Continuing Hardwood Flooring

[Rob Bodenschatz]

We have standard Bruce Gunstock flooring through our foyer and kitchen. I'd like to extend that flooring into the other rooms on the first level. Since pictures are easier than words, here's how it's set up:

8191481915

Basically, I want to extend the HW into the carpeted area. I have a few concerns:

While I could just use that "threshold" as a starting point, I wonder if that'll look unprofessional. Maybe not. I'd like some opinions on that. If it's decided that I don't want to go that route and seamlessly continue the flooring, I'll need to pull out the shorter boards and replace them so they stay staggered. How hard is that to do?

On that note, while this is standard Bruce flooring that I can get easily, will the fact that the original flooring was installed about four years ago be noticeable. In other words, will the difference between the old and new be something I should worry about?

[Paul Girouard]

No photo here Rob .

Is it pre-finished? That could make all the difference in the breaking back and new to old transitions.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

Fixed the pics.

Yeah, it's pre-finished.

[Paul Girouard]

Humm that's a long way to NOT blend it in . At first I had a normal doorway not a big room divider like you show.

The only problem with pre-finished flooring is , well , that it's pre-finished , so you can't blend difference in thickness , color ,etc. by sanding.

If I where a salesmen I'd tell you it will be "no problem/ piece of cake" which it may turn out to be IF the stock all matches exactly width, height , T&G / interlock, color, etc etc

So more can go wrong than can go right IMO on this . You may have to decided once you receive your stock . Or order one box and carefully and critically evaluate the material against what is down before you can be sure.

For looks blending would be the best way to go.

Good luck.

[Jim Becker]

I have to say that I'd likely leave the threashold as it appears flat and do the new room "separate" without blending. Pulling up the existing floor to weave it in will be a major undertaking and with pre-finished, you have the issue of oxidation in the previously laid floor as well as you don't have the option to sand out any problems without doing your entire floor. You could also pull up the threashold and replace it with one in a contrasting color to actually accentuate the room transition...hide the new flooring junction in plain sight!

[Jamie Smith]

We have standard Bruce Gunstock flooring through our foyer and kitchen. I'd like to extend that flooring into the other rooms on the first level. Since pictures are easier than words, here's how it's set up:

8191481915

Basically, I want to extend the HW into the carpeted area. I have a few concerns:

While I could just use that "threshold" as a starting point, I wonder if that'll look unprofessional. Maybe not. I'd like some opinions on that. If it's decided that I don't want to go that route and seamlessly continue the flooring, I'll need to pull out the shorter boards and replace them so they stay staggered. How hard is that to do?

On that note, while this is standard Bruce flooring that I can get easily, will the fact that the original flooring was installed about four years ago be noticeable. In other words, will the difference between the old and new be something I should worry about?


I recently went through the same process.

I am handy with tools, but had never done any hardwood flooring. We have 3/4" bruce as well, but the 'butterscotch' color. The 'level' of floor that we bought (like the model number) is no longer available in that color, so we had to go with a similar style in the same color (slightly different bevel). Long story short, it all worked out fine.

If there isn't much fading, you can probably get by mixing and matching, since the colors are random in the box. To tell, buy a few boxes-- don't rely on just one-- and see how well you think it will blend.

Blending wasn't all that difficult, here is how I did it. For pieces that were less than a foot or two, we removed in their entirety. For others, we made a judgement call as to whether to cut them, or remove them.

Removal wasn't that bad- mark the boards where to cut, grove the boards where to cut, then remove the waste.

I first tried a chisel/drill bit combo to get the boards prepped (perpendicular to the grain)- time consuming, and not very precise. Then I moved to a plunge router and an upcut bit, and it went like a breeze. Once that was done, I used a circular saw (man, I REALLY wish that I had the festool saw for this!) two strips, about an inch in from each side (parallel to the grain), make sure that you are in far enough that you cant hit the fasteners.

(I hope that this rambling makes sense)

-jamie

[Matt Schell]

I think you could go either way. You could weave the new into the old. I think the color would still match okay you would need to remove some of the boards by using circ say/router and chisels (careful you don't damage the adjoining boards. When you install your "weaved in" pieces you may need to use some 16 guage top nails.

I think it would also look fine to leave the threshhold in place. If you really want to go crazy you could install a dark border around the new room and use the lighter color bruce for the field of the new room (might look really cool) Generally borders are reserved for finish in place jobs but they can be done very cleanly with prefinished materials it just takes a little planning.

check out the gallery on this guy's website. He uses all prefinished material and he does amazing work (notice all the festool stuff)

http://www.custom-surfaces.com/

[Christof Grohs]

You could get a bundle of something darker and turn the transition piece into a decorative border. For example, take a darker oak and run it parallel with the existing transition row and then run another row of Gunstock alongside it. Doing so makes the transition 3 rows wide (gunstock/dark/gunstock) and it might actually look like it was meant to be there instead of an after thought...heck, it might actually look good. If you have a fireplace located in the new install you could add the 3-row border around the hearth to further make it look like it was supposed to be there. Just an idea from a floor guy.

I should add that lacing the new floor into the old floor will be a PITA!!!! The stain on the old flooring will probably be a bit lighter than the new material.

[Jamie Smith]

I should add that lacing the new floor into the old floor will be a PITA!!!! The stain on the old flooring will probably be a bit lighter than the new material.

In my experience, it wasn't that bad...

As far as the color, due to the randomness of the boards in the boxes, shouldn't really be a problem (now, the sheen of the finish might be).

As far as what some of the other posters have said regarding different color borders- I went through the same thought process. The problem that I kept coming up with was "what happens when the floor gets refinished?"

If I were to do a border (my wife talked me out of it), I would try a different species, so when it is re-finished the border is still a different color.

You are lucky though, because that cap that you have is butted up against the boards, showing you that they are all the same length- mine had an overlapping transition (kind of like an "L" molding), and when I removed it, it was obvious that I had to feather them in (not all the same length).

-jamie

[Joe Chritz]

How about laying the new floor at a 45 degree angle and removing the threshold and then covering with a cap of some kind. I got a 1/2" thick beveled threshold cap from a local mill.

You could also do the same thing by going with a different type of floor. Often when you transition at rooms it looks nice to have different set ups in there.

Caution, 45 degree boards are a pain, you will need a finish nailer and a boat load of nails since the flooring stapler can't get next to the wall. I have it in my bedroom and it looks cool.

Joe