Flooring Transitions: Connecting Multiple Types of Flooring

If you're using multiple types of flooring throughout your home or business, you're going to be left with some areas that require a flooring transition. These are edge pieces that are positioned between different floors for a polished appearance and an easier-to-clean surface. There are multiple options for flooring transition, depending on the look that you want to achieve. Here's everything you need to know.

Why Do You Need a Flooring Transition?

Different types of flooring will expand and contract at different rates. Ceramic tile may remain static, but hardwood floors will shift. If grout is filled between ceramic tile and hardwood, the hardwood could crack and buckle over time. The same can be said about many other types of material that can expand under heat.

Without a flooring transition, there can be an unsightly gap between flooring types, or a gap that will collect dirt and dust and consequently be difficult to clean. Further, it can also be difficult to be precise about cutting; flooring transitions can hide flaws or imperfections in the length of cut floor materials.

Flooring transitions are also commonly used at doorways, where floors might change direction. You might have mahogany floors throughout your home, but they might run vertically in some rooms and horizontally in others.

What Types of Flooring Transition Are Available?

Most flooring transitions are made out of one of the materials being connected. If you are connecting two types of hardwood floor, your flooring transition might be made out of one of the types of hardwood. This creates a nearly seamless appearance, as it appears that one type of flooring directly attaches to the other.

Flooring transitions may either connect two floors of the same level or a higher floor with a lower floor. When they connect two floors of the same level, they have a "T" shaped cross-section. When they connect two sides of a different level, they often have a slanted construction, so they can run from one floor downward at a slope.

If they need to be flexible, vinyl transitions are available that can conform to different heights of the floor. There are also metal flooring transitions available which are used to tack down carpet when carpet transitions to a harder surface, such as a hallway turning into a bathroom. Metal flooring transitions are often the strongest and most functional, but they can also have a "commercial" appearance that isn't always desirable in a home.

Choosing flooring transitions is an important part of selecting the trim and other accompaniment that will go with your new flooring. For most types of flooring, there will be a manufacturer suggested type of trim, including a baseboard. Adding these to your floor will create a more polished appearance while also improving upon the maintenance and upkeep of your new floor surface. For more information, contact UB Hardwoods.