# transition strip angle help!



## shelly_b (Aug 8, 2012)

Maybe I am way over thinking this and this is a stupid question…but I am having trouble coming up with a solution. My sister in-law asked me to make her some transition strips. The first is 3in wide and the floor has a 1in drop. Obviously the easiest thing to do would be take a 1 1/4in board and rabbit it… but I think that would be too bulky. So my next thought was to just angle a board that is 3/4in thick (but hopefully still keep the wood touching the floor in all places). The other is a 2in wide board for a 3/4in drop in the floor. Math class was way too long ago! Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

I just made one up for my kitchen to dining room transition. I cut a 3/4" rabbet in the back of a 1" piece of stock and then, using a hand plane, created something along the lines of a 60 degree bevel across the face. I think its a little chunky but its going to do.


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## hoss12992 (Mar 20, 2013)

In the past, I have always been a fan of a board the width of the wall, usually it is 4" or 4 1/2" and rabbit the bottom, then use a hand plane on the top to round over the edges to make it as smooth transition. Hope this helps.


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## jstegall (Oct 9, 2008)

The wider you can make the transition board the lower the angle can be and the lower the likelihood of someone tripping. The ADA website might address this or maybe not.


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## shelly_b (Aug 8, 2012)

Thanks guys! It makes since to make them the width of the wall, but she brought me the measurements. I don't have any wood thick enough to keep them flat, but I guess I could glue some on it…I didn't think of the last night lol.


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## shelly_b (Aug 8, 2012)

And that looks good chris, I don't think it looks chunky


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

Shelly, I am not sure if this will be of any help or not, but since you mentioned math class…....


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

You could make it 1" thick provided the flooring to which it will adjoin is a clean straight line.

Assuming so, I would allow at least 1/2" of the transition board to remain flat. I would also leave about a quarter inch of the front of the board intact. I just happen to have some one inch stock. Stair tread drops I pulled out of a dumpster. Have a lookie:










This is what I'd do if the surface to be adjoined was clean and true. The angle is 14.5 degrees.

Here's the rub… I'm guessing that since you had trouble figuring this out, (not an insult, and there's no shame in not knowing something) that you may not be experienced on a table saw. This is not a cut for a beginner to make. Sometimes it's okay to call a friend who has a bit more experience.


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

Wait… I just looked at your profile. You're more experienced than me…. Cut away!


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## shelly_b (Aug 8, 2012)

Art that is a huge help! Thank you! Buckethead, I thought of that, but I haven't seen the floor so I'm not sure if they are straight or not. I also thought about doing it that way and leaving a 1/4in lip on the high side of the floor too incase it's not straight. I am going to try to get pic on here(so I don't sound too stupid lol) of how I was thinking of doing it so I could use the 3/4-7/8in wood I have. For some reason the thought of gluing 2 pieces together didn't occur at the moment. I doubt I get any type of reimbursement out of this, and there are 6 of them so I don't want to use any of my good lumber. I would rather cut between knots of some 3/4 red oak.


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## shelly_b (Aug 8, 2012)




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## shelly_b (Aug 8, 2012)

Obviously I'm not very good at drafting, and my angles are off, but hopefully this makes my original plan a little more clear. I'm really good at trying to make things more complicated than they need to be


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