Solid Oak floor next to slate flooring

[mightydob]

Hi all,

Been lurking on this forum for ages, and this is the first time I have not managed to find the answer for something by searching

I have recently extended our kitchen, and I will be fitting the flooring over the coming weeks. The majority of the room will be solid Oak flooring but in the kitchen area we want natural slate tile. I am comfortable about the installing of the oak flooring, and expansion gap around the room, but I am unsure about how to deal with the expansion gap between the oak and the slate?

I am guessing that there is a solution to what must be a common problem. There should not be a difference in the level of each flooring if my calculations are right, but if there is a solution that would allow for a drop in level even better

Thanks in advance for looking

 

[WoodYouLike]

In these situations we would use an End threshold as transition for wood floor to tiles. It gives you the needed expansion gap for the wood and the base of the threshold will sit on the underfloor - in front of your tiles.

 

[mightydob]

great stuff thanks for the quick reply, off to look up end thresholds on the web

 

[WoodYouLike]

Try here: various sizes (15 and 19mm) in unfinished Oak

 

[mightydob]

ahh all makes sense now, thanks for the link.

So if my understanding is correct the threshold will be raised above both surfaces by a few mm. I guess I was thinking there would be something that would sit flush so there was not a trip hazard, but logically the more I think about it I can see that would not be possible. Since I understand floor tiles also expand, I guess the twin threshold is the one to go for. How would you secure the threshold down, I am guessing adhesive if I don't want any fixing showing.

I am also boarding the hallway, and under the stairs cupboard of my house and was thinking that I would board straight the way through to the kitchen because it is all linked. But now I guess its a good idea to have a threshold in each doorway as well, so expansion from one room does not effect the other?

thanks again for quick reply

 

[WoodYouLike]

I wouldn't go for a T-bar over the natural slate tiles - they will never give you a stable level base for the lip of the T to sit on.
Not knowing much about slate tiles, but do they expand??

You glue down the base of the end thresholds (grip fill can be used) so no fixing will show

 

[mightydob]

Logically I did not think they would, but thought I read something somewhere as I often do, that there was a little expansion, too much research can often be a bad thing

Would you recommend a threshold between each room?

thanks

 

[WoodYouLike]

Yes we would. Every room has its own climate (temp, humidity) and treating every room as a separate entity is better. It prevents "problems" from one room spreading into others.

 

[mightydob]

great thanks for the excellent advice