Carpentry pros .. How to cut down wooden floor threshold to size?

norm · 19 May 2018 at 19:17

Bought some solid oak flooring threshold in a ramp profile from the manufacturer (they only do one size) it's identical to what's shown below, the tile floor I'm joining it with is higher than in the picture, so I'm going to have to cut that edge down approximately 5mm to make it sit level on the wooden floor side. Is there a correct way to do this to get a neat edge, am I going to have to find a firm with a table saw to do it? I was debating using my bosch oscillating multitool and some sort of 5mm high template to cut across it?

PlacidCasual · 19 May 2018 at 19:46

Is it a single door width length you need to do? If so a good hand plane, or if you know someone with disc sander that can be used accurately enough to remove those amounts in a few passes. If you have an excess length for the door width you can secure by screwing into it from curved side outside span of the doors to a piece of wood to act as a jig.

norm · 19 May 2018 at 21:21

Yeah it's roughly a 1.3m section I'm doing. The threshold itself is 2.7m long so room to cut excess. Interested to know more about this jig idea, are you suggesting constructing a frame out of wood with enough of the threshold protruding to cut off?

I've got an electrical planer, but I don't like using it, tried it on a door I was trimming the edge off but it left a horrible finish, wasn't particularly accurate, and not the easiest to use. I got a much neater finished with masking tape and a jigsaw.

Scrutinize · 20 May 2018 at 06:52

As you don't have the shop tools a plane or belt sander.

However, those profiles are designed to sit angled to adjust for variances in levels. You don't trim them.

Just because they sit flat in the photos doesn't mean they do in use.

A different type of profile without the step should be used for narower height gaps.

theone8181 · 20 May 2018 at 07:29

Scrutinize said:
As you don't have the shop tools a plane or belt sander.

However, those profiles are designed to sit angled to adjust for variances in levels. You don't trim them.

Just because they sit flat in the photos doesn't mean they do in use.

A different type of profile without the step should be used for narower height gaps.

From his post it sounds like one of the floors is not the same height even though its in the same room.

ANDARIAL · 20 May 2018 at 08:29

Something to consider is if the difference in height is too great you will not be able to rebate enough for the threshold to sit flat anyway
Sharp blade in electric planer is best,make sure the blade/blades is set correctly to edge of planer
or a rebate plane of some sort.Ordinary plane won`t do

Failing all this a SHARP chisel and a lot of patience+time

norm · 20 May 2018 at 10:26

I did look at getting a semi-ramp profile like the kind below, but the gap between the two floors would be wider pushing the threshold further into the room with the wooden floor which I didn't want, I want them to be as unnoticeable as possible, besides which the manufacturer of the floor didn't so a semi-ramp so again colour matching would have been a problem.

Just to be clear I've marked the area of wood I want to cut off my threshold below this side will sit on the tiled floor in the kitchen. With using an electical planer I'm concerned about getting a wavy finish because depending on how hard you press it can take more or less off?

ANDARIAL · 20 May 2018 at 10:41

Easy!
Planer

Scrutinize · 20 May 2018 at 12:44

theone8181 said:
From his post it sounds like one of the floors is not the same height even though its in the same room.

Which is what I said, they angle to adjust for increased difference in levels.

@norm you want a flat underside profile without the fixed supports (wood).

The issue is, you have left yourself work to do on the gap and height profile. It happens, but you really need to get your floor within tolerances before laying and trimming otherwise, as you discover it's not a straight fit.

Planing that off the profile is easier said than done as they aren't the easiest things to grip securely and work on. A belt sander is a much easier option.

However if you have neither (of good quality to hand) then get a different profile as likely cheaper.

You want one like this https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Reynosa-Dark-Hickory-Threshold-Bar+Reducer-900mm/p/139003