Expansion gap at the doors.

k9fireman · **Posted:** Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:45 am

Getting ready to install 3/4 maple 2 1/4 wide staple down. I trimmed the drywall for expansion gap on all the walls, planning to start the first board just over 1/2 in from the framing. I have 3 exterior doors in the room that i just installed. These doors have metal and plastic frame parts that rest on the subfloor.

I still leave the 1/2 to 3/4 gap in front of door frame, cutting the profile into the first board? Is 1/2 in enough? Install a trim piece in front of door covering gap? Which type of trim is usually used in this situation (profile)?

2 more random questions.....

Upper landing.. using 3/4 stair nosing on floor edge to which railing attached, then it transitions to carpet. Which type of transition piece is best? Reducer? Threshhold? What would you suggest?

Do you really see the 15lb felt overlap once the floor is in? Is it best to run the overlap perpendicular?

Thanks for the help!

Floorguy · **Posted:** Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:18 am

Before I ever start laying the floor, I demand I have all the trim moldings in my hand, or chances are I'll be pulling up something, because the trim profile is greater or lesser then planned.

If I can't undercut the exterior threshold, I will use an endcap / baby threshold. Or if the flooring is so high up on the threshold, a "T" molding(if the door swing allows.

Again, this is endcap for butting to carpet, or you can use a dirt and dust catcher/ reducer there and z-bar the carpet. I'd have to see it to be sure.

If the asphalt felt is no going to be used as a vapor retarder, but just as squeek control. there is no need to overlap. I have had it make a wired look on a prefinished, if the light hits it just right.

SK Olson · **Posted:** Fri Aug 12, 2005 7:27 pm

You don't "have" to install a reducer between the hardwood, and the carpet. If the length of the wood running to the carpet, just a little creative table saw work on that last row will do the trick. If it's end joints, then head them off with a row of boards run perpendicular to those end joints. Carpet can be shimmed up to the wood, or you can bevel the edge of the wood down to 3/8" to level it out, but you would then need to refinish your custom made reducers. Just a couple of options.
Buying them is easiest, but if you have read many of the posts here, you will see that too often, the trim pieces don't match up perfectly to the wood flooring, due to outsourcing of the trim pieces.

Floorguy · **Posted:** Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:32 pm

SK your right. I do too much prefinished stuff.

But for the price for me to properly ramp out is as much as a reducer if not more.

SK Olson · **Posted:** Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:57 pm

I agree, but I think the transition from wood to rug looks better without the "speedbump", and it would be worth the extra time in cutting it, and worth the money to have a quality rug man do it right.

k9fireman · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2005 10:34 am

Thanks for the info. I looked into it a little more, and i think i might just order the threshhold from Muskoka. A bit pricey, but there really aren't many options available that i've found. The Depot and lowes only carry oak stuff, and to order maple from a local dealer (to have it custom made that is) was about triple the price.

As far as the single stair nose piece on the landing to transition to carpet, I'll probably just do some table saw work to a second piece of stair nose, 1/2 in round over, and refinish where i cut it down, slip tounge and install. My only question is, at 3/4 in high, how much of a "speed bump" as you say will i have when the carpet butts up to it?

And should i spend the time now to run my felt perpendicular to the flooring? Is it worth the effort? It is gonna be a vapor barrier, it's over a crawl space. I've also heard.... duct tape the seams???

Gary · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2005 12:48 pm

From an earlier post. Check it out.

Quote:

Here again, we run into terminology problems. There are two very different products and functions for moisture control under floors. One is called a moisture barrier and the other is called a vapor retarder. Any paper or felt laid over a wood subfloor which will have a woodfloor nailed over it IS NOT a moisture barrier. It is a vapor retarder. It's function is to diffuse vapor transmission from below, as well as providing a cleaner work surface and aids in reducing squeeks. A moisture barrier STOPS moisture from getting to the subfloor and wood flooring. It is usually thick sheet plastic (6 to 8 mil polyethylene), laid on the ground, on or under the concrete slab, under floating subfloors and floating floors. It is NOT to get punctured with fasteners. There are also liquid moisture barriers developed by the adhesive manufacterers that block moisture transmission. So, in conclusion, your installer SHOULD use a VAPOR RETARDER in the form of asphalt sandwiched paper placed on the subfloor. I like Aquabar for engineered.

k9fireman · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:42 pm

Hmmmm.....

Good info.

I also placed 8mil plastic over the ground in the crawl space. That, the felt, and the fact that i live in Denver and the soil is really dry...... well.. i hope that it turns out to be enough!

Still a little worried by what you guys said about the overlap of seams being able to be seen though. We'll see!!

Expansion gap at the doors.

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