Comments on: How To Transition Hardwood and Tile Floors http://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile Expert Home Improvement Advice Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:31:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Toddhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile/#comment-62554 Todd Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:28:03 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile-floors/#comment-62554 Michelle - Sounds like the previous person tried to install the tile correctly but didn't really understand how to do it properly.I'd say you have a couple options.1. Tear out all the 3/8" underlayment where the tile was. This will be tons of work but likely the cheapest solution. 2. I hate to say it but buying additional 3/8" underlayment for the carpeted areas is likely cheaper than buying tons of transition pieces. 3. Transitions of that quantity just won't look nice. I'd HIGHLY recommend you find a way to make it level or wait until you can afford to do it correctly.Best of luck and Happy New Year. Michelle – Sounds like the previous person tried to install the tile correctly but didn’t really understand how to do it properly.

I’d say you have a couple options.

1. Tear out all the 3/8″ underlayment where the tile was. This will be tons of work but likely the cheapest solution.
2. I hate to say it but buying additional 3/8″ underlayment for the carpeted areas is likely cheaper than buying tons of transition pieces.
3. Transitions of that quantity just won’t look nice. I’d HIGHLY recommend you find a way to make it level or wait until you can afford to do it correctly.

Best of luck and Happy New Year.

]]> By: Michellehttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile/#comment-62550 Michelle Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:37:43 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile-floors/#comment-62550 Hi Todd - hope you can help.We purchased a home that had 1/4" tile directly installed over plywood underlayment (no backer board) in the entry, kitchen, dinette, office and around perimeter of the great room - about 800 sq. feet. The great room and dining room both had carpet.After years of tiles kicking up, tripping up, skittering across the floors since they were wrongly applied to just plywood, we finally had enough. I spent the last week pulling up all the tiles and sanding the floors to new. Started removing the carpeting in the dining room and great room and discovered they were 3/8" lower than the tiled area. Apparently he added a 3/8" layer of plywood underlayment for the tiled area.Now my question - We don't have the budget to cover adding 3/8" plywood to both the dining room and great room (600 sq. feet), so we were thinking of only bringing the great room up 3/8". We have a doorway to the entry way to dining room; and a double doorway from dining room to great room.With all your talk of transitions, I'm wondering if I'd be able to put in a nice transition from entry to dining room and then dining room to great room and still have it all look okay since the 7mm laminate (with 2mm underlayment) will be the same in all rooms. Only the front entry will remain in the 1/4" tile. The laminate floating floor would be the same in the dining room as the great room. What kind of transition would you recommend and do you think the difference in height will look odd to step down?Thanks much, Michelle in Ohio Hi Todd – hope you can help.

We purchased a home that had 1/4″ tile directly installed over plywood underlayment (no backer board) in the entry, kitchen, dinette, office and around perimeter of the great room – about 800 sq. feet. The great room and dining room both had carpet.

After years of tiles kicking up, tripping up, skittering across the floors since they were wrongly applied to just plywood, we finally had enough. I spent the last week pulling up all the tiles and sanding the floors to new. Started removing the carpeting in the dining room and great room and discovered they were 3/8″ lower than the tiled area. Apparently he added a 3/8″ layer of plywood underlayment for the tiled area.

Now my question – We don’t have the budget to cover adding 3/8″ plywood to both the dining room and great room (600 sq. feet), so we were thinking of only bringing the great room up 3/8″. We have a doorway to the entry way to dining room; and a double doorway from dining room to great room.

With all your talk of transitions, I’m wondering if I’d be able to put in a nice transition from entry to dining room and then dining room to great room and still have it all look okay since the 7mm laminate (with 2mm underlayment) will be the same in all rooms. Only the front entry will remain in the 1/4″ tile. The laminate floating floor would be the same in the dining room as the great room. What kind of transition would you recommend and do you think the difference in height will look odd to step down?

Thanks much,
Michelle in Ohio

]]> By: Toddhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile/#comment-62522 Todd Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:53:40 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile-floors/#comment-62522 It depends in part on which direction the wood runs. If the wood runs perpendicular to the nose it really doesn't matter as you will be cutting each piece of flooring to end at a straight line. If it runs parallel you'll want to try and figure out where the flooring will end so that you have close to a full piece of flooring before the nose. If you do not, you might want to start with a partial piece on the long wall to help when you finish at the stairs. Make sense? It depends in part on which direction the wood runs. If the wood runs perpendicular to the nose it really doesn’t matter as you will be cutting each piece of flooring to end at a straight line. If it runs parallel you’ll want to try and figure out where the flooring will end so that you have close to a full piece of flooring before the nose. If you do not, you might want to start with a partial piece on the long wall to help when you finish at the stairs. Make sense?

]]> By: Terryhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile/#comment-62516 Terry Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:19:22 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile-floors/#comment-62516 Todd, I am installing hardwood in our dining room hallway and entrence way. One side of the hallway has stairs going down and I have a bullnose for it.My question is do I put the bullnose in firts and start from there or should I start across the hallway as it is the longest wall and make the bullnose fit at the end? Thanks Todd,
I am installing hardwood in our dining room hallway and entrence way.
One side of the hallway has stairs going down and I have a bullnose for it.My question is do I put the bullnose in firts and start from there or should I start across the hallway as it is the longest wall and make the bullnose fit at the end?
Thanks

]]> By: Beverleyhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile/#comment-62506 Beverley Thu, 29 Dec 2011 06:18:51 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile-floors/#comment-62506 Thank you, yes what you say makes sense. Thank you, yes what you say makes sense.

]]> By: Toddhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile/#comment-62500 Todd Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:05:58 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/how-to-transition-hardwood-and-tile-floors/#comment-62500 He's not entirely wrong. For the floors to be flush you'd have to build the house framing so that the two ended up flush. You might be able to make a custom transition that has a smaller lip but there will be a lip. He’s not entirely wrong. For the floors to be flush you’d have to build the house framing so that the two ended up flush. You might be able to make a custom transition that has a smaller lip but there will be a lip.

]]>