# Hardwood Butting to Tile



## anthony9887 (Mar 24, 2008)

I'm in the process of installing solid hardwood flooring and would like some recommendations for the following: 

I have ceramic tiles installed in the hallway with a marble threshold seperating the living room. I would like to install the hardwood in the living room, however is it ok to butt the hardwood (installed parallel) to the marble threshold or do I need to leave a 1/8" gap for possible expansion? The height of the ceramic tiles and hardwood are the same elevation.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

1/8" gap then caulk it.


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

Bud Cline said:


> 1/8" gap then caulk it.


:thumbup: Get color matched caulk from the tile supplier and it will look just like the grout.


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## anthony9887 (Mar 24, 2008)

Even though I will not be needing to grout between the marble threshold and the wood. Are you saying if I butt tight up against the marble threshold, that the wood in time would expand and push those tiles?


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## Bill_Vincent (Feb 20, 2008)

Absolutely.


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## red shoes (Mar 27, 2008)

*me too!*

This is just the info I'm looking for. We want to install 16" slate (very consistant gaged, brazilian) on point in the kitchen, entry and hall. In the living room and in the family room it will butt up to a 3/8" engeneered wood floor, 5" plank (Anderson). I was told that if I butt it to the cut ends I will have much less of an expansion issue is this true*?* Also, If I run a board along the cut end, a 4" board and then butt up to the tile (being set on point) will I still have many expansion issues*?* Lastly, I dont want to have a tile border along the edge of the tile just the on point pattern ending at the wood is this okay to do*?*


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## Bill_Vincent (Feb 20, 2008)

Running the diagonal into the hardwood is fine, but you want to run a border piece of wood. You don't want to butt the tile up against the ends of the hardwood boards.


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## red shoes (Mar 27, 2008)

Bill thanks for your reply. I noticed in the photo you had both a wood border and a tile border, but if I understand you correctly I omit the tile border:

on point tile
1/8 space to be caulked 
border of wood 
wood butting against border

right? 

Is there anything special I have to do or worry about where the points of the tile come up to the wood border?


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## Bill_Vincent (Feb 20, 2008)

Not at all. The points will have triangular shaped pieces on either side of them, so you'll end up with a straight line against the wood.

And yes, you're correct about the order.


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## curls00 (Jul 12, 2007)

Hrmm, the previous owner of my house installed tile and hardwood and unstead of just getting colour-matched caulk, he put a small metal piece where the wood and tile meet. I personally don't like the look of it and might try the caulk method. It's just 2x3' lengths so it wouldn't be hard to remove one of the metal thresholds and see what's under it. There is a border of wood (like all of the pics above) on the one side where the tile meets the planks in a T, so that's good.


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