How to remove door threshold without damaging floor on either side

Question

I need to remove the existing threshold between my bathroom and bed room door and replace it with a new threshold that will transition from low carpet bedroom side to the higher tiled bathroom side.

I need to do it without damaging the leveling compound in the bathroom and the carpet in the bedroom.

Pounding it out with a hammer and chisel might damage the leveling compound on the bathroom side. I don't want to buy a grinder but i do have an Oscillating Multi-Tool and a pry bar.

Any ideas?

example drawing below...

Answer 1

If you have a suitable drill and stone drill bits (not sure if your multitool is sufficient I'm afraid), you could drill a few series of holes along the short end of the threshold (so from mortar to carpet, forming crude slits), and then pry with the crowbar towards the sides of the threshold. Some hammer action may be required to get the pry bar below the remaining stone, but as it's sideways, the chances of damaging the adjacent compound and carpet are a lot lower. Try to control your drilling depth so you don't go into the floor.

If you have a spackling knife and hammer, I would first carefully tap between the compound and the stone slab, just in case there's an adhesive in between that might pull the compound up with the slab. Try this very carefully though.

Answer 2

1. You aren't going to hurt the carpet. I can't tell what sort of termination is in place, but it's probably just tucked. Untuck it if you like to get it out of the way for prying on the threshold. Tuck it back in later.

2. A little damage to the leveler isn't an issue. You'd just skim it back level with mortar when you lay the tile. Don't fret over that. If you don't want to disturb the tile, jam a chisel or pry bar in there and get 'er out. Just try not to damage the door jamb-- lift from the center and raise both ends together.

3. If you have the tools to do it, cut the threshold in half near the center. That'll make it even easier to pry it out. You might even crack it with a large hammer to accomplish the same thing.

Answer 3

Ok, Based on the response from MiG and isherwood, I have a figured out a good solution. Since i didn't want to mess with either side of the threshold and i didn't want to try to break it it up with a manual hammer and chisel or crowbar, i purchased a 1" diamond hole saw and a hand held air hammer w/ chisel.

I used the 1" diamond hole saw to cute out 3 holes across the center of the threshold to reveal the sub floor. It helps if you have a vacuum hose near action: 4 mins.

Then put the air hammer chisel into the hole space to lift the two half's of the threshold off the sub floor slightly, then used the air hammer to quickly chisel each half of the threshold in segments: 30 secs.

clean up.

Its amazing how quick and easy it was with the right tools and methods. There was minimal damage to the edge of the leveling compound and no damage to the carpet.

Thanks