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We are going to install luxury vinyl plank flooring in our basement. This product clicks together and floats, much like laminate.

Two questions:

  1. The cement slab/subfloor is fairly level, with one exception: There is a 36"W walkout door, and the floor slopes down about 1/2" over the 6-8" before the door threshold.

Is this 1/2" descent enough to worry about when installing the floor?

If so, any suggestions?

Here's a pic of the flooring extending to the threshold showing the slope:enter image description here

  1. In the pic you can also see a marble threshold. This abuts the actual door threshold (which you can't see in the pic). Wondering if I should remove the marble threshold and put in one more suited to laminate or vinyl, with a lip to hold the flooring down under it. Maybe something like this:

enter image description here

If I use this, can I just bend the vinyl flooring down the slope and secure it under the threshold's lip, or do I need to fill in the cement to make the entry area level before installing the threshold and flooring?

Thanks,

Jim

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3 Answers 3

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Yes, this will be a problem if done as is.

If you don't stabilize that flooring by leveling the floor beneath, you will find the floor will sink under your feet as you step on it in that point, and since there's a fixed threshold, you'll create a tripping hazard in the process.

The product you show - that's a bullnose. It's used on steps. It's not suited for your intended use and it won't work anyway because you're on concrete. They're meant to be nailed in place.

I suggest you get some patch leveling compound. It's a concrete product that's fairly thick. You apply it to the uneven areas of your floor with a nice wide trowel and use a long straight board to basically boost up the sinking area of the floor to create a nice level surface. That will keep the boards from sinking when stepped on and keep the top of the floor close to level with the marble threshold for a nice safe walking surface.

Get pre-mixed leveler. One container should be enough: enter image description here

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  • Thanks for the thoughts. Once I level the floor in that area, how should I "end" the planks? If not the wood piece I showed, is there something similar I can use to "tuck" the ends of the vinyl planking where they meet the threshold?
    – An Ex Parrot
    Commented Jun 5, 2018 at 15:00
  • For placing over concrete or marble it's tricky. The type of flooring you've chosen is a floating floor, but you could put a T piece of transition in and glue it down to keep it from moving.
    – The Evil Greebo
    Commented Jun 5, 2018 at 15:04
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You could probably remove the marble and flex the flooring down. It's going to look odd, though, and will create a valley where debris will collect. If it were my project I'd fill the depression with self-leveling material and flatten the floor.

If the recess in the threshold you mentioned no longer works in that case, use a transition like you showed.

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VERY simple fix for your issue that does not involve self leveler. Lift off the marble threshold, cut a piece of 1/2 inch plywood to place under the transition to fit. I would even cut a small 1/4 inch piece as well to place next to it to give more a smoother transition. Glue the plywood down with construction adhesive. This will also give you the ability to cut the plywood to leave you a grove between the vinyl floor and other floor to use the proper click in transition piece. Such as.. enter image description here

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  • Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. Thanks for the answer; keep 'em coming. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know how best to contribute here.
    – Daniel Griscom
    Commented Dec 12, 2019 at 12:05

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