Different floor heights meeting - What do you do?
Discussion
And before the comedians chime in, no I don't mean "fit steps"!!
I'm really struggling to work out in my mind how I'm going to cope with the join points between rooms where we have different floor coverings.
At present, the hall, downstairs toilet and dining room are all original 30s floorboards which have been sanded and varnished. Once our extension is finished, that is going to need flooring with something, but what happens when the two meet?
If we use laminate or tiles, then there's going to be a step of at least 20mm between the kitchen and the hall floor levels. How does that get bridged????
I really don't want to have to go to the expense of covering up the nice floorboards in the existing rooms to do it, but equally lowering the floor under the new area would surely be prohibitively expensive? It's made up partly of existing house - so the same joists and boards as the currently varnished parts - and partly new extension.
The only other option I can see is vinyl in the new kitchen/diner area, and carpet in the new lounge. This would allow for minimal variations in surface heights, but I don't really want vinyl if I can help it, plus the whole idea of the new section is for the kitchen/lounge/diner all to be open plan, which is rather scuppered if it has a change in floor surface half way along.
I'm really struggling to work out in my mind how I'm going to cope with the join points between rooms where we have different floor coverings.
At present, the hall, downstairs toilet and dining room are all original 30s floorboards which have been sanded and varnished. Once our extension is finished, that is going to need flooring with something, but what happens when the two meet?
If we use laminate or tiles, then there's going to be a step of at least 20mm between the kitchen and the hall floor levels. How does that get bridged????
I really don't want to have to go to the expense of covering up the nice floorboards in the existing rooms to do it, but equally lowering the floor under the new area would surely be prohibitively expensive? It's made up partly of existing house - so the same joists and boards as the currently varnished parts - and partly new extension.
The only other option I can see is vinyl in the new kitchen/diner area, and carpet in the new lounge. This would allow for minimal variations in surface heights, but I don't really want vinyl if I can help it, plus the whole idea of the new section is for the kitchen/lounge/diner all to be open plan, which is rather scuppered if it has a change in floor surface half way along.
http://www.stikatak.co.uk/web/05a_details.asp?ref=...
These work for different level floors, but maybe yours is too great a difference.
These work for different level floors, but maybe yours is too great a difference.
Horrible situation. We had a similar sort of problem and decided to pour a 50mm light cement slab layer in the kitchen over the top of the old (but still nice condition) tiles. This was a heartbreaking decision but it avoided having a 50mm step between the kitchen and the parquet of the rest of the open plan ground floor. Everything is perfectly on the level now.
I would try at all cost to take the extension level down if at all possible. Even a 20mm difference is going to be strange to look at and a tripping hazard potentially.
I would try at all cost to take the extension level down if at all possible. Even a 20mm difference is going to be strange to look at and a tripping hazard potentially.
Amtico/Karndean is a good idea - certainly worth getting an estimate.
CAT do some nice (and expensive) carpet borders - ramp profiles can offer a significant height change.
If it's just a doorway, I would also consider going bold and getting a piece of wood cut. Width of the door frame, ramp profile cut in (to prevent you tripping), radius the lower edge a touch to prevent chipping (so in profile, a bit like a simple bullnose skirting board), then oil/stain to an appropriate shade. I have something broadly similar (tiles to carpet) in beech, and it looks nicer than a normal carpet border.
CAT do some nice (and expensive) carpet borders - ramp profiles can offer a significant height change.
If it's just a doorway, I would also consider going bold and getting a piece of wood cut. Width of the door frame, ramp profile cut in (to prevent you tripping), radius the lower edge a touch to prevent chipping (so in profile, a bit like a simple bullnose skirting board), then oil/stain to an appropriate shade. I have something broadly similar (tiles to carpet) in beech, and it looks nicer than a normal carpet border.
20mm height difference...
I think I'd make a tapering threshold, ie a plank of wood similar in colour to the exposed floorboards, and the same width as the door frame (mine are 5"), but planed into a slope. That way it looks like part of the design and not an afterthought.
ETA: Damn, beaten by a minute!
I think I'd make a tapering threshold, ie a plank of wood similar in colour to the exposed floorboards, and the same width as the door frame (mine are 5"), but planed into a slope. That way it looks like part of the design and not an afterthought.
ETA: Damn, beaten by a minute!
Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 30th December 11:12
HiRich said:
Beaten, but you did come up with a decent name for it.
Beaten on time but not name (pedant mode) A threshold would be on an external door, a saddle would be on an internal door/opening.But it is still the best solution to cover the step up/down. A ramped saddle, 100mm x 20mm>5mm x door width
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