What are the possible reasons for using interior door thresholds?
You may have different flooring materials in rooms where you need a transition.
There may be height differences in the two rooms being connected. In this case, there are thresholds with different gaps on the bottom that also overlap the higher floor. You may have 1/4”, and 1/2” differences. Other transitions may go from an abrupt 3/4” hardwood flooring heights transitioning down to to 1/4” or less.
You may need wide thresholds to cover a flooring gap between the two rooms. Sometimes when an addition is added, there was no flooring material where there was a jamb, or wall. We have standard thresholds up to 6 1/2” wide, and two piece thresholds that can be combined up to 13” wide. To use these thresholds correctly, make sure the floor underneath is filled in to have an even floor.
Can Wood Interior Door Thresholds be used as a thermal break?
Normally there is at least a 1/2” - 3/4” gap underneath a door, down to the flooring
material. The use of an ADA threshold, if it will fit under the door at 1/2” height, will close much of the gap under a door.
What are the types of hardwood interior door thresholds available?
The types available include the following:
Small thresholds that cover flooring height difference between different floors. (Click here to see our Style 1 and Style 2 Thresholds)
Wider thresholds that cover flooring height different differences but overlap further onto one of the flooring types. (Click here to see our Style 4 and Style 5 Thresholds)
Flat threshold with tapered edges. These come in both 1/2” heights that are ADA compatible (Click here to see our ADA Interior Thresholds), and 3/4” heights (Click here to see our Style A Thresholds). These can be used just to cover gaps in flooring materials, or 1/2” height for wheelchairs, walkers, etc. These are available in 3 1/2” wide to 6 1/2” wide widths. Special 2-piece thresholds can be combined up to 13” widths. (Click here to see our Style E and Style F Thresholds)
Tapered thresholds are available up to 6 1/2” widths. These are 3/4” in height at the thickest part. And go down to 1/4” or less at the thinnest part. (Click here to see our Style D Thresholds)
What are some methods of attaching interior hardwood door thresholds to the Floor?
Hardwood interior thresholds should not just be nailed to to the floor. Doing so can crack the threshold, rendering it unusable. When nailing the threshold, make sure that the surface underneath is solid and flat. Next drill small pilot holes that will use small finishing nails.
Pound the finishing nails in and use a small punch to tap the finishing nail slightly below the surface of the threshold. Once the threshold is stained and finished, you can fill the hole, so it won't show.
It is also recommended that a wood threshold be finished completely on both sides to avoid it absorbing excess moisture on one side, putting a warp on the threshold. This is especially important when attaching a wood threshold to a concrete floor. The wider that the threshold is, the more chance of warping, unless precautions are taken to avoid moisture.
You can also attach wood thresholds to the floor by using adhesives, such as construction adhesives. When attaching to concrete, this is the preferred method. Otherwise, you have to create larger holes through the threshold for concrete fasteners. Where hardwood interior thresholds are attached to the floor by gluing, make sue you have a stable, level material to attach the bottom to.
I can't stress highly enough to have a solid, flat base under you threshold being attached. Some thresholds can be as little as 1/4” thick in some places, and not having a stable base underneath can cause them to crack, when weight is added by walking on the threshold.
Is it required to stain or paint these thresholds when I get it?
These thresholds are shipped unfinished, so when you get the threshold, before you install the threshold you need to either stain or paint it. Make sure to finish the threshold on all sides/surfaces to assure it doesn't absorb any moisture from the air or the floor underneath so the threshold doesn't possibly warp. The longer and wider the threshold, the more it is recommended to finish it before installation to avoid warping.
What are my options if I have two floors of different heights?
Your first option is to use a threshold that butts up to the higher floor height to create a smoother transition from the one floor to the other, making it less of a potential tripping hazard. We carry thresholds of different widths and styles that can help with floors that are 1/2" or 3/4" in height difference.
Examples of these are the Style 3, Style D, Style E, and Style F.
Your second option is to use a threshold that goes over the seam of the two converging floors and helps to transition from the one height floor to the other. We carry thresholds of different widths that can help in these situations where there is a height difference of 1/4" or 1/2" in height difference between the floors.
Examples of these are the Style 1, Style 2, Style 4, and Style 5.