changing out carpet for wood -- transitions?

[EricU]

I'm not going to do this anytime soon, because I mentioned to the LOML that I was going to put wood down in my study and she started to cry, so the project is on the back burner
 But it has bothered me that I don't know how this would work.  I did a search, and I guess I didn't use the correct terms because I didn't figure it out.

We put carpet in a few years back, and didn't change the carpet in my study.  The old carpet is nasty, and I have since decided I don't like carpet anyway.  But the old and new carpet are stretched together and glued with one of the glue strips they use.  If I put wood or laminate in the study, how do I transition between the two?  Is it possible to retrofit a nail strip?

[JGrout]

I have a 1/2" engineered wood floor that butts directly to the carpet not a foot from where I am sitting the carpet is turned over a carpet strip there. the joint is 15' long 


So no transition required here.

At the entry way we have a radius that is made the same way 

the thickness of the carpet and the new wood floor have some bearing on how this works but minor elevations are moot 

the other alternative is the wood floor has a grooved strip that a wood transition fits into  

[EricU]

Ok, so a nail strip is probably my best bet.

[K. L. McReynolds]

If the new wood floor is basically the same height as the carpet(would probably need to be manufactured flooring as solid wood would be too thick), there is a simple transition method.

It would be possible(and not too difficult) to cut the carpet at the doorway, leaving it about an inch long. Then fold the carpet under, making an edge that the wood flooring can butt against, negating the need for a transition strip.

I sometimes make my own transition strips when the height difference is more than a half inch.

[Cooler]

I made custom red oak thresholds to transition from the tiled kitchen to the original oak floors.  When I moved in there was carpet and the transition was a gold colored aluminum extrusion that looked very cheap.

I started with 6" (nominal) by 3/4" stock.  I first cut the bevels for the top of the threshold and then I made a slice on the bottom to deal with the different heights (I took off about 3/8" on one side). 

Commercial wood thresholds always have a few grooves running lengthwise on the bottom.  I have no idea what they are for but I put them in mine too.  

Then it was just 3 or 4 finish nails and I was done.  (I applied the finish before nailing down.)

[Mr_Mike]

Transition to 3/8 tile (1/2" total thickness) with nothing more than a tack strip, knee kicker from Harbor freight and a sharp knife.  The carpet was cut about 1/4-1/2" long and tucked under after stretching.  Probably more like 3/8", its been a while.  

Perhaps add some padding or taper your hardwood flooring if it is thick.

[EricU]

that looks nice.  How far back do you put the tack strip in that case? I didn't know HF had a kicker, I'll have to get one