How to Install Flooring Transitions and Edge Pieces
Transitions are the finishing touch that makes your flooring installation look professional instead of DIY. They protect edges, cover expansion gaps, bridge height differences, and create smooth transitions between rooms. Get them right and nobody notices them. Get them wrong and they're all anyone sees.
Quick Summary
Time needed
2-3 hours
Cost
$50-200
Difficulty
Easy-Moderate
Types of Transition Strips
Different situations require different transition types. Using the wrong type creates gaps, trip hazards, or an unprofessional look.
T-Molding
Most CommonT-shaped profile used when two floors are the same height. The base sits in the gap between floors, and the top covers the expansion space.
Use When:
- • Transitioning between two floating floors at the same height
- • Moving from one room to another with same flooring type
- • Covering expansion gaps in doorways
- • Connecting kitchen LVP to living room LVP
Cost: $15-40 per piece (typically 72-94 inches long)
Reducer (Multi-Purpose Reducer)
Sloped profile that creates a smooth ramp between floors at different heights. One side is higher, the other lower.
Use When:
- • Moving from thick tile to thinner LVP or laminate
- • Transitioning from hardwood to carpet (where carpet is lower)
- • Any height difference between flooring materials
- • Height difference is 1/4 to 1/2 inch
Cost: $20-45 per piece
Threshold (Door Bar)
Flat or slightly rounded strip that sits under a closed door, bridging between rooms and preventing drafts.
Use When:
- • Exterior doorways (front/back doors)
- • Transitioning to tile in bathrooms
- • Where door closes flush to floor
- • Need to seal against air/water at entry doors
Cost: $10-35 per piece (metal thresholds for exterior doors are pricier)
End Cap (Baby Threshold)
Small rounded piece that finishes off the edge of flooring where it ends at a vertical surface like a sliding glass door or step.
Use When:
- • Flooring ends at sliding glass door
- • Transitioning to carpet at same height
- • Flooring terminates at step or sunken room
- • Need to cap off exposed edge
Cost: $15-30 per piece
Stair Nose (Overlap/Flush)
Rounded nosing that finishes the edge of a stair tread, available in overlap (covers stair edge) or flush (sits flush with riser).
Use When:
- • Kitchen has step down to sunken room
- • Stairs transition from kitchen to basement/garage
- • Landing needs finished edge
Cost: $25-60 per piece
Step-by-Step Installation Guide
1. Map Out Your Transition Locations
Walk through your kitchen and identify every location where you'll need a transition piece.
Common Kitchen Transition Points:
- •Doorway to dining room or hallway
- •Entry to adjacent living room (open concept)
- •Back door or mudroom entrance
- •Where kitchen tile meets carpeted area
- •Sliding glass door to patio
- •Steps or level changes
2. Select the Correct Transition Type
For each location, determine which transition type you need based on the situation.
Pro Tip: Buy transitions that match your flooring manufacturer and finish. Most major brands offer coordinating transitions. If exact matches aren't available, choose a neutral color that works with both floors.
Decision Guide:
Same flooring, same height in doorway? T-molding
Different height floors? Reducer
Exterior door? Metal threshold
Floor ends at vertical surface? End cap
Stair edge? Stair nose
3. Measure and Cut Precisely
Transitions must fit exactly between door jambs or walls. Measure carefully and cut accurately.
Measuring Technique:
- 1.Measure the opening between door jambs or walls at the point where the transition will sit
- 2.Measure at three points: front, middle, back (walls aren't always perfectly parallel)
- 3.Use the longest measurement and subtract 1/16 inch for breathing room
- 4.Cut with a fine-tooth saw (miter saw for wood/laminate, hacksaw for metal)
- 5.For wood transitions, cut face-down to prevent splintering
- 6.Test fit before securing—should slip in snugly
4. Install Mounting Track (If Required)
Many T-moldings and reducers use a two-part system: a track that mounts in the gap, and the visible transition piece that snaps into the track.
Track Installation Steps:
- 1.Center the track in the gap between flooring sections
- 2.Mark screw hole locations on the subfloor
- 3.Pre-drill pilot holes (prevents subfloor splitting)
- 4.Secure track with included screws (don't overtighten)
- 5.Ensure track is level along its length
Important: The track should sit flush with the subfloor, not raised. If it's raised, the transition will rock or sit too high.
5. Attach the Transition Strip
Installation method depends on the transition type and mounting system.
Track-Based System:
- • Align the bottom of the transition with the track channel
- • Press down firmly until you hear/feel it snap in place
- • Work from one end to the other if it's long
- • Tap gently with a rubber mallet if needed (use a block to protect finish)
Surface Mount (Screws):
- • Position transition precisely centered over the gap
- • Pre-drill pilot holes through transition into subfloor
- • Drive screws until snug (countersink if transition allows)
- • Cover screw heads with color-matched caps if provided
Adhesive Mount:
- • Clean subfloor in the gap area thoroughly
- • Apply construction adhesive to bottom of transition (not too much)
- • Press into place and weight down for 24 hours
- • Wipe away any squeezed-out adhesive immediately
6. Test and Make Final Adjustments
Before calling it done, test each transition to ensure it's secure and functional.
Final Inspection Checklist:
- Walk over each transition—should feel solid, not rock or flex
- Check that transition sits flush with flooring on both sides
- Verify doors can open and close without hitting transition
- Ensure no gaps visible between transition and floor
- Clean off any fingerprints, adhesive, or installation marks
- Test any snap-in transitions—should be fully seated
Special Transition Situations
Wide Doorways or Openings
For openings wider than 8 feet, you may need to join two transition pieces. Cut both at 45-degree angles to create a scarf joint in the center. This is less noticeable than a blunt seam. Ensure both pieces are secure before the joint.
Transitions to Carpet
Use an end cap or baby threshold where hard flooring meets carpet. The carpet installer will tuck the carpet edge under the transition. If carpet is lower than your floor, you may need a reducer instead of an end cap.
Curved or Angled Transitions
For non-straight transitions, use flexible vinyl or rubber transition strips designed to bend. These are ideal for curved islands or angled openings. Heat some types slightly with a heat gun to make them more pliable during installation.
Very Large Height Differences
If the height difference exceeds 1/2 inch, a standard reducer may create too steep of a slope (trip hazard). Consider using a wider reducer or installing a step/ramp instead. Code may require specific solutions for height changes over 1/4 inch in accessible spaces.
Common Transition Installation Mistakes
Using the Wrong Transition Type
Using a T-molding where you need a reducer (or vice versa) creates gaps or trip hazards. Always match the transition type to your specific situation.
Not Centering the Gap
The expansion gap should be centered under the transition, not pushed to one side. Off-center gaps cause transitions to sit crooked or one floor edge to be visible.
Cutting Transitions Too Short
Transitions that don't reach wall-to-wall leave unsightly gaps at the door jambs. Measure carefully and cut to fit snugly. Better to cut twice than end up too short.
Installing Before Flooring Settles
For floating floors, wait 24 hours after installation before adding transitions. This allows the floor to settle and ensures proper fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between T-molding and a reducer strip?
T-molding is used when two floors are the same height—like transitioning from kitchen LVP to living room LVP. It has a T-shaped profile that covers the expansion gap. A reducer (or transition reducer) is used when floors are at different heights, like transitioning from thick tile to thinner vinyl. It has a sloped profile that creates a smooth ramp between the two levels.
Do I need transition strips in doorways?
Yes, you typically need a transition strip at doorways for several reasons: it covers the expansion gap between flooring sections, it protects the flooring edges from damage, it creates a clean finished look, and it bridges height differences if you have different flooring in each room. The exception is when the same flooring runs continuously through the doorway without a gap.
Should transition strips match the floor or the door trim?
Transition strips should match your flooring, not the door trim. Most flooring manufacturers offer matching transition pieces in the same finish as the flooring. This creates visual continuity and makes the transition less noticeable. If exact matches aren't available, choose a neutral color that coordinates with both floors it's connecting.
Can you install transitions without a track?
Yes, several options exist: surface-mount transitions that screw directly into the subfloor, adhesive-backed transitions that glue down, or flexible transitions that fit into the expansion gap. Track-based systems are most common for floating floors because they allow the floor to expand/contract while keeping the transition secure. For glued-down floors or tile, you can typically use surface-mount or adhesive transitions.
How wide should the gap be under a transition strip?
The gap between flooring sections under a transition strip should be 1/4 to 3/8 inch wide—enough for flooring expansion but not so wide that the transition can't cover it. For floating floors (LVP, laminate, engineered hardwood), you need this expansion gap. Check your transition strip's coverage—most cover gaps up to 1/2 inch. The track or mounting channel sits in this gap.
Flooring Phase Complete!
Your new kitchen floor is finished. Next up: installing the sink, faucet, and other fixtures to make your kitchen functional again.