Creating a neat transition from carpet to hard flooring can present a perplexing challenge unless you have the correct materials and tools. A variety of hardwood moldings are available to create the transition. For a low-pile carpet to wood transition, the easiest solution is a hardwood reducer molding, which would also work for a ceramic tile to wood transition. A reducer molding is a strip of hardwood molding where one side of the strip is beveled and the top is flat. Reducer molding transitions work for glue-down and nail-down wood floors, as well as for floating wood floors. A T-molding would work if the carpet and the wood floor are the same height. T-molding is flat on top and beveled on both sides. A "keel" of wood runs along the length of the molding on the bottom, giving it a T-shape in profile.
Instructions
Hardwood Reducer Molding
1. Leave or create a 1-inch gap between the carpet and the hardwood floor. If you need to create the gap, pull the carpet back and cut it with a carpet knife.
2. Pull the carpet and the padding back 2 inches from the edge, and insert wood carpet shims between the subfloor and the bottom of the padding. The wood shims should extend into the gap between the carpet and the hard flooring.
3. Butt the reducer molding against the wood floor so the two are level. The molding should sit firmly on the carpet but not compress it. Remove the molding. If the carpet is too low, use additional shims to raise it a little. If there is a gap of more than 1/8 inch in height, use a different-size reducer molding.
4. Nail or glue the wood shims to the subfloor. Use finishing nails or carpenter's glue.
5. Apply a 1/ of construction adhesive to the back edge and the back of the bottom of the molding. Butt the back edge of the molding up against the wood flooring and hold it in place with masking tape until the glue dries. Alternatively, nail the molding into the subfloor. Predrill holes for the nails so the molding does not split. Use an electric drill and a 1/32-inch drill bit.
Hardwood T-Molding
6. Leave or create a 1-1/4-inch gap between the carpet and the hardwood floor. If you need to create the gap, pull back the carpet and cut it with a carpet knife.
7. Pull the carpet and the padding back 2 inches from the edge, and insert wood shims between the subfloor and the bottom of the padding. The should extend into the gap between the carpet and the flooring.
8. Dry-fit the T-molding in the gap between the carpet and the molding with at least 1/2 inch of molding overlapping the floor. The molding should sit directly on the wood floor and rest firmly on the carpet. If the carpet is too low, adjust the shims.
9. Nail or glue the wood shims to the subfloor. Use finishing nails or carpenter's glue.
10. Apply a 1/4-inch bead of construction adhesive to the bottom of the keel and set the molding in place, holding it down with heavy objects until the glue dries.
Tags: between carpet, wood shims, wood floor, 4-inch bead, 4-inch bead construction