DIY Network

I have a hallway which will be laminate. The doors open into the bedrooms. This probably seems like a dumb question, but where does the transition strip actually go?

Against the jam?
Between the jam pieces?
Somewhere else entirely different?

Do you leave a gap under the jam for the laminate flooring?

Do you leave a gap between the jam and the strip or does it fit the space perfectly?

Thanks
Monica

The transition should be directly underneath the door. What you don't want to see is some of the hall laminate when you are in the bedroom with the door closed or some of the bedroom flooring from the hall side.

How to prep the gap varies - depends on what the other floor surface is and if there is any height difference. The one rule is that the laminate must be able to move underneath the transition strip, so you cannot attach the threshold through the laminate. This may mean leaving a gap between finished floor surfaces so you can install a 'T' profile strip - nail the 'T' part into the subfloor. Or, you can attach the threshold to the bedroom side of the subfloor/finished floor and let it float over the laminate.

For the jamb, it works best to cut the jamb so that the laminate can continue underneath it, otherwise you will be relying on a colored caulk to fill any gaps.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jaybee,

We have concrete floors in the hallway and carpet in two bedrooms and porcelain tile in two other transition areas. The way I understand it, is I will use a T transition and glue it to the concrete, without gluing the laminate floor to the concrete. Does that seem correct? I would use the same T to the tile floors in the same manner.

Thanks for your help.
Monica

Glueing it down is one way since you have a concrete subfloor. The problem is that one side of the 'T' will overhang onto the carpet, so that if you step on the edge of the T, it could depress on that side and eventually tear loose. Same thing to a lesser degree on the laminate flooring side. You either need a 'T' with a very wide base or look for one of those multiple part transition pieces carried by flooring stores and home stores. These are set up so you can use masonry screws to attach a base plate to the concrete, then attach the decorative part of the transition piece to the base.

The only way that I can see a glue down 'T' lasting for very long is if you make one yourself. It will need to be wider than normal - make the base 1-1/2" to 2" wide with only a 1/4" to 3/8" overhand on the t sides.

The tee transition is best used for a hard floor (tile eg) to laminite so it does not rock and break off or come loose. If you buy a Pergo brand transition strip there's two different slip in strips that can be used. One of them is for a carpet transition.
The metal mounting strip gets screwed down first with plastic anchors then the transition strip gets tapped in with a soft hammer.
Under cut the door stops (narrow strips of wood on the sides of the door stopping the swinging of the door.) The transition stip is cut so it will just slip under the cuts and bent ever so slighty to get it so it will not have any gaps showing because it's sitting under the door stops.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: joecaption,

Thank you all. I just picked up the transition strips and now I see what you mean by the two piece ones. I appreciate your clear guidance.
Monica