We've done something similar to what you're talking about. We replaced our existing tile floors on the first floor, except the laundry and bath, with wood. Since we didn't want the ugly t-strips, we used a tumbled stone listello which was laid as a kind of threshold going into those rooms. The wood butts up to it on one side and the tile on the other.

You want to run a board across the length of the doorways. You don't want the tile to butt up to the ends of the boards.

bill, thanks so much--that does look right. Much appreciated. Something told me that's how it should be.

jgirl, maybe you want to cut up a width of wood now and put the finishing piece?!

Bill,
You are saying that a gap needs to be left between the tiles and floor? What is the reason? Do I put a wood finishing strip between?
Donna

Jgirl, can you post pics of your threshold? We're going to be ripping out the master bedroom carpet soon and I need ideas on how to join the new floor w/ the tile in the master bath.

And Bills, thanks ever so much for the photo!

Susan ~

You are saying that a gap needs to be left between the tiles and floor? What is the reason? Do I put a wood finishing strip between?

There needs to be room for expansion of the hardwood. You want a joint between 1/8- 1/4" between the two floors, and then fill it with caulking. As for the wood strip, you can add one, if you like, but it's not necessary, if you plan ahead and keep the two floors flush.

Bill,
You have a diagonal wood strip between the hardwood floor and the tiles. If I don't want to put that diagonal strip can I just leave some space and caulk between the wood floor and the tiles?
Donna
P.S. your floors look beautiful!

Donna-- I'm not sure I understand you. Are you asking if it's all right to just end the boards right at the tile and caulk the ends of the boards to the tile? If that's the case, I think you'd be very dissatisfied with the result.

I had my transitions done without a transition strip. In one room it looks ok because the tile guy finished the tile nice and straight. Well actually he did one edge a little ragged but I had him come back and straighten it out.

In another room the tile edge is a little ragged and it does bug me a little. Nobody else but me would notice, but I think it probably would look better with a transition strip.

I think we will do it with a strip--it just looks neater and cleaner, IMO. It *could* work the other way, but why not do it the cleanest way? I don't have to convince a contractor to do it, since I have met the contractor and she is me :) (and DH)

My hardwood was installed last year and there isn't any room for a horizontal strip of wood to go in. My choice is to butt the tiles up to the wood or put in a thin wood transition strip on top that was made by the hardwood contractor. The problem is the wood strip is raised a little and I don't really like the look of it. My wood is installed on an angle and he made the edges perfectly straight.
Donna

I put the transition strip in place and it looks OK. It's raised and I know I will be tripping over it at night.
Donna

"jgirl, maybe you want to cut up a width of wood now and put the finishing piece?!"

I don't understand what you are saying about a finishing piece.

mpwdmom - I'll take some pics over the weekend and get DH to post.

jgirl, I was referring to Bill's beautiful pic of the finishing piece that runs perpendicular to the other planks, which if it weren't there, would butt up against the tile. I'm sure your finished product looks fine, though.

and donna, maybe you could sand down the bottom of the transition strip piece to be flush with the floor? A few passes with a belt sander should bring it down -- do it from underneath and you won't have ruined the finish.

flyleft - ok, i got you. well, we thought about that but it wouldn't have worked because the wood & tile are different thickness. When the tile guy laid the listello, he had to make sure on the tile side it lined up evenly with the tile and same with the wood side. So there is a slight slope to it. I know it's there but I doubt anyone else would.

When we were doing our floors, I really did not want the wood bulging saddle at the doorway between bedroom and bathroom en suite. I wanted something that flowed better. We went to the granite and tile people, Henry Tile, and they said, "stone, marble saddles in different colors... yes, we can help." :)