Introduction and Question on transitions

[Britinva]

Hi, new member here in Virginia

I'm looking about installing an engineered hardwood floor throughout my first floor (above finished space). Preference is a floating click system.

Of those I've looked at seems I'm going to have issues with a continuous floating floor due the max dimensions (45' x 36') and room transitions.

I really want to avoid transition strips that are not flat.

Is there a engineered hardwood product that would allow this, a transition that is not as noticable, or do I have to just have to accept going to have 'bumps'.

Attached Floorplan

Thanks,
Mark

 

[C.J.]

What product are you looking at installing? Depending on the layout and the quality of product being installed, a lot of installers will just skip using transitions. You may have to compensate by leaving extra expansion space but usually it can be done.

 

[Britinva]

Thanks CJ

I was looking at a Bruce engineered product like this: Link

Open to suggestions on products that might do better.

But seems the specs for this state max 30' x 30' in either direction.

If look at the plan I posted there in about a 2' strip between office/bathroom and refrigerator/pantry where it would 45' in length.

All base boards are 3/4" thick and no issues adding a base molding ..... so I should be able leave the 3/4" expansion at each end and around perimeter and like objects stairs and island.

 

[C.J.]

I’d prolly do that house without any transitions. 3/4” baseboards is good and if the sheetrock is up off the floor than that will give you an extra 1/2” in addition to your baseboards. As an option you could also combine baseboards with shoe molding if you really need some extra room.

Where do you live? Is humidity a factor? How well do you maintain the environment (temp and humidity) in your house.

Leaving out the transition strips will obviously void your manufacturers warranty but if you get a decent installation then that shouldn’t really matter.

Is this a DIY installation or are you having it installed by someone else? Other installers may not be up to leaving out transition strips depending on who they work for and their skill level.

 

[Incognito]

Only the click/floating system requires those absurd transitions within an otherwise continuous layout. So the obvious solution is to choose an engineered hardwood that is either glued or stapled rather than floating.

I'd not spend the money for real wood and then "float" it unless there were some kind of existing asbestos flooring that you wanted to avoid demo. I hate that LOUD hollow sound of floating wood/laminate/LVT if you're not walking barefoot or with sneakers/sandals

 

[Britinva]

I'm in Virginia so we do get humidity..... typically house is kept 72 to 78

Will be DIY, not a complete novice..... but my first float/click

The kitchen, thru to foyer and office is an existing 3/4"', narrow plank and nailed hardwood. Never any issus.

Thinking worst case, if go without transitions, is I would have to cut one in likely where kitchen meets family Room.

These click planks do slide a bit I assume along their lengh....length..... so can add even more expansion on worst dimension behind refrigerator.

 

[Britinva]

This is not our 'forever' home...... floors need doing before we leave in 3 or 4 years so my thinking is the try here and if don't like never do it again.

LVP is another way but not sure if that would be detrimental to resale

 

[Britinva]

Was in Lowes, and talking to a flooring contractor in there..... think he has convinced me to go LVP and recommended the Shaw Smartore Ultra that can go 50' x 50' without transitions

 

[C.J.]

Home Depot Lifeproof LVP can go up to 100’ x 100’.

 

[Britinva]

CJ is Lifeproof something you have used and recommend?

 

[C.J.]

I’ve worked a lot with Lifeproof and SmartCore. They are both decent products. I would say the determining factor in choosing between the two products is more about whether you want to deal with HD or Lowes.

I’ve installed for both companies and as far as what I do there isn’t much of a difference. From a customers perspective there is more of a difference. Perfect example is I bought my kitchen cabinets from Lowes simply because I didn’t want to hang out in a dark n dingy Home Depot for a couple hours during the whole purchasing process.

 

[Britinva]

Question on Warrenty

Smartcore vs. Lifeproof

Seems Smartcore doesn't have one if DIY, was not able to workout if Lifeproof Void theirs too

 

[C.J.]

You get a manufacturers warranty with both products. That basically covers any manufacturing defects with the product, THATS IT. Any mumbo jumbo written on the box about lifetime warranty is referring to the manufacturers warranty only. Manufacturing defects do happen but are usually few and far in between and you can generally spot them right out of the box.

If you have the floor installed for you then you would get a labor warranty from the installation company. If you plan on doing a DIY installation then YOU are the one who offers yourself the warranty on labor.

Something to note is an improper installation will void the manufacturers warranty. We installers know this but most customers tend to read ‘Lifetime Warranty’ on the box and think that anything and everything regarding the product and it’s installation is covered. NOPE!

 

[C.J.]

So with that all in mind I say you go for it. The big thing is to have a FLAT substrate to install over.

WPC LVP seemed to contour to gradual undulations and actually worked out real well as far as floating floors went. There were times when a floor was installed over something that it shouldn’t have been and whatever it was that shouldn’t have been installed over telegraphed through the LVP. SPC and rigid core eliminated the problem of that one off situation from telegraphing through your LVP but the down side is that it requires a much flatter substrate to be installed over. It also seems that much of what is available now is either SPC or rigid core. One problem was solved but it created a bigger problem in its solution. C’est La Vie. We’ll just have to work around that for now.

Alright, so you need a flat substrate to install over. So be it. The other problem you will run into is peek-a-boos. Little areas where the trim doesn’t fully cover your cuts. Door jambs n such are where peek-a-boos will show up. Problem is you will need to undercut your door jambs and casings yet you want your flooring to go underneath said jambs and casings yet you also need to maintain your expansion space. Door jambs and casings can be tricky for a DIY. They aren’t hard to deal with but if you’ve never dealt with them before then they can be a challenge. We can help you with the fine details so don’t sweat that so much. Post your questions and we shall answer them. Just remember to round your corners.

Aside from all the crap we hate, you’ll be fine. Go and find a decent floor to install and we got your back.

Post plenty of questions and pictures and best of luck.

 

[Britinva]

Thanks CJ

Just in the investigation phase now, will likely get project underway late July/August

Couple of questions

1) how to deal with the door casing/jambs previously undercut for 3/4" flooring

2) is it possible to reverse the installation direction to deal with room layouts.... with hardwood you could glue in a spline to reverse..... how is that done with LVP?

 

[C.J.]

If you remove 3/4” hardwood and your new floor is 1/4” then you’ll definitely have a gap. You can install 1/2” subfloor throughout the house to bring the finished height of your new floor up to where the old floor currently is. Or maybe you look around for a thicker floor so you can use a thinner ply to raise up the subfloor.

Secondly is you can replace all the casing with new. Then you’re left with dealing with a gap at the jamb itself. Cut a piece of wood and fill the gap, caulk or putty it, sand it then paint it. I’ve used bondo as a filler but that’s just for a jamb or two, not an entire house.

You’ll possibly need taller base if you don’t raise the subfloor up so that’s another thing to factor in. Time and money.

As far as switching installation directions there is no splines for LVP. You simply work backwards.

Which direction are you thinking of installing your floor? That would determine the starting point for your layout. You usually want a nice long wall or something to reference your layout off of while trying to minimize the amount of installing backwards.

 

[Britinva]

I will either remove all base and reinstall, or use a shoe .... to be decided

Not sure adding 1/2" ply is cost effective given its price at moment!

Really not looking at replacing the casing so I guess will experiment with either patching or some architectural detail.

As far as switching installation directions there is no splines for LVP. You simply work backwards.

Was not aware LVP could be layed it both directions....... if it can then that simplifies things

Which direction are you thinking of installing your floor? That would determine the starting point for your layout. You usually want a nice long wall or something to reference your layout off of while trying to minimize the amount of installing babackwards.

Will run lengths along house width (powder room to kitchen).

If you can lay in both directions think would to start at the stair wall in Family Room as that would be most focal and mean I can adjust to get best look at stairs.

Else was think start at front of house..... starting Dining Room corner.

 

[C.J.]

Most people don’t replace their casing unless they already planned on doing so. Capping the floor with 1/2” will prolly cost you the same as the flooring material itself costs. Wood is through the roof right now. It’s about $75 for a 4x8 sheet of decent 1/2”. That’s gonna hurt.

The cost effective thing to do is to fill the gap on the jambs and casings. Is the trim in your house a common profile that you could easily get some more of? If so then you could cut 1/2” pieces and glue them to the existing casings then caulk n paint them to match.

When you R/R your baseboards, they will now sit 1/2” lower so you may see a paint line that needs attention. If you didn’t plan on painting, or at least doing some touch up, having a taller base installed will cover the paint line. Yes this does require purchasing new base and dealing with the installation, painting and caulking if that base.

You mentioned the possibility of shoe molding. That’s the winner winner chicken dinner of your options. All you have to do is to purchase the shoe mounding and install it. Shoe is easy to install and since it’s not very tall the miters are more forgiving. I’ve seen the stuff installed with hand miters and after caulking and paint it looked pretty nice in the end. Another bonus is that you may not have to R/R your existing base. The down side is that means you will have to dig the last row of wood out from underneath the base. In reality you will prolly have to remove a piece here n there just cus but you install it right back where it came from and carry on like it never happened. You live in Virginia, everybody has shoe mold there so it won’t look dumb.

 

[C.J.]

As far as your start point I think that’s a good place. Exterior walls are generally straighter than interior walls. I would use my tape measure and measure back from your starting wall to the long focal point running from kitchen to powder. From those measurements I would run a string line down the long focal point. How does it look. You need to tweak it any and make any adjustments to your starting wall. Much easier to make adjustments now than it is to try and shift your already installed floor cus something doesn’t look right.

 

[Britinva]

The casing is 20yrs old so unlikely buy off shelf exact, but I can take off inside pantry and use that for patching.... then replace panty with newer.

I replaced all the baseboard for 6" a while back so would rather not replace again..... so likely will see if I can get away with not removing and use a shoe..... so avoid the wall repairs.

And yes, here in VA seems the lazy way even on new builds is to use a shoe/qtr rnd when anything other than carpet is used.

Intrigued thou on reverse laying LVP..... may buy a box or few planks to play.

Thanks for all help..... really appreciated