There are not too many homes or offices out there today that only use one type of flooring with the same style throughout the entire floor plan. Kitchens and bathrooms use water-resistant materials, bedrooms are often carpeted, and many dining rooms have elegant hardwood or engineered wood flooring.

Each time the flooring changes between rooms, it creates a transition area. Sometimes the transition is just cosmetic, but many times there can be a difference in elevation or even an empty space that shows the sub floor. In these cases, flooring transitions become the cap on home decorating designs.

Planning Proper Flooring Transitions

As a general rule, transitions work the best when they are placed correctly. When flooring changes occur between two rooms separated by a door, placing the transition underneath the door is the best way to make the installation. When the door is closed, only one type of flooring is seen from either side. Even when the door is open, the transition spans the doorframe, which would be the shortest distance possible. Even in a transition without a door, a doorframe or walkway are both natural places for flooring transitions to occur.

A common transition is between raised tile flooring and a flat floor, such as a hardwood floor or vinyl flooring. Since the tile flooring is typically raised higher than most flat floors, a transition would be both a safety hazard and an obvious design mismatch. In this case, a marble transition piece can be installed in the transition. These threshold pieces are sold in most hardware stores and stone stores will be able to sell custom pieces that can gradually slope down to remove a tripping hazard.

Combining Different Styles, Textures, and Colors

When using two different styles or colors of hardwood flooring in adjacent rooms, a transition piece is needed to create a clean threshold. Threshold moldings are wood pieces that can be placed in a gap between hardwood floors. Each end of the molding has an elevated lip in which both edges of the hardwood floor slide underneath, allowing the wood to expand and contract with the seasons and not split the threshold or reveal a gap. These moldings come in many different colors and styles to match the flooring that it bridges. This solution removes a safety hazard as well as presenting a matching finish.

The ultimate goal of any flooring transition should be a safe way to change elevation between rooms without creating an eyesore. Moldings and custom pieces are a great way to accomplish both goals. With smart placement of those threshold transitions, each room looks complete without an unnatural change in the design. Mastering transitions allows homeowners to feel confident about using a wide range of flooring types throughout their homes.

Proper transitions are important for both safety and aesthetic reasons. Changes in elevation or dips in the floor can present a real tripping hazard. Slips, trips, and falls actually account for about a third of home and workplace injuries. In any decorating design, the overall aesthetic can be ruined by sloppy room transitions.