I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to get
the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the mud
floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new subfloor to a
perfect height but failed to take into account the thickness of Schluter
Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than
the wood at the door opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

On 4/11/2014 3:18 PM, BenignBodger wrote:
I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to
get the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the
mud floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new
subfloor to a perfect height but failed to take into account the
thickness of Schluter Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about
1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than the wood at the door opening. Since I'm
redoing this bathroom for my elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a
worry but putting in any of the threshold pieces I've seen would seem to
make it worse by being even thicker. Any ideas?

If the grout joint where the two meet is wide enough, perhaps adding
some grout to taper off the highest edge? Or make a shim to match the
wood flooring and glue it down? If you are game to rip up some tile,
the cement can be laid to make the tile slant a touch....that is what
the contractor did, but in reverse, to raise the new tile to be even
with existing terrazzo floor.

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to get
the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the mud
floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new subfloor to a
perfect height but failed to take into account the thickness of Schluter
Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than
the wood at the door opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

The easiest way is to use tapered shims to elevate the edge of the
flooring closest to the higher floor elevation. When it is complete
the two types of floor will be at the same elevation and the shims
will negate the need for a transition piece that could create its own
potential trip hazard.

Johnsonite has a "subfloor leveling system" which consists of 12 inch wide 4 foot long strips of hard rubber that taper in thickness across their width. You can buy strips that go from 0 thickness (effectively) to 1/8 or 1/4 inch over 12 inches. If you want to go from 0 to 1/4 inch over a 6 inch width, you'd have to buy two strips and glue them together.

Essentially, you glue the transition strip down to your underlayment, and then glue your flooring down over the transition strip.

Johnsonite Wall Base, Finishes & Accessories Finishing Accessories Subfloor Leveler System

Any place that sells carpet, tile and hardwood would be able to order the materials from Johnsonite for you.

I stand corrected. Johnsonite makes those rubber transition strips in 0 to 1/16, 0.080, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8 and 1/2 inch thicknesses. They also make a wide variety of intermediate strips to go from 1/8 or 3/16 to 1/4 or 3/8 inch thickness as well.

Johnsonite Wall Base, Finishes & Accessories Finishing Accessories Transitions quick selections chart

On 4/11/2014 5:53 PM, Gordon Shumway wrote:
On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to get
the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the mud
floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new subfloor to a
perfect height but failed to take into account the thickness of Schluter
Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than
the wood at the door opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

The easiest way is to use tapered shims to elevate the edge of the
flooring closest to the higher floor elevation. When it is complete
the two types of floor will be at the same elevation and the shims
will negate the need for a transition piece that could create its own
potential trip hazard.



I can't even imagine what would be required to shim underneath the existing
nailed-down 3/4" hardwood flooring. No. I take that back. I _can_ imagine
what it would take but I just can't imagine doing it.

BenignBodger wrote:
On 4/11/2014 5:53 PM, Gordon Shumway wrote:
On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a
home repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old
red oak hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked
really hard to get the floor levels to come out even after I had to
jackhammer out the mud floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I
built up the new subfloor to a perfect height but failed to take
into account the thickness of Schluter Ditra. Now the tile is Just
a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than the wood at the door
opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my elderly mother any
sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the threshold
pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even thicker.
Any ideas?

The easiest way is to use tapered shims to elevate the edge of the
flooring closest to the higher floor elevation. When it is complete
the two types of floor will be at the same elevation and the shims
will negate the need for a transition piece that could create its own
potential trip hazard.



I can't even imagine what would be required to shim underneath the
existing nailed-down 3/4" hardwood flooring. No. I take that back. I
_can_ imagine what it would take but I just can't imagine doing it.

See if you can find 2" x 6" flat cap like that used on walls that matches
your new floor . Another option is to rip /sand/stain a tapered strip of
wood and glue it to the existing hardwood .
--
Snag

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

I have metal transitions for the doorways to my kitchen, where it goes
form hardwood to thick vinyl sheeting. Kitchen floor is about 1/4
higher. They're 3'' wide and are "stepped" so you couldn't even stub
your toe on the lips.
Got them at a big box, and they were an exact replacement for the old
ones, whose finish was was junked up.
Did it when I sanded the hardwood floors.
They look good and last forever. Cut to size with a hacksaw.

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:33:22 -0400, Norminn
wrote:

On 4/11/2014 3:18 PM, BenignBodger wrote:
I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to
get the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the
mud floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new
subfloor to a perfect height but failed to take into account the
thickness of Schluter Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about
1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than the wood at the door opening. Since I'm
redoing this bathroom for my elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a
worry but putting in any of the threshold pieces I've seen would seem to
make it worse by being even thicker. Any ideas?

If the grout joint where the two meet is wide enough, perhaps adding
some grout to taper off the highest edge? Or make a shim to match the
wood flooring and glue it down? If you are game to rip up some tile,
the cement can be laid to make the tile slant a touch....that is what
the contractor did, but in reverse, to raise the new tile to be even
with existing terrazzo floor.
Not trying to be nasty or anything, but you ever heard of "measure
twice, cut once"? I just did a tile entry and hardwood flooring in my
house last summer/fall, using Ditra. Great stuff - but you DO need to
measure (at least) twice, and be SURE you have things figured out
before laying the tile.

Worst case you bust out a foot of tile and slope it to the hardwood,
by whatever method is possible (don't know what you used to build up
the floor under the tile)

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 16:53:27 -0500, Gordon Shumway
wrote:

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to get
the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the mud
floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new subfloor to a
perfect height but failed to take into account the thickness of Schluter
Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than
the wood at the door opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

The easiest way is to use tapered shims to elevate the edge of the
flooring closest to the higher floor elevation. When it is complete
the two types of floor will be at the same elevation and the shims
will negate the need for a transition piece that could create its own
potential trip hazard.
Which way does the hardwood meet the tile? End on, or crosswise?

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 18:30:59 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

On 4/11/2014 5:53 PM, Gordon Shumway wrote:
On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to get
the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the mud
floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new subfloor to a
perfect height but failed to take into account the thickness of Schluter
Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than
the wood at the door opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

The easiest way is to use tapered shims to elevate the edge of the
flooring closest to the higher floor elevation. When it is complete
the two types of floor will be at the same elevation and the shims
will negate the need for a transition piece that could create its own
potential trip hazard.



I can't even imagine what would be required to shim underneath the existing
nailed-down 3/4" hardwood flooring. No. I take that back. I _can_ imagine
what it would take but I just can't imagine doing it.
Cut the subloor and shim it from the joists. Nasty job, and not
something I would reccomend or do.

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 18:30:59 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

On 4/11/2014 5:53 PM, Gordon Shumway wrote:
On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to get
the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the mud
floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new subfloor to a
perfect height but failed to take into account the thickness of Schluter
Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than
the wood at the door opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

The easiest way is to use tapered shims to elevate the edge of the
flooring closest to the higher floor elevation. When it is complete
the two types of floor will be at the same elevation and the shims
will negate the need for a transition piece that could create its own
potential trip hazard.



I can't even imagine what would be required to shim underneath the existing
nailed-down 3/4" hardwood flooring. No. I take that back. I _can_ imagine
what it would take but I just can't imagine doing it.

Oops, I read it wrong. I thought the hardwood was going down now.

OK, the way I see it, at a minimum, you're going to have to break up
the row of tile that's adjacent to the hardwood. Then, IF you have
enough elevation, re-set the tile with a slight slope to line up with
the hardwood like clare said.

However, if you don't have enough elevation to do that... well at
least you can imagine what's required.

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 19:31:20 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 16:53:27 -0500, Gordon Shumway
wrote:

On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to get
the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the mud
floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new subfloor to a
perfect height but failed to take into account the thickness of Schluter
Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than
the wood at the door opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

The easiest way is to use tapered shims to elevate the edge of the
flooring closest to the higher floor elevation. When it is complete
the two types of floor will be at the same elevation and the shims
will negate the need for a transition piece that could create its own
potential trip hazard.
Which way does the hardwood meet the tile? End on, or crosswise?

If the job was done right it would be crosswise. A not too easy to
see example is the Living Rm-Foyer image.

http://s91.photobucket.com/user/dobr...vt=email_share

On Saturday, April 12, 2014 12:48:05 AM UTC+5:30, BenignBodger wrote:
I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home

repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak

hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to get

the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the mud

floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new subfloor to a

perfect height but failed to take into account the thickness of Schluter

Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than

the wood at the door opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my

elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the

threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even

thicker. Any ideas?

On 4/11/2014 7:04 PM, Vic Smith wrote:
On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

I have metal transitions for the doorways to my kitchen, where it goes
form hardwood to thick vinyl sheeting. Kitchen floor is about 1/4
higher. They're 3'' wide and are "stepped" so you couldn't even stub
your toe on the lips.
Got them at a big box, and they were an exact replacement for the old
ones, whose finish was was junked up.
Did it when I sanded the hardwood floors.
They look good and last forever. Cut to size with a hacksaw.




Thanks. I'll drop by Lowe's and HD later today when I'm out and about and
see what they have. All I've noticed before has been wood which was thick
enough to go over both surfaces making it an even larger hazard. I had been
leaning toward a shop-made tapered wood strip (I do have a full woodworking
shop) but I'm always up for an easy quick solution that does the job.

"BenignBodger" wrote in message

On 4/11/2014 7:04 PM, Vic Smith wrote:
On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:18:05 -0400, BenignBodger
wrote:

Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but
putting in any of the threshold pieces I've seen
would seem to make it worse by being even thicker.
Any ideas?

I have metal transitions for the doorways to my
kitchen, where it goes form hardwood to thick vinyl
sheeting. Kitchen floor is about 1/4 higher. They're
3'' wide and are "stepped" so you couldn't even stub
your toe on the lips. Got them at a big box, and they were an exact
replacement for the old ones, whose finish was was
junked up. Did it when I sanded the hardwood floors.
They look good and last forever. Cut to size with a
hacksaw.


Thanks. I'll drop by Lowe's and HD later today when I'm
out and about and see what they have. All I've noticed
before has been wood which was thick enough to go over
both surfaces making it an even larger hazard. I had been
leaning toward a shop-made tapered wood strip (I do have
a full woodworking shop) but I'm always up for an easy
quick solution that does the job.

If you wind up making one start with a piece of wood with a thickness that
matches sub-floortile; taper it to the thickness of the wood floor. Cut
out 2-3" of the wood floor and stick in the tapered piece.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

I think if it were me I'd get an oak threshold at
HD. They're only 5/8". Then cut off one bevel
and do a slight bevel or round-over on that edge,
which will then meet the tile.
When that's butted up to the tile it's only a 3/8"
rise. That may be too much for your mother, but
it's the only thing I can think of that won't look
tacky. Anything thinner in wood would risk cracking,
and while metal might deal with the slope it will
look a bit institutional.

| Thanks. I'll drop by Lowe's and HD later today when I'm out and about and
| see what they have. All I've noticed before has been wood which was thick
| enough to go over both surfaces making it an even larger hazard. I had
been
| leaning toward a shop-made tapered wood strip (I do have a full
woodworking
| shop) but I'm always up for an easy quick solution that does the job.

On 4/12/2014 9:17 AM, BenignBodger wrote:


I
had been leaning toward a shop-made tapered wood strip (I do have a full
woodworking shop) but I'm always up for an easy quick solution that does
the job.

The tapered strip would be my first choice. 2" should be enough to make
the transition easy.

On 4/11/2014 2:18 PM, BenignBodger wrote:
I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to
get the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the
mud floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new
subfloor to a perfect height but failed to take into account the
thickness of Schluter Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about
1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than the wood at the door opening. Since I'm
redoing this bathroom for my elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a
worry but putting in any of the threshold pieces I've seen would seem to
make it worse by being even thicker. Any ideas?



Go to any commercial carpet installers store. This happens to be Roppe,
but there are other brands:
http://www.roppe.com/roppeweb/includ...rreducers.html

I don't know if the box stores have or can get all the shapes. Huge
assortment of colors/sizes/shapes in both rubber and vinyl.

--


___________________________________

Keep the whole world singing . . .
Dan G
remove the seven

On 4/11/2014 3:18 PM, BenignBodger wrote:
I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to get
the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the mud
floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new subfloor to a
perfect height but failed to take into account the thickness of Schluter
Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about 1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than
the wood at the door opening. Since I'm redoing this bathroom for my
elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a worry but putting in any of the
threshold pieces I've seen would seem to make it worse by being even
thicker. Any ideas?

Solution is almost in hand. I went to Lowe's today and did some searching
and found a transition strip that will, after a couple of passes through
the planer and having one edge ripped square, fill the bill. It will have a
bit of an abrupt rise at the leading edge so, if it looks like too much, a
couple of passes with a hand plane to taper it more should do the job. I
realize now that I should have just dug through my scrap bin for a suitable
piece of oak and made it from scratch but if I'm dumb enough to do a
similar project again I'll know in advance. You live and learn if you're
paying attention...

On 4/11/2014 7:28 PM, wrote:
Not trying to be nasty or anything, but you ever heard of "measure
twice, cut once"? I just did a tile entry and hardwood flooring in my
house last summer/fall, using Ditra. Great stuff - but you DO need to
measure (at least) twice, and be SURE you have things figured out
before laying the tile.

Yes, I've heard of it and I usually measure more than just twice. But I've
also heard of putting tile in without installing the adjacent hardwood
floor at the same time (which would make it entirely too simple to diddle
the elevations) and I've heard of getting the tile to the proper height to
match up with the existing toilet flange so that the existing cast iron
plumbing won't have to be destroyed and redone. Fighting the
self-contradictory requirements of the existing 50-year-old plumbing and
hardwood floors was more than I could handle simultaneously with limited
experience so one or the other had to be the controlling factor, accustomed
as I am to dead level floors. In retrospect I guess that the old 3" mud bed
that I had to jackhammer was probably subtly sloped (as well as cracked and
concealing joist and subfloor damage beneath).

On 4/11/2014 7:28 PM, wrote:
On Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:33:22 -0400, Norminn
wrote:

On 4/11/2014 3:18 PM, BenignBodger wrote:
I apologize for posting something on-topic but I actually do have a home
repair question: how do I handle the transition between an old red oak
hardwood floor and newly-laid porcelain tile. I worked really hard to
get the floor levels to come out even after I had to jackhammer out the
mud floor base in an old ensuite and I thought I built up the new
subfloor to a perfect height but failed to take into account the
thickness of Schluter Ditra. Now the tile is Just a hair (well, about
1/4" or 6.5mm) higher than the wood at the door opening. Since I'm
redoing this bathroom for my elderly mother any sort of trip hazard is a
worry but putting in any of the threshold pieces I've seen would seem to
make it worse by being even thicker. Any ideas?

If the grout joint where the two meet is wide enough, perhaps adding
some grout to taper off the highest edge? Or make a shim to match the
wood flooring and glue it down? If you are game to rip up some tile,
the cement can be laid to make the tile slant a touch....that is what
the contractor did, but in reverse, to raise the new tile to be even
with existing terrazzo floor.
Not trying to be nasty or anything,

Sarcasm aside, I'm sure the OP has hear of measuring twice, as I have.
Unlike you, most of us have made mistakes and learned from them.

but you ever heard of "measure
twice, cut once"? I just did a tile entry and hardwood flooring in my
house last summer/fall, using Ditra. Great stuff - but you DO need to
measure (at least) twice, and be SURE you have things figured out
before laying the tile.

Worst case you bust out a foot of tile and slope it to the hardwood,
by whatever method is possible (don't know what you used to build up
the floor under the tile)