it’s not a flooring guys responsibility, the apartments after we just left when done with flooring.
Uh, thought about you today, where a transition shouldn’t be(pic) I’m not even applying effort to remove it, just protect it from walking on. Eyesores hurt my eyes!

Thanks for the info. Honestly, I really am not a flooring guy whatsoever. I know jack squat and have been learning as I go, which is why I have been so careful with each decision I make and asking for all this advice, which has been a huge help. A transition like you’re dealing with would also have me scratching my head. Most people probably wouldn’t pay it any attention, but when you work on stuff, you definitely notice. I went from having to run laminate 10” out to the other room, to pulling tile, grinding the concrete smooth, and now going to try to piece it all together. I can live with something minor, but some things just shouldn’t be a certain way.

 

[highup]

I hope I can describe this correctly so it's understandable. Cut your track from this point to the same point on the other side.
This same piece would now be approximately 1/2-in wider, probably a little less than that.
If you cut it 32 in wide from the point I showed to the point on the opposite side would probably be 32 and 7/16 or thereabouts.
Now, put a piece of blue tape on the end of that cut.
Next, insert the end with a tape into the track. The other end will obviously be up in the air a little bit.

 

[highup]

The tape is there so you can draw a line or two. Mark your lines is something that you can see, a Bic pen is perfect. Pencils suck this type of operation because it's hard to see your big fat pencil line. You need a fine pen line if you want to get exact.
You need a line to show how far you you're notch out that side.
The first line will be "A"
A is the exact point where your cut will stop. You'll have to determine the width of line B
The notch you're going to cut out will be approximately 3/16 of an inch to maybe a 1/4 of an inch. The area you're cutting out is obviously the one with the little X's. While making your marks, the track will hold that end of the molding in the position where it will actually end up.

You're going to have to figure out a width for how much material you want to remove from that side.. Obviously that's going to be difficult with a chop saw. A hacksaw would probably work fine for making this notch cut.
Once you make those cuts and remove that little piece, you can test it again to see if it looks right. If it feels a tiny bit snug, you can use a regular metal file to shave off a little bit. Don't get too picky yet because you need to do the same thing to the opposite side.
So do the exact same thing to the opposite side. Hopefully it fits perfectly but if it's a tiny bit snug in there and you can carefully fine tune the dimensions on each side with a file.
The most important part of this is cutting your piece so it fits exactly between the two moldings on the right and left of the door. If that fits in snuggly, then the notches you'll make will have a better chance of fitting once they are cut out.

 

[highup]

I've been editing my comments so you might want to read them again. Sometimes it's hard to make things clear.
And when you cut out that little notch it's usually best to stop your cut before the two lines intersect. You can usually wiggle that piece out and break it off if you're careful. All those door trims are slightly rounded on the edges. You can use a triangle file to finish performing the corner where there's two lines intersect on your molding. If you cut it square, point to point, you have a tiny gap.

If you've already cut one piece and have a scrap that's too small and of no use, use that as a test piece to see how close you can make it fit. It's always better to do a trial run with a scrap piece.