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enter image description hereI made a perfect looking transition to go from wood floating floor to tile for a bathroom. Problem is that this is where the old marble transition was. Can I set the transition with mortar? If not what can I use? Right now there is a one inch deep hole.

New Edit - in picture i have tile to the right, then gap, then floated maple. In the gap there used to be a marble transition that had about 1.5 inches of mortar under it. The concrete under this mortar is in very bad shape - probably the reason why the thick bed of mortar. I scraped some mortar over while tiling - i could remove this easily but not sure it helps. It is too deep to just adhere wood L transition to the floor.

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  • just wanted to add that i know i could use a concrete anchor but really would like to not drill through this transition. I guess worse case scenario is I put it in with mortar and it eventually come loose and then i have to drill it in right? Would like to do it right the first time though.
    – DMoore
    Mar 12, 2013 at 2:51
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    You want to install the new transition on top of the old transition? A picture might be useful.
    – Tester101
    Mar 12, 2013 at 12:10
  • Construction Adhesive
    – Tester101
    Mar 12, 2013 at 15:37
  • What is the height differential between the tile and the maple?
    – HerrBag
    Mar 12, 2013 at 17:09
  • less than an 1/8th of an inch.
    – DMoore
    Mar 12, 2013 at 18:26

2 Answers 2

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In view of the new information, I would remove the mortar in the gap. Seal the edge of the wood floor at the sub floor with a waterproof caulk and use a funnel and self leveling (cement based) underlayment to make a flat base. Tape both sides of the gap with some blue tape to make any cement spillage an easy cleanup. When setup (24-48 hr) and well cured, attach the transition to the gap, I prefer the polyurethane adhesives (PL) over LN. (It is stronger, stickier and more flexible, over time).

As noted previously by Tester101 in chat, weight the transition in place overnight.

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  • that may be the way i go... just sucks because people need to use this bathroom tomorrow. I can't really grout until this piece is in and it is the only thing holding this up. So dumb that a little transition holds everything up. I can't really see how I could have installed it first. I needed to know where my tiles would be.
    – DMoore
    Mar 12, 2013 at 19:01
  • Actually, I use tile installed transitions, Schluter makes a ton of them, that go under the tile and separate the tile and wood. There are sloped transitions for level matching and simple L shapes for different materials : schluter.com/137.aspx
    – HerrBag
    Mar 12, 2013 at 19:06
  • Going to the big box to see what they have. I am actually looking for a T bracket that I can put upside down - so I can screw from both sides and then glue the crap out of. Lets says I bought a schluter T transition... how would I set that in place?
    – DMoore
    Mar 12, 2013 at 19:19
  • And I didn't even look at the schluter stuff before because my transition looks great. But I bet they had something that would have helped hold my transition in place... I will never do another floor without starting with the transitions.
    – DMoore
    Mar 12, 2013 at 19:25
  • schluter.com/1_3_reno_t_installation.aspx. Kerdi-fix is a rubberlike sealant/adhesive. You could substitute driveway crack filler, like homedepot.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOM/HomePage/Brand_Pages/Sika/Docs/…
    – HerrBag
    Mar 12, 2013 at 19:31
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I see a brass (or aluminum) L bracket (90 degree angle) across the width of the doorway, fastened on the flat, the thin edge pointing up, about 1/3 to 1/2 the thickness of the transition. Cut a kerf across the bottom of the transition to locate the vertical edge of the L bracket. Use a polyurethane adhesive to make a blind connection.

If you need to fill up the area from the old transition, mortar could be used, or a build up of wood to support the L bracket.

edit typical aluminum angle stock 1/8 x 1" x 96"

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    where do you get a bracket like this? Link would be great.
    – DMoore
    Mar 12, 2013 at 4:00
  • also had an idea and not to sure about it. How about screws or roofing nails screwed in to the bottom of the head of the transition and anchor that in the mortar?
    – DMoore
    Mar 12, 2013 at 4:22
  • Screw (brass or stainless would work. The drift pin technique (where you embed round pin(s) just after setting mortar) would allow adjustments because you'd be anchoring threshold after mortar has set.
    – HerrBag
    Mar 12, 2013 at 13:44
  • wow I thought you were talking about a flooring specific bracket. I have less than a half inch under the transition piece to attach to. I think this would work but I don't think I trust myself lining this bracket up right and securing it to the ground at the exact right height. Not saying it is a bad solution but seems to bring in extra variable to me.
    – DMoore
    Mar 12, 2013 at 16:16
  • The height is easily managed, as aluminum is easy to cut. By screwing it down, its easily removed for adjustments. The slot in the transition piece actually shouldn't be exactly the correct depth, the wood will 'move' with humidity through the year. Better to leave a small gap on top. A 1/8 thick bracket will match the cut from a typical table saw blade.
    – HerrBag
    Mar 12, 2013 at 16:24

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