installing bathroom threshold

[stephen wood]

I need to make and install a threshold from a bathroom tile floor to wood floor. I have a photo attached. I figure I'll cut away the shoulder of the door jamb and slide it in. But how do I attach it so its secure. i thought at first to use construction adhesive but then I read this would not allow wood movement (duh). I'd like to not screw through the top of the threshold. Any suggestions? Thanks!326999

[Lee Schierer]

Generally the thresholds don't get inset into the door jambs, though the door stop does get trimmed. On thresholds I have installed, I simply drive large finishing nails down from the top into the sub floor. I set the nail heads below the threshold surface and fill the holes with wood putty and touch up the finish. I've never had one move.

If you can upload a larger photo it would be easier to see. It looks like your have a significant floor height difference which can make a threshold a trip hazard.

[stephen wood]

It's a 3/4 inch transition from tile to wood floor. 327000

[Tom M King]

I'd use the lowest marble threshold that will sit flush or a little proud of the tile, and one of the Latipoxy adhesives. Trim the stop and slide it in, leaving a small gap on each end for caulking. You can even buy the threshold and adhesive in Lowes or Home Depot. careful, and don't crack the marble before it gets set.

[stephen wood]

I think I want wood but I'm on my way to Lowes so I'll check out the marble. It's nice to have options. Thanks!

[Peter Quinn]

Pretty much every subfloor in modern construction...at least in decent construction...gets pl'd to the joists. It's urethane, nothing allows more wood movement except maybe silicone. I faced the very same condition in my bathroom remodel 8 years ago, use pl to set the wenge reducer I made, no nails,no screws, just a few third hand clamps pushing down gently from the jamb head over night. Hasn't moved yet, hasn't cracked. I say use the pl or similar construction adhesive and don't fret it. You don't have to set the reducer in a bed of adhesive, just enough to keep it down and not moving.

[keith wootton]

stephen,

i would do it a little different. i would make a threshold that is level to tile and hold it back from tile the width of grout line in tile. prefinish threshold and install with a couple of finish nails. predrill threshold slightly undersize, and do not predrill subfloor. also use construction adhesive to glue it to floor. then grout space between tile and threshold. you will end up with a much lower threshold that looks good.

keith

[stephen wood]

stephen,

i would do it a little different. i would make a threshold that is level to tile and hold it back from tile the width of grout line in tile. prefinish threshold and install with a couple of finish nails. predrill threshold slightly undersize, and do not predrill subfloor. also use construction adhesive to glue it to floor. then grout space between tile and threshold. you will end up with a much lower threshold that looks good.

keith

This is a great idea. Minimizes the height of the threshold. I'm going to give it a try. Thanks!

[Bob Grier]

Set the threshold slightly, just slightly above the tile. Not an 1/8", not a 1/16", Just enough so tile edge isn't exposed above the threshold anywhere along it. Helps protect tile edge from getting chipped and/or tile cracking near edge during the years of use/abuse. Let threshold take load and impact from shoes, vacuum, whatever.

edit: Leave space for grout between tile and threshold as previously noted by others.

[Michael Zerance]

I use construction adhesive (PL or Liquid Nails) and a few spots of hot melt glue.

I leave gaps in the construction adhesive glue line a couple inches long about 8" from either end (a few more in the middle if the transition is longer). I set the transition in place, press it down, then remove it and let it sit for a minute or two for the glue to tack up. When ready to set it, I apply some hot melt glue to the areas that I left gaps in and press it into place. This allows the transition to be held firmly to the flooring while the construction adhesive cures, without having to weight it down or nail it in to pull bows out of it.

[stephen wood]

All great ideas! thank you all!

[Eric Schmid]

This is a great idea. Minimizes the height of the threshold. I'm going to give it a try. Thanks!

If you are going to do it this way use a sanded caulk. Regular grout will crack due to the wood movement.

[Kevin McCluney]

For the tile to wood floor transition I have between my kitchen and breakfast room I made a low profile wood threshold (beveled on either side, and stained and polyurethaned) that I attached using silicone. There's a similar transition & threshold on the other side of the room. Both are high traffic areas and neither has come loose in the 11 years they've been there.

[keith wootton]

regular grout will likely not crack. i have five tile to wood transitions in my house (i looked and counted this am). only one has a tiny crack between wood and grout, and it can't be seen when looking standing up. i suggested using construction adhesive because your transition looks a little dodgy, most times i think finish nails would be enough. you might find a premade prefinished moulding at a wood floor store that could be ripped down to give you what you want. keith

[Mike Hollingsworth]

If you are going to do it this way use a sanded caulk. Regular grout will crack due to the wood movement.

the flexible caulk in the tube would be even better. Home Depot has the matching colors in the custom brand.
I put tape down on both sides, swipe it with a finger and then pull the tape. Stuff dries real fast.

[Jim Dwight]

I like marble thresholds and secure them with white silicone caulk.

[Justin Ludwig]

I'd make the threshold out of applicable wood and use liquid nail and fill 2 5g buckets of water sitting on it overnight. Done this numerous times w/o a call back.

[scott vroom]

Lotta ways to skin that cat. I prefer a wood transition that sits over the tile and tapers down to and overlaps the finished wood flooring. I personally don't like the look of a grout line at the tile edge, and grout tends to weaken and crack over time at that location.

With that 3/4" step down, a marble transition will create at best an awkward transition from the wood finished flooring, and at worse a trip hazard unless the marble has been profiled to slope downward.

I'd remove the stops, set the threshold flush with the jambs on a bead of construction adhesive secured with15 gauge finish nails.