I have Shaw Chimney Rock pre-finished 3/4" x 4" RL hand scraped flooring. I am going to run the flooring parallel to the threshold on the front double doors which is directly in line with the threshold of the 4 piece slider going out the back onto the patio so it will parallel these doors also (36 ft between the front doors and back slider). The flooring will be laid perpendicular to the joists like your suppose to. I know you are suppose to have an expansion gap around the perimeter of about 1/2". Here is my question: I don't want this expansion gap in front of my doors and the way my thresholds are designed it does not allow you to slide the flooring underneath and just let it float as it expands or contracts. You will see any gap I leave but if I put it tight the flooring is trapped between both doors with no where to go. What is the answer to this problem, there is no way to really put a trim piece down over top the hardwood to cover this gap and make it look good or right in my opinion but maybe I am wrong. What do the pros do? My base board and door casing will go everywhere else so there is no problem hiding this gap in the rest of the house just these two places.

Thank you,

Greg

There's different tricks depending on the situation, ie:, profile of thresholds,height, are they wood or metal, measurement of inset in relation to casings.
On the Entry doors, depending on the situation, sometimes the cleanest way is to pull the threshold and trim the doors. Obviously not a good plan on the sliders.

Some more info and/or pictures would help.

Fiberglass threshold on the 4 piece slider (more like a channel that rises up 1 3/8" from subfloor). The front double door is 9ft tall 8ft wide 2 1/4" thick slabs that are finished and not an easy thing to handle (I don't want to damage or cut on a 5K dollar front door). The threshold to the front door is aluminum I believe with anodized oil rub bronze finish. The height of threshold on all the doors are perfect for a 3/4" hardwood floor, I just don't like the idea of trying to attach a piece of 1/4 round to the threshold which will probably be very hard to keep attached over the next 40 years. What would be the minimum expansion gap I could get away with.

I live in Portland, Or.

Greg

May not be the best look (depends on the threshold inset at the ends), but in the right situation, a reducer, tappering down to the floor can look o.k. Or a ripped t-moulding. Either one is easy to secure. Don't like to see the ends sticking out past the jambs though, if you can eliminate that. Or you can get creative and mill something up.

The minimal expansion space question is a grey area, depends on a lot of conditions, and a debate in itself.