DIY floor transition........

[charry]

Have an area 20' long and 12' deep that is carpet surrounded by parquet flooring. Wanted to make a transition strip to go between the two materials (a transition exists around most of the area, but an 8' length on the 20' dimension is new parquet, so the carpet is just sitting there exposed right now........and apparently exposed is an invite for my 9 month old son to grab the carpet and pull). I see 2 options:

1. Dont worry about matching the other molding thats there, and just get an 8' transition strip somewhere (if I can find one in stock)

1. Make our own 8' transition strip and again not care if it matches the existing

2. Make 2 monster pieces of transition strip, 20' and 12' long. Cleanest option because it will match, but how to do ?

Ive seen the strips one can buy at HD/Lowes, but the longest length they have is 6 or 7'. I wanted to do option #3 without seams, but Im wondering what the best way would be. Table saw? Can I use a router table for it? I dont have my own table saw but I do have access to one. Ive been dying to buy/build a router table, so it would be cool if I could use that but Im not sure (considering the possible length of material). I figure an 8' strip should be safe on either, but 20' or even 12' are cutting it close.

Thanks in advance!

-Chris

[Mike]

If you're talking about routing a profile along a 20' board, sure you can do it on a router table. You'll need a few stock supports on each side, and at least a helper or two for each side also. I'd setup feather boards to ensure that the stock stays aligned as it goes thru the cutter.

But, before getting into all of that, can you get material in 20' lengths? Also, is it possible to get a 20' long board into the room? I'd think that going with a few shorter sections would be _so_ much easier, and if you're carefull in matching the grain at the joints there shouldn't be much of a noticable joint line.

Another idea would be to use shorter sections with a decorative piece of a contrasting wood at the joints. You could put a decorative piece at each corner and one at the middle of each length - or some variation that would suit your needs.

Good luck,

Mike

[charry]

Thanks for the reply.

We actually can get a 20' piece into the room (its a "great room", which the front door of the house opens directly into, so it would just kinda slide right in). The hard part is actually going to be finding

20' where I can run this thru a router table (wifey not gonna be thrilled if I fire up teh router table in the middle of the "great room" :) ).

As far as finding a 20' piece, I havent exactly looked around just yet, trying to get my bearings on what can and cannot be done. Lotta lumber stores nearby, I wouldnt think it would be very hard to find a 20' strip of oak, HD has up to 16'-ers, I figured the lumber stores might do a little better. I could be wrong on that, so.....

Your idea of contrasting pieces is a good one, however Im not experienced in joining the pieces together. I imagine I would make sections of the 20' transition, and at the end of each section make some sort of tongue that the smaller "transition" piece could sit on top of? That might work, I suppose I could make the transition piece out of the same material and like you said, just match up the grain. Almost like a "connector" for each smaller section of transition strip.

Amazing the ideas on the internet! I never thought of that myself, but now it actually seems like a great idea, if I cant get the 20' piece.

Amazon having a funky tool sale, the Benchdog Pro Top and Pro Fence are coming out to 90.00 each for me. I just might order them and then just build/buy a cheap cabinet separately (the full BenchDog setup comes out to 281 shipped, didnt think their cabinet was worth the extra 100.00).

-Chris

Mike wrote:

[bigegg]

If you do, you'll pay a premium price for a 20' length Think 20%-30% over the cost of a 10ft piece.

[Prometheus]

I'd make it in 8 or 10 foot sections, then miter the joints where they fit together and sink a nail or screw right through the overlap to tie them together- just like any other kind of trim, really.

Just for the sake of clarity, you need to set the transition strip on it's edge to cut the miters- not on it's bottom. Wouldn't do you much good to miter it if the ends still just butt together, angled or no.