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Hey,
I'm working on a bathroom remodel, and am currently trying to come up with ideas for a wood to transition between the tile and carpeted areas. I'd probably need a piece that's about 6/4-8/4, 30" long, and ~3" wide, so not huge. This is what we're looking for:
-Light colored end of the scale. Mesquite looks ok, but is a hair darker than we want, just for reference. A good bit lighter is fine too.
-Hard, for durability.
-Closed pored. I just like that look more. So oak, ash, etc. are out.
-No redish undertones.
-Figure could be fun, but not required.
The obvious choice is hard maple, but I wanted to see if people had other ideas, especially toward the harder end of the Janka hardness scale. It seems like all the hardest woods are dark colored. Our cabinets will be maple with a light stain (sadly, not made by me).
Admittedly, I might be overthinking this. I should probably just use hard maple. But, it's also an excuse to potentially buy some fun extra wood because it only comes in 100bf pallets (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!). Just don't tell my wife!
Thanks,
Tyler
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How about rift sawn hickory or maybe pecan? Plenty hard, light in color, and the grain shouldn't offend you if rift sawn.
John
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Honey locust or Osage orange if you can get some. Both very durable but not hard to work. Quebracho might be better but it is very difficult to work.
Frankly I'd look into marble etc or corian. Corian is easy to customize an has a lot of options.
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All I've ever seen in the DC area is either white marble or white oak. Some red oak, but not a lot.
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My house, built in 1953, has all carrara marble thresholds. It cuts pretty easily, sands pretty easily (for stone) and will last a lifetime without any refinishing. They sell marble thresholds in Lowes. They will cut it to length for you too. Just $30.00 and requires no finishing ever. http://www.homedepot.com/p/MS-Internatio...30SHL/202564223
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Is there hardwood trim either in the room, or outside it? I always thought you were supposed to match what was there? But from your Xoutlist Maple is a choice.
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jteneyck said:
How about rift sawn hickory or maybe pecan? Plenty hard, light in color, and the grain shouldn't offend you if rift sawn.
John
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Steve N said:
Is there hardwood trim either in the room, or outside it? I always thought you were supposed to match what was there? But from your Xoutlist Maple is a choice.
No, all trim in the house is otherwise painted. The only wood that would be potentially worth matching is the new vanities and mirror frame. Otherwise, we just want the colors to match the carpet and tile on either side. closed for business said:
lacewood.
I think lacewood is a really cool looking wood, but it's also like 700 on the Janka scale (hard maple is about 1450). So maybe a little soft. Cooler said:
My house, built in 1953, has all carrara marble thresholds. It cuts pretty easily, sands pretty easily (for stone) and will last a lifetime without any refinishing.
They sell marble thresholds in Lowes. They will cut it to length for you too. Just $30.00 and requires no finishing ever.
Marble is definitely the classic choice and an option, but not one that I'm overly excited about. Plus, given the height differences between the carpet and tile, it'd be nice to be able to custom cut/make a wood one that fit perfectly. I could do some custom cutting of a marble threshold on my tile saw, but any cuts on the top surface would have to be polished back out to match the finish elsewhere. Plus, I don't have the option of router bits with marble (and I don't have bullnosing profilers for my tile saw). JR1 said:
Honey locust or Osage orange if you can get some. Both very durable but not hard to work. Quebracho might be better but it is very difficult to work.
Honey locust could work, and I have some at my parents' that I milled a few years back. I'll have to get my wife's opinion. Quebracho also looks like it has potential, and is certainly hard! jteneyck said:
How about rift sawn hickory or maybe pecan? Plenty hard, light in color, and the grain shouldn't offend you if rift sawn.
That could potentially work, if the grain lines aren't too obvious. Thanks for the suggestions all! We'll see what the wife thinks. Tyler
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Honey locust has strong reddish tones and a very oak looking grain; I made a kitchen floor out of it. Osage orange eventually turns tan and is prone to checking. I've used both extensively and I'd rule them out for your use.
Pecan/hickory are viable options, they are neither as close grained as maple, nor as open grained as oak. They are quite hard, Janka around 1600-1800.
There is little reason for you to seek a wood above 1800 Janka as maple flooring can last a century. Don't create a problem where none exists.
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