Hi, Another q about the right moldings to use to transition from hardwood to vinyl. I would be installing hardwood in the family room and the adjacent kitchen is vinyl which is gonna stay.
Yday I checked the heights and it seems that the hardwood floor (in Family room) would be about 1/2 (0.5)" higher than the adjacent vinyl room. Also I would like to cover the vinyl edge (between kitchen and family) as it is not very smooth or finished. What kind of molding should I use to transition from hardwood to vinyl that is 0.5" lower. I bought reducers but they transition to a much lower level. I also looked at T-Moldings but they seem to be for equal levels.nd
Am I suppose to work (cut, etc) on these moldings before using them?

Also, should I leave expansion space between the ends of hardwood strips and the moldings used between the two rooms?

Please advice....

Thanks....

A vinyl installer would use a piece of gold or silver metal flat bar If you desire a wood transition, this is what you can do. If the height difference is 1/2", use a 1/2" reducer. You may have to get one unfinished and stain and finish it to match your floors. OR, you can cut a piece of 1/2 hardwood(matching species) and bevel one edge and install from jamb to jamb on top of the vinyl floor. Install a mini treshold on top of that where the flooring and the header board come together. I've done both!

Hi, Do you think I can use a reducer but cut it from the bottom so that it can sit on the vinyl? I imagine since the difference is only 1/4", I would have to cut 1/2" on the side that tapers. Is that feasible...not to mention it would be some work on the table saw. It had the metal strip that Gary suggested but am not very keen on keeping that unless that is the only option.
I would think this is a very common issue....

Thanks....

There should be a reducer or a baby threshold / endcap, available for your flooring.

One can be made from a piece of the solid flooring, unless it is prefinished. Then it can still be done, but you will have finish it .

Diliphv,
You are on the right track. You should modify the reducer with a table saw. This is delicate work. A 20 dollar dial guage would be a worthwile investment. After you take the 1/4in off of the bottom,you will need to lay it flat and remove about a 1/16th from the edge. It will be a knife point if you don't.

Hi, I went to HD and found some trim moldings that are flat strips. We had steel strips between the vinyl and carpet. I also found something that looked like wood. I am not sure if it was wood. But the strip is bent in the center with one side tapering down. It should work just fine for me. I just had a glance before the store closed.....But I guess thats my best bet.
Any comments......

I did not suggest a metal strip! I did say that is what a vinyl installer would use. Here, we are hardwood installers so we don't use metal strips. You said the height difference was 1/2" (.5"). Then you said it was a 1/4" difference. My suggestion was based on the information you supplied; the the wood floor was 1/2" higher than the vinyl. A 1/2" wood reducer strip would have handled the situation nicely. We are here to help but you need to get your facts straight. Hope it works out for you!

Hi, Sorry if I was misleading. The difference is 1/4". I can use the reducer but would have to cut off from the tapering side into the reducer so that it gives me some width to go the vinyl.
The strips are of metal and some other material, I dunno. I think it was unfinished wood, which I would have to finish.

I know its kinda difficult to have something like a reducer to transition to various lower levels as a standard product....but would you all pros do the same....use a standard reducer and cut to fit the required level?

Thanks