Hardwood floor height adjustment?

2416 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by ront02769, Mar 5, 2016

ZZZZZ

Discussion Starter · Mar 4, 2016 (Edited)

I'm getting ready to re-do all the flooring on my first floor. The kitchen and the foyer/mudroom will be tiled and the hallway, dining room and great room will be a floating installation of engineered hardwood.

This is a "standard" installation over 2x8 16" OC floor joists and 7/8" T&G OSB subfloor. (Not sure of the official thickness of the OSB, but that's what it measures in the floor openings for the heat registers. It's a 28 year old house.)

(I've already dealt with the tile deflection issue by adding a supporting beam below the joists.)

I'm estimating the height of the tiled floor to be: 1/4" tile plus 1/4" backerboard plus two 1/8" layers of thinset to be a total right about 3/4".

The hardwood is 1/2" and the underlayment padding is 1/8" for total 5/8".

It is an open floor plan, and there will be about 10 linear feet where the tile will meet the hardwood.

My question is how to handle the 1/8" difference. What are my options? Would adding a second layer of underlayment make sense? (I'd guess no.) Or lay down some kind of 1/8" plywood? Or just install transition strips? Or is a 1/8" height difference even a tripping hazard that has to be dealt with?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

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de-nagorg

· #2 · Mar 4, 2016

In my opinion a 1/8 inch difference is a trip hazard.

I trip over a stupid piece of vinyl flooring that is used to just cover a burn mark in a frequented place.

Can you get a 3/8 inch backer instead, or maybe use a luan ply over the entire subfloor for this area.

ED

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Tony_G

· #3 · Mar 4, 2016

Not too long ago I completed a similar installation and ended up using 5 mm panels to level the floors. This obviously increases the cost of your project.

Do you have the hardwood already? Is going with a 3/4 inch one an option at this point? Although I'm assuming you do not want to deal with nails/staples?

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ZZZZZ

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 5, 2016

Tony_G said:
Not too long ago I completed a similar installation and ended up using 5 mm panels to level the floors. This obviously increases the cost of your project.

Do you have the hardwood already? Is going with a 3/4 inch one an option at this point? Although I'm assuming you do not want to deal with nails/staples?

Yes, I already have the hardwood.

I am going to lay the tiles first, since they will be taller. Then I can see exactly what the finished height will be. Than I can decide what to do for the hardwood.

I forgot to mention that I will be putting down slate tile, and the tile varies in height a bit from piece to piece, so maybe I can save the thinner pieces for the edges where it will meet the hardwood.

Yeah, I'm not sure if laying down 1/8" plywood over the half the floor is worth the time and money vs. coming up with some kind of transition solution. Or maybe I will just leave a small gap between the tile and wood and fill it with caulk that matches the tile grout.

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oh'mike

· #5 · Mar 5, 2016

Fine tuning the height can be accomplished using layers of felt paper (tar paper)

You will need a T- molding over the edge of the floating floor--so the height difference might not be an issue.

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ront02769

· #6 · Mar 5, 2016 (Edited)

With the t strip between the two it shouldn't be an issue. Or take a look at ditra as opposed to the backer board and save 1/8". Ron

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