Two basement floor questions

[William Morris]

Completing a basement laundry area with a concrete floor. Where the washer and drier go I'd like linoleum; the rest of the basement will be carpet, taped in place. I'd like a decent transition between the two, like those brass strips that crimp over the edge of the carpet but with the concrete floor and nothing to nail to I'm not sure how to handle it. I'd be grateful for any suggestions.

Also, in that same basement laundry area is a patch of rough concrete that needs some sort of finish coat on top. I've got a large bag of USGypsum UltraCal or Hydrocal plaster that I bought a long time ago when I was making prosthetics for a local theatre group. Both plasters are low expansion gypsum cements, very strong. Can I use that instead of the floor leveler they sell at the local DIY store?

Thanks!

- Wm

[Colbyt]

Use 1" tapcon screws (or similiar) to attach the carpet binder to the floor. You could try masonary nails but I never seem to have much success with them.

I don't have a clue about the suitability of the plaster you have. My gut says no, but it may be okay.

Colbyt