aZamaryk t1_j1zbh58 wrote
There should be no transition between rooms when doing same floating floor throughout. Since you have a transition the best you can do now is to clean up all the caulk and fasten the transition directly to your subfloor. I would recommend finishing nails in center, so that nails don't hit the actual floor planks. You want that transition to be fastened without nailing the floor. There is no need to caulk any floating floor, so i would clean off as much if the caulk as i can. The second picture you should just trim out using a baseboard or even a 1x4 primed finish board then you can install quarter round or shoe moulding against the floor. Again, only nail trim to walls not the floor to keep the floating aspect. If you nail down floor with trim you might see some buckling/separation of planks as they expand/contract.
NotWorthTheTimeX t1_j1zuhm0 wrote
Have you read the installation instructions? They require room transitions depending on the room size to allow the floor to float properly.
My friend had a cheap contractor install a floating laminate floor in his entry way and large kitchen. No transition was used where it should have been and every summer the floor can’t expand far enough and pops up. It shrinks back down in the winter but more people should read instructions.
aZamaryk t1_j206u01 wrote
Yes, I have actually. Transitions are just covers for the required gap at ends. You will need one if you change direction of installation from room to room, run up against another type of floor, or just doing single room. The most issues stem from incorrect installation due to lacking expansion gaps, poor assembly by not locking planks correctly or nailing/caulking down sections of the floating floor. If you install the underlayment correctly and follow all guidelines for end gaps, including at doorways, dont nail or caulk any portions of floor down, you can run a whole house without a single transition without any issues. Also, different manufactures have different recommendation and I would not use a product that said you had to use transitions between all rooms, and have yet to see one that specifically requires this.
Your friends floor is likely an issue with no end gap allowances for expansion. Some contractors will install floor without pulling up baseboards to cut their costs and try to cover end gaps with shoe molding. Most floors require at least 3/8 expansion gap against any hard surface.
zhouyu24 OP t1_j21awa8 wrote
So there is baseboard there it just doesn't go down enough. So somehow get a little bit of baseboard to fill the gap after cleaning the caulk out?
Also the floor has an elevation change so I guess that's why there's a transition.
aZamaryk t1_j21ceyd wrote
Quarter round or shoe molding where floor meets baseboard to cover up remaining gaps then.
zhouyu24 OP t1_j21dh2q wrote
Okay I also don’t really have a subfloor to attach the transition too as seen in these photos .
aZamaryk t1_j21egmf wrote
Regardless of the subfloor, the transition usually comes with a metal clip rail. You can anchor that into the floor then the piece just snaps in. Looks like a tiny u channel and has little ribs to hold the paper transition.
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