Installing a threshold

The threshold on wood flooring is the thin piece of wood which sits between each room or area, helping separate them easily and covering the gap which is often left between the door frame and the planks. They are also useful for covering the gap which is left when installing wood flooring next to another material such as carpet, leaving no sharp edges and a professional finish.

Installing Thresholds For Wood Flooring

Every room you walk in that has wood flooring installed is likely to have oak door thresholds installed at each doorway. They are easily unnoticed, but without them your wood flooring will have unsightly gaps each time a new area of flooring meets, which can also be very uncomfortable to walk on. Here is our guide for installing thresholds for wood flooring: 

1. Remove any damaged or old thresholds from the hardwood floor with a small pry bar or flat head screwdriver. Loosen the old threshold carefully to ensure you don’t scratch the wood. Vacuum away dirt and dust from where the old threshold used to be so the area is clean.
2. Measure the width of the doorway, then mark the measurement on your threshold. If you need to bridge from one material to another, such as from wood to vinyl or carpet, buy a threshold with a recessed section on the bottom.
3. Clamp the threshold down and then cut it to the length you have just marked using a circular saw. Then use 60-grit sandpaper to make the edges smooth.
4. Place your threshold in the doorway, keeping the holes on top of your wood flooring. If you are installing the threshold over carpet on one side, tuck the carpet beneath the threshold so it can’t slide about after installation.
5. Test your installation by opening and closing the door. Make any adjustments by filing down one side until you have created a perfect fit.
6. Drill pilot holes that are slightly smaller than the mounting screws into the threshold, and then put the threshold back in its intended spot and use a hammer to nail finishing nails through the holes into the subfloor.

If the subfloor is concrete, you may need to glue the threshold down. To do this apply a strong adhesive to the edge of the wood flooring, and then place the threshold over the gap between the two sections of floor and push down on the piece to glue down. Place heavy weights on the threshold while the glue dries, which is typically two to four hours.