Step down question

[kbtrade]

We have a sunken family room with a 8" step down from the kitchen. I am going to replace the carpet with laminate flooring. Any ideas what do with the carpet on the vertical area? Do I put tile, laminate flooring or wood painted to match the trim there? Is there a protocol on the correct way to do this? I do have leftover tile from when I did the kitchen. Attached is a picture....Thanks!

 

[Floorist]

Any of the three would work. So it's whatever you like.

 

[Ernesto]

Personally I would do the laminate floor and then drop the tile down over the top of the laminate if it's possible. Not sure how far out that tile goes towards the step.

If I had the tile, if necessary I would redo the front tiles if I needed to.

 

[Ken]

Agreed, but whatever you do LOSE THAT UGLY METAL! Go grab some tile stairnoses and make it look pretty. Those metal transitions are like the last chick in the bar, you dont really "want" go there, but...

 

[FloorMaven]

I'm curious as to how that metal is attached. Are those concrete subfloors?

 

[Ken]

Thats just tapdown. little spiral nails right into the wood

 

[Ken]

Actually if you want to, you can pre drill into concrete and sink wooden plugs so you can nail into them.

 

[FloorMaven]

Thats just tapdown. little spiral nails right into the wood

Looks like stair edging to me.

But I'm guessing it's all covering a multitude of sins.

 

[FloorMaven]

little spiral nails right into the wood

I don't come across many sunken or raised wood subfloors.

 

[DarisMulkin]

I think you are wrong there Ken. That is stair nosing. Enlarging the picture you see the gripper ridges.

Daris

 

[rugaddict]

that ugly metal sure looks pretty to me---i refer to it as a visual prompt---a step down like that is an accident waiting to happen--around here we call that a montague sleigh ride---you dont want to go on a montague sleigh ride---laminate stair noses are junk---ceramic stair noses are slippery--when it comes to stairs ----safety first

 

[Ken]

Floor Maven that is exactly the product I was talking about. We just call it tapdown. The matching spiral nails just get tapped down into the subfloor, hence the namesake.

 

[FloorMaven]

Floor Maven that is exactly the product I was talking about. We just call it tapdown. The matching spiral nails just get tapped down into the subfloor, hence the namesake.

Who is "we"? It's often attached with scrails (screw nails) but can be attached with screws as well. Using your logic anything attached with a nail can be called tap down. What would differentiate an edge nosing from binder bar if they are both tap down?

 

[Ken]

Yes, all that garbage is tapdown, and my feelings for all of it are the same. Down with tapdown!!!!