# free floating floor to exterior door



## brizzle (Mar 13, 2013)

We are planning to lay laminate snap tile in our kitchen. Never lay any kind of floor down. Never work with laminate snap flooring. I have read articles and talk to people who have installed these type of flooring. I know you need to keep the 1/4'' to 3/8'' gap around the edge of the walls for floor to expand and contract.



























When i get the my kitchen door which is an exterior door. What do i do about the threshold? My door has the aluminum step piece and tan box piece ties door to the floor i assume. What is this tan piece called?

Do i put the spacer against the tan piece? Find a big t molding transtion piece go from aluminum piece on door to the new floor essentially covering up the tan piece. doing this i might have problem shutting door. Becasue the bottom of the door would then be really snug if it all shut.

Do i cut this tan piece on the bottom like you would the door jam and allow for at least 1/4'' of the new floor to go in?

I'm in ky and weather has been around 20 to 40s at nights and 30 to 50 during days right now gradually getting warmer. I know i have read to make sure let flooring breathe in house for couple days before laying it. 
Will the floor be at hits largest in cold weather (expanded) or vice versa?

Thanks for any advice


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

That's the adjustable threshold, you do not want to cut it.
A transition strip would work best.
one like this may work


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## brizzle (Mar 13, 2013)

doing the kitchen in a couple days. any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

I have seen where people use shoe molding or 1/4 round to cover up gap where new floor would meet the adjustable threshold. I feel like i will not be able to do this because when new floor is in be lifted up by at least 1/2'' maybe 5/8''. Then i will not have the desired height to fit the 1/4 round being that it would sit higher than threshold and door would probably hit.

Home depot door specialist said to but up to threshold and use flexible caulking for the 1/4 gap.

I had plans to try to pull up threshold and run floor underneath (note i broke one of the threaded mounts for the adjustable screws in threshold when messing around with it). but looks like threshold is tied into door jamb from the sides and at bottom underneath adjustable screws. Therefore to do that i would have to pull entire door jamb off. set floor and put back door jamb and hope that the jamb will fit back in.

Would like to know what the pros do in this situation or an experience person would do.

If i dont hear anything im leaning towards the flexible caulk to fill in 1/4'' gap and Maybe a transition piece to cover up adjustable threshold.

Thanks


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

That floor need to float, you never install it under a threshold!
As that floor flexs and expands and contracts it's going to keep cracking the caulking and the colors not going to match.


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## brizzle (Mar 13, 2013)

So transition piece over adjustable threshold?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

No, the piece sits sits in front of the threshold.
From the floor to the top of that brown piece is about 1-1/2" now. Not sure how your picturing a transition that's would sit over the threshold.


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## brizzle (Mar 13, 2013)

I was thinking of t molding piece that would lay between adjustable threshold (my brown piece) and new floor. top one side covering brown threshold and the other side of T going to new floor. Rather it be ramp down or even transition from threshold to new floor I'm not sure yet. Depends on new floor height. Depends if I can even shut door considering Im laying a piece between door and threshold.


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