Wobbly reducer

[joe webb]

Hi all

I have tiles in the hallway and laminate in rooms. The tiles are lower than the laminate but not low enough for the reducer to sit leveled on and not high enough to use T-Moulding.
What can I do to transition between the 2 surfaces?

I guess I can shave the reducer thickness a bit, but I cannot figure out how to cut this on a table saw as the piece would be oddly positioned.

Thanks

[Mark Arnold]

Use a router table and flat bit to trim up just the portion on the left in the picture that has the round over so the piece sitting on the laminate is flush and the center piece is flush to the subfloor.

[joe webb]

Thanks Mark. A bit like this? Would it chip the top coat of the laminate

402044

[joe webb]

Another question: this is on top of concrete, how do we secure it? glue it to the tiles and laminate?

Thanks

[Jim Becker]

I may be easier (and safer) to make a new transitional threshold for between these two floor surfaces out of a wood that would be compatible with the laminate once finished. That commercial stuff can be pretty brittle if you go to modify it on your router table. (personally, I'd prefer a slightly wider transitional threshold between the two surfaces that has a "flatter" transition to help prevent tripping, too)

[Tom M King]

Unless the tile is large format, I'd taper the tile work up to be flush with the flooring, and not use a raised threshold. Just leave a 1/8" (or less) gap, like you would for grout joint, and caulk it with a matching caulk to the grout. I avoid raised thresholds. I've never used one.

I just took a couple of pictures of our bathroom entrance, and doorway to the closet off the bathroom. My Wife decided she wanted a heated floor in the bathroom after I had already framed the addition allowing for the different finish floor thicknesses, so I had to taper both floors. The Oak floor is tapered up, and the closet laminate floor is also tapered up. Both done with wedges, but the same can be done with tile work. I didn't leave any gap, and no caulking.

I should have laid a straight edge in the pictures, but didn't, so hopefully you can get the idea. The difference in floor levels is probably close to the same as yours.

[Bill Dufour]

rabbit it on the jointer.
Bill D.

[Bill Orbine]

These are large tiles? I think the trowels you will use to lay the mortar and set the tiles makes using the transistion piece moot.

[joe webb]

Thanks Jim. Would you have a picture of what that piece would look like? It seems it would be pretty hard to make it look visually close to the laminate.

[joe webb]

Sorry for the confusion. That picture isn't mine but illustrates the same problem. In my case, the tiles are already installed long ago and the floor was done a few weeks ago.

I was also thinking of using a T-moulding and put a shim between the moulding and the tiles. Thought?

[Jim Becker]

Thanks Jim. Would you have a picture of what that piece would look like? It seems it would be pretty hard to make it look visually close to the laminate.
Use the wood species that's the same as the laminate is intended to emulate and color/finish it accordingly. I like "flatter" thresholds with no more than 1/4"-3/8" rise on either side.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I'm with Jim on this.

I would do it in two pieces. The top piece, the part that you see and transitions between the two floor heights, would be a simple piece with a rabbit with a 1/4 round on each edge.

The second piece would just be a strip to go in the gap between the floor material and provide a little support. You could fix this down with construction adhesive and then glue the top piece to this.

Just a thought.
https://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/ScanFloorUdea_zpszzb0tggy.jpeg

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Chris with the modification that the top surface of component (1) above would be sloped downward from right to left in the illustration to keep the edge above the tile floor to a lesser thickness as I mentioned previously.

Here's an example of one that I created for a client. It's much wider than you likely need, but this had to bridge the space where a 6" thick wall previously was located and also accommodate a full 1" rise between a great room (wood) floor and a renovated kitchen (tile) floor. The general idea is the same as I've been suggesting, however.

402088

Installed...(client subsequently finished to match great room floor)

402090 402091 402092 402093

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, easiest method is a hand plane.

Power tools often aren’t the answer when fitting things......Regards, Rod

[Jim Becker]

I agree, Rod...I actually did the initial sample/test profile of the threshold I show above using hand planes after some serious rough stock removal. For the final, full length version, I did a jig for my thicknessing planer just because of the scale, but use my low angle block plane for some on-site fitting.

[Lee Schierer]

I'm with Jim on this.

I would do it in two pieces. The top piece, the part that you see and transitions between the two floor heights, would be a simple piece with a rabbit with a 1/4 round on each edge.

The second piece would just be a strip to go in the gap between the floor material and provide a little support. You could fix this down with construction adhesive and then glue the top piece to this.

Just a thought.
https://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/ScanFloorUdea_zpszzb0tggy.jpeg

I've made several transition pieces for between floors. You want as low a profile as you can get without it being fragile. I would make a strip like the one in the sketch with a flat top surface. Cut the rabbet on the left side first on your TS. Then use a 1/8" radius bit on the right edge and a1/4" radius on the left edge on a router table with a fence. The lip on the right should be no more than 1/4" thick. The over hang on the right should be no more than 1/4" make the filler strip as a second piece and make sure it sits flat in the depression between floors. With a little stain mixing and tests on scrap you should be able to get very close to the laminate color. I would glue the two pieces together before attempting to install them. Apply several coats of a good quality polyurethane finish before you install it. Use some 6, 8 or 10 penny finish nails, depending on the final thickness of the two pieces, to anchor the piece in place. Counter sink the nails, mix some of your stain with wood filler to fill the holes and then touch up the finish on the nail holes. I use nails because you never know when you you might want to pull the strip up without damaging it or the adjacent floors.