Properly installing a hardwood-carpet transition piece is often part of a successful hardwood installation. In order to properly transition from hardwood to carpet, you need to make sure that you install the right trim piece. This will give it a very professional and finished look.
What You'll Need:
- End molding
- Saw
- Liquid nails
- Hammer
- Nails
- Tape measure
- Knee kicker
- Carpet stair tool
Measure the Opening
Before you can install hardwood to carpet transition, you need to know how big of an opening you have. Most of these transition pieces come in 6-foot lengths, and you should plan accordingly. Therefore, if your opening is 8 feet wide, then you are most likely going to need two pieces to do the job. Take your tape measure and get the dimension from one end of the opening to the other. Write that dimension down to the nearest inch so that you don't forget it when you get to the store.
Purchase the Transition
Once you know the dimension that you need, purchase the proper transition piece. There are many different types of transition pieces that are available for wood flooring. You should be able to get a matching piece for the type of wood that you bought. Check with the store where you purchased your hardwood first. They may have the proper transition piece in stock, or they can usually order for you if not.
If they do not have access to the transition piece that you need, check other flooring stores as many of them have an abundance of transition pieces laying around. The transition piece that you need is called an end mold and is often referred to as a carpet reducer. This type of transition looks like an "L" shape. Make sure that you leave the store with the right transition piece for the job.
Cut the Transition
Measure again just to be exact and get the dimension that you need. Mark the dimension on your transition piece and then cut it with the saw. Make sure to make a clean cut so that there is not a jagged edge on the end of the transition, and so that it will fit in the doorway properly.
Install the Transition
If you're on a wood subfloor, you may be able to nail the transition piece in place. You can also use liquid nails to glue it down to the subfloor. Cover the edge of the wood with one end and glue the other end to the ground. Then stretch the carpet up to the side of the transition piece with the knee kicker and tuck the edges into the tac strip with the stair tool.
Source: www.DoItYourself.com
