More....transition strips for existing engineered floor. Look awful?
Cindy C.
5 years ago
OK - my dilemma has been posted elsewhere and I am still investigating options. One of which was to screen and re-coat my damaged area in the front foyer and see how much better I could get it to look. I did that, and actually the second photo looks super-glossy because it was just coated a few hours ago and is still drying. It will look more like the first photo when it dries. The damaged area looks 100% better already. It will never look perfect, but unless somebody is looking or you look at it in just the right light, it is not terribly visible. I can tell that even before the poly dries.
The estimates I have gotten on doing both LVT and new engineered wood are more than I really want to pay right now. I would be covering a 1300 sq. ft. surface area and would require a lot of sub-floor work to get the floors even in several rooms (thus the transitions you currently see). And I think I have been swayed to NOT put LVT over the hardwoods. While I saw some great ideas on re-doing the foyer in another non-wood material, I just can't get past the fact that I really, really want wood :(((
I am thinking since the damaged area looks very much improved, AND I am looking upwards of $15,000 to get what I want with new wood floors, I am thinking of just living with what I have. Would I like a new color and brand-new no dents, dings, and scratches? Yes. Enough to pay $15,000? No. And moving out to do a full sanding and refinishing isn't an option. The transition strips still somewhat bug me, but to outside, objective observers (those reading this board), do they really look BAD? Would really appreciate some unbiased thoughts on that. I am thinking I need to just accept what I have.
Thanks to all who respond and who responded to my earlier posts as well.
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (17)
Cindy C.
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Mystery Moisture in Slab Ruined Engineered Wood Floor. Now What?
Comments (148)The slab will tell you how this works. The termites are your WORST problem. Water can be dealt with pretty quickly. The TERMITES can take down a house in 10 years or less. That's where you need to start. For termites to get into wood flooring over concrete, there must be a WAY for them to get in. That normally means there is some WOOD that is IMBEDDED in the concrete. Or there is wood that is TOUCHING the ground and then the same piece of wood continues INTO THE AIR and INTO THE HOUSE. Subterranean termites need WOOD that is touching or imbedded IN THE EARTH. That's their 'in'. You must remediate the termites (and get the wood out of the ground to stop the beggars from climbing into your wood floors). Once the animal-destruction-intrusion is remediated you will then go ahead and deal with the moisture. Your animal remediation will most likely require a large amount of demolition. At that point you will probably have a clean slate - throughout the house - to update everything. Check to see if your homeowner's insurance covers termite damage....See MoreHow do we keep our existing cabinets, but change floor plan?
Comments (12)I agree that hickory's tone deepen as it ages, and I agree that it wouldn't match initially, I am not sure I agree that it would never match. Usually wood darkens with time and UV exposure. You can expose the new cabinets to full sunlight, using full spectrum lights, to hasten the aging process. My friend did this when her wood floor needed to be patched, you could barely tell after a few months. Also depending on how/where you put the new additional cabinetry, you could consider doing them in an accent color. I am not really visualizing what you want to do, but lots of people have either the sink or the stove in a different finish. Here are some images I was able to quickly find to illustrate what I mean. When you mix cabinetry colors and finishes purposefully, it looks great IMHO [Traditional Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Seattle Kitchen And Bath Warmington & North [Traditional Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Atlanta Furniture And Accessories The Furniture Guild [Traditional Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Other Metro Interior Designer Kimberly Arnold Fletcher...See MoreWhy is red brick "awful"??? Does awful mean outdated?
Comments (45)I am going to get on my design high horse and probably offend some people who personalize discussions about design theory, because I am good at annoying people in this way. First, I think almost anybody who buys a post war house in almost any part of the country that was not built as a completely custom house is probably going to end up with a lot of choices in houses that include a patch of brick or stone on the front facade and plain siding or plainer brick on the rest. Almost anybody who builds a new house in a development or subdivision or home owner's association is not only going to face the same, thing, but in addition are not going to be allowed to leave the stone or brick accent off even if they want to. The element that was originally used as a budget cutting device is now "important" to the design and consistency of the entire development. The consistency of materials of the individual house is no longer important, but the inconsistency of materials and how they are used must be consistent throughout the neighborhood. The building a house forum is full of questions about how to tack the stone or brick onto the front of their houses even if they don't want it because the guidelines say the house must be 10% stone and 30% brick on the facade. Second, I don't think there is anything the matter with vinyl siding. I don't think there is anything the matter with any particular building material. Frank Lloyd Wright built beautiful houses out of concrete block. There's nothing the matter with building a plain rectangular house with plain modest materials that go all away around the house and calling it done. But as a culture we have been convinced that this is cheap looking somehow. But if its three sides of a rectangle with a convoluted elevation on the front including three or four different building materials, it's "pretty". Third, if you are building a custom or semi custom house, why not build something that you can afford to finish the same on all four sides? We are also in a culture where people are pressured into feeling it's necessary to take everything to a level that we can just barely afford it. And who is that impressing? Some random stranger may be impressed by your house driving by, but what about the people who get inside, and see that there's barely any furniture, and many of the rooms are cheaply detailed drywall boxes. I understand if you live in a HCOLA that it is easy to be house poor, but whats the point of a 4000 square foot house when you are entertaining people on card tables. Sheer volume isn't everything. Should you apologize to friends because the back of your house is vinyl? I dunno, but think about where you are putting friends and family. There is this fancy facade out front that no one ever spends any time in front of. They are escorted to the back yard. There are $1M townhouses here that have stone and brick facades with genuine copper bays and details on the front. The end unit has plain stucco on the side that faces a side streets. The backs are vinyl siding (you can easily see all three materials together.) So some stranger sees the fancy front of the house where the real friends are taken out back where they sit on crudely built pressure treated decks next to vinyl siding with all sorts of PVC pipes and vents and such sticking out all over with no concerns about esthetics, or quality, and it's all right at eye level. As a culture, maybe we should apologize....See MoreLaminate flooring, avoid transition strip in long span
Comments (18)I did both. I was taught by an installer how to flush cut the flooring to butt up against the tile, which did have an edge strip, with a 1/16th (I think, it’s been almost 2 years) gap and silicone caulk. I hated it because the flooring is matte and I couldn’t find a caulk that wasn’t shiny so it left an obvious shiny line between the tile and the laminate flooring. I replaced it with a transition strip. I do remember messing with the strip to making it as flush as possible between the two different floorings, I think we had to modify the metal piece inside or route one side deeper. keep in mind all of this was DIY and with proper planning by a pro installer the different floor levels are taken into account. I changed my mind and decided to tile the powder room when the flooring was already in. Also, in this scenario the ends are supposed to be sealed and caulked beneath the transition strip in a powder room application, even if it isn’t “wet,” like with a shower or bathtub. That was so deep in the specifications for the flooring we almost missed it. I did not use a transition strip by the front door. I intended to, just to be cautious since we spanned a greater distance, but I hated how the strip looked. Next to the threshold the caulk is invisible, even though it’s shiny. We were pressed on time and budget because it was a new home without any closet shelves, garage storage, or landscaping. The idea of replacing the carpet that was falling apart (after less than a year) with more of the same carpet by the builder was discouraging to me, so we really couldn’t do anything differently. But in a more predictable world, if I could have wrangled a couple thousand more, I have done a simple, not engineered, hardwood and installed it ourselves. The laminate has not had any issues at all as far as buckling or drifting. It’s on our main floor and the only place with an issue is where my kids drop ice cubes on the floor in the same spot and don’t pick them up. There isn’t any swelling or peeling but there is a thin line where you can see the composite is a different color. This is not in an area with a long span. The LVP with equivalent numbers of pieces were 2-3 times as expensive....See Moreglennsfc
5 years agoCindy C.
5 years agoglennsfc
5 years agoCindy C.
5 years agohandymac
5 years ago
I created this transition strip using a wood flooring plank. There is no(very minimal) difference in the levels of the tile/wood. I used a similar transition strip where the flooring changed directions and in doorways(bath).
No trip hazard and no one has disliked the strips.
Cindy C.
5 years ago
Elizabeth B
5 years agoCindy C.
5 years agoCindy C.
5 years agoCindy C.
5 years agoCindy C.
5 years ago
Related Stories
REMODELING GUIDESLaminate Floors: Get the Look of Wood (and More) for Less
See what goes into laminate flooring and why you just might want to choose it
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESWhen to Use Engineered Wood Floors
See why an engineered wood floor could be your best choice (and no one will know but you)
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDES20 Great Examples of Transitions in Flooring
Wood in One Room, Tile or Stone in Another? Here's How to Make Them Work Together
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESTransition Time: How to Connect Tile and Hardwood Floors
Plan ahead to prevent unsightly or unsafe transitions between floor surfaces. Here's what you need to know
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESWhat to Know About Engineered Wood Floors
Engineered wood flooring offers classic looks and durability. It can work with a range of subfloors, including concrete
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESYour Floor: An Introduction to Solid-Plank Wood Floors
Get the Pros and Cons of Oak, Ash, Pine, Maple and Solid Bamboo
Full Story
COLORBedroom Color: The Secret to More Sex and More Sleep
Look to surprising revelations about bedroom wall colors to get more of what you want
Full Story
MATERIALSWhat to Ask Before Choosing a Hardwood Floor
We give you the details on cost, installation, wood varieties and more to help you pick the right hardwood flooring
Full Story
KITCHEN DESIGN13 Alternatives to Plain Wood Flooring in the Kitchen
Graphic patterns, surprising transitions and unexpected materials make these kitchen floors stand out
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESWhat Lies Beneath That Old Linoleum Kitchen Floor?
Antique wood subfloors are finding new life as finished floors. Learn more about exposing, restoring and enjoying them
Full Story
millworkman