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Thresholds between interior rooms and hallways?

15 years ago

Our G.C. wants to put thresholds between all doorways and archways in the house. Is this the norm? The same color and style of wood flooring is going in throughout so I don't know why he wants to do this. Do you think its a good idea and what is the purpose when the floors are all the same. Also I have kids who tend to run in the house - are these a tripping hazard?

TIA!!!

Featured Answer

sierraeast

15 years ago

Even when the flooring runs opposite direction hallway vs room, they can be mated at the opening. If your dorr jambs are already in, they are flush cut to the flooring height making thresholds unnecessary. It's rare to see interior thresholds on like floorings as a rule, so it is sounding like a convienece move for the installer. I would insist on getting it how you want it, not how they want to do it. Any protrusion is a possible tripping hazard.

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Comments (9)

chisue
15 years ago
We have hardwood flooring throughout and no thresholds. This is great...until you have to refinish the floors. There's no 'stopping point'. ALL the furniture has to come out and it all has to be done in one go.

I can't imagine why he'd put thresholds where there are no doors -- under archways?

Maybe something to do with raising doors to swing over carpeting yet not have a gap under the door when it's closed?
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julienpete
Original Author
15 years ago
I can't imagine why he'd put thresholds where there are no doors -- under archways?

I know, I was confused too! Thanks for the feedback guys!
ron6519
15 years ago
The thresholds make it easier for the contractor. He doesn't have to be precise in the cuts where two rooms have flooring in different directions come together.
If the flooring is all running in the same direction, I don't know what the reason would be.
Ron
pharaoh
15 years ago
No thresholds needed. even with different flooring, you can make a nice transition without thresholds. contractors use them to disguise unfinished edges...
mightyanvil
15 years ago
Thresholds are exterior and saddles are interior. Their sole purpose is to allow an undercut to be small and still have the door clear an area rug. This was the norm a hundred years ago. If you don't have area rugs or you don't mind high undercuts there is no reason to have them. If you ever have anyone in your family in a wheel chair for an extended period of time you will have to remove all of the saddles anyway. I can't think of any purpose for a saddle where there is no door unless there is a major flooring material change that was not properly worked out beforehand.
MariposaTraicionera
15 years ago
How about when there is wood on one side, and tiles on the other? Surely you need some kind of transition piece, right?
sierraeast
15 years ago
There are many transitional mouldings out of wood, marble,plastics,etc. Some are for uneven transitions as well as the same level. Check in with your local flooring outfit. On some tile to wood transitions when they are the same elevation, flexible caulk is used that is the same color as the tile grout and looks like a grouted joint.
twobengalsandme
15 years ago
I have a mix of solid wood (fir), cork, and slate in my house. (Well, most of it is in, anyway) The flooring height that will set the elevation for the whole house is the master bath, in slate with radiant underfloor heating. My GC has taken into account the built up thickness of all the various floorings, and installed the proper height subfloor under each, to ensure that they are all the same height. There are no thresholds at any door, even where different materials meet. It's a matter of careful planning and meticulous work.

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