Pre-planning for doors and closets makes installation go much easier.
The transition between two different floors when going from a bedroom to a hallway can involved a variety of flooring materials. Laminate to carpet, tile or other laminate are some possibilities. A special saw with an offset handle makes installing the laminate under the door jamb professional looking. The jamb saw allows you to trim close to the floor without bumping your knuckles. A transition strip prevents any stumbling on loose material while providing a nice-looking bridge.
Instructions
1. Lay a yardstick on the floor that is outside the area where the laminate floor is to go. For example, if the bedroom has laminate and the hall has carpet, the yardstick will go on the flooring in the hallway.
2. Mark a horizontal straight line on the floor with a pencil between the left and right side of the outside door jamb, using the yardstick as your straightedge.
3. Place the scrap piece of laminate on the floor in front of one side of the door jamb for use as a height guide, Place the flat portion of the jamb saw on top of the laminate with the teeth pointed toward the wooden jamb. Cut the lower part of the door jamb out with the jamb saw. When you remove the portion of the door jamb, the scrap piece of laminate should be able to slide under the jamb the way a real plank of laminate will. Repeat the process for the other side of the door.
4. Examine how much space the last piece of laminate laid down before you reached the door left you to work with. You will probably have to cut a small piece from the top portion of the next laminate plank to fit it into the area under the jamb. If so, cut a piece of cardboard to resemble a plank and slide it under the jamb to see where it needs to be cut to make a smooth fit with the already installed planks. The top of the cardboard should be even with the previously made pencil mark. Once the cardboard is cut to fit the doorway, use the it as a template to mark and cut the laminate to fit the doorway. Cut the laminate with a jig or hand saw.
5. Slide the plank into the spot for it and install it. Install the rest of the planks going across the doorway space with the top of each one even with the pencil mark. When you get to the other side of the doorway, create another cardboard template for the other door jamb to show you where to cut the next piece of planking. When you are finished, all the top ends of the planks should line up evenly with the . Finish installing the laminate in the room.
6. Install the hallway material directly up to the edge of the laminate planks just outside the doorway.
7. Install the transition strip as its directions instruct. Usually, this involves driving small nails or screws through the strip into the floor every 12 inches or so along its length.
Tags: door jamb, pencil mark, piece laminate, under jamb, with pencil, even with