Did your home get new flooring, and you are looking at connecting two adjoining rooms? The best way to do that is by using a transition strip. Transition strips are essential for home renovation and construction. They are used to link two flooring types together, such as a carpet and a hardwood. Metal strips are known to be useful as a smoothing process to edges of all forms of materials, and they provide perfect finishing to them as well. We will discuss how to cut metal floor transition strips in a step-by-step guide below.
There are various types of transition strips. The one we will discuss in this article is the metal transition strip. As the name implies, it is made of metals. To cut a metal transition strips is easy and tricky, but there are steps you have to follow for a smooth process. It is imperative if you want to make the cutting done quickly to get the right tool for the job.
How to cut metal floor transition strips
So what do you need first? You will need to have tools to cut metal carpet transition strips.
Tools Needed
- Pencil or Black Marker
- Tape Measure
- Hacksaw
- Glue, nails, or screw
- Sawhorse
These tools are essential for seamless metal transition strip cutting.
Here are reasons why you need to cut metal transition strips.
- People cut metal transition strips to prevent damage from happening to the flooring.
- For easy installation, it is ideal that you cut a metal transition strip.
- Cutting metal transition strips will help your floor to get that professional clean look.
- Since not all metal transition strips can fit into all doors, you must customize the cut you need from a metal transition strip.
Step 1: Take measurements of your doorway
The first step to cutting your metal transition strips is to take measurements of your doorway. The width and height measurement is necessary. Metaprofy advises taking the measurements from the top and bottom of the door when you measure the width and the left and right sides when you measure the heights. This is necessary to determine the amount and size of the metal transition strips you will cut.
After getting the numbers, kindly ensure you write them down in a jotter.
Step 2: Apply the measurement on your metal transition strips
Now that you have gotten your doorway measurements, you need to apply for the numbers on your metal transition strips. Use your take tape measure to get all sides and mark them with a pencil or a marker. You can use a T-square to rule the lines out appropriately.
Step 3: Set the metal strips for cutting
Get the metal transition strips on a flat surface that could afford you the opportunity to have a clean and straight cut. A flat surface will give allowance to stretch the metal strip to see all four corners you want to cut. Home guides advised using a sawhorse for metal transition strips that are large.
Step 4: Cut the transition strips with a hack saw
With your metal transition strips spread on a flat surface, set your hacksaw at the strategic points you want to cut, hold the other part of the metal strips with your left hand and move the saw back and forth till the desired metal transition strips shape is cut. A sander is needed to smooth the edges out afterward.
Step 5: Set the cut transition strip on the doorway
If you have cut the metal transition strip that fits the measurement you took, you should set it in place and hold it down with a glue adhesive or use a screw or nail as you may think fit. Repeat the initial process from step 2 if the cut metal transition strips do not fit your doorway, but this time, be careful to get the perfect cut.
How to cut angles on metal transition strips
Step 1:
As you will be cutting and looking at cutting two adjoining pieces, ensure that they have the same angle, but each in the reverse direction.
Step 2:
You should have it in mind to cut metal strips that pass over the corner in each flooring. It ensures you have enough to trim when you have to get the perfect angle fit.
Step 3:
When cutting angles on a metal transition strip, it is ideal to cut a bit longer. That is, you should add a few inches to the initial measurement so that when you trim at the angles, you still get a metal strip that fits each side.
Step 4:
If your doorway length is at the angle of 90 degrees, your adjoining piece should be at 45 degrees. If the length is 45 degrees, the adjoining angle will be 22-1/2 degrees, half of a 45.
Step 5:
A tinsnips is a perfect tool to use when you want to cut a carpet gripper transition strip at angles.
Tips
- Always have protective gear, such as hand gloves when you cut metal transition strips for the carpet.
- Use a mallet hammer to knock all the sharp edges on your cut metal transition strips to avoid accidental cuts.
- Try to cut your transition strips for carpet longer than your measurement, so when you trip with tinsnips, you still get the perfect angles at any degree.
- If you use adhesive in lieu of nails or screws, place heavy objects on the metal transition strips till the transition strip has adhered to the flooring.
- Ensure extreme measure is taken so that you do not end up cutting yourself or causing unknown injury to yourself when you come with a metal transition strip.
- Remove all obstacles from the way to get the job done fast.
Frequently Asked Question
How do you cut metal floor thresholds?
You cut a metal floor threshold by measuring the flooring and transitioning the measurements on your metal flooring material. Cut to fit the size with a saw. Where there are sharp edges, you should sand any bur out with a filer.
How do you cut metal carpet grippers?
How you cut a metal carpet gripper is similar to how you cut vinyl transition strips. You must measure your flooring out at all angles. Then you need a black marker to transfer the measurement on paper to the metal carpet grippers. Set up your sawhorse or any flat surface your metal strips can go on. And with a hacksaw or a tinsnips, cut the areas that you have marked out with a marker, and you should have your metal carpet grippers cut into the perfect size you desire.
How do you cut trim thresholds?
Cutting trim thresholds is quite simple but tricky. You have to take measurements and apply same to the threshold material. Then cut it with tinsnips while applying pressure with your left hand to get the perfect clean cut.
Can you cut metal floor transition strips?
Yes, you can cut metal floor transition strips. All you need is to get the tools required to achieve the cut. These are a hacksaw, tinsnips, or other multipurpose cutting tools. Once you have gotten these tools handy, you should grab your tape measure to get the sizes you will need to cut in your metal floor transition strips. After the measurement is in place, you set your metal floor transition strips on a flat surface, then apply the measurement with a pencil and start cutting. These should not take you more than 15 minutes.
Conclusion
This article centered on how to cut metal floor transition strips. However, to cut metal transition strips, you need to have the necessary tools since you will be doing the cutting yourself. Thus, we started by equipping you with all the tools you require to achieve the purpose of cutting your metal transition strip.
What is the purpose of cutting a metal transition strip when you do not know the reasons why it is done? That was the essence of highlighting the four reasons why you need to cut metal transition strips. Then we provided a step-by-step guide on how to cut metal floor transition strips with detailed tips so that you can have a smooth cutting procedure.
As your Home Improvement go-to person, we advise that you take all the necessary precautions and tips stated in the body of this article to have a seamless metal transition strip-cutting process. See you soon!
References
- https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/191400/how-to-cut-the-correct-angle-on-transition-strips
- https://getrit.com/how-to-cut-metal-carpet-transition-strip-p016790
- https://metalprofy.com/blog/how-to-cut-metal-transition-strips/
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/cut-metal-transition-strips-99353.html
- https://www.hunker.com/13401632/how-to-cut-metal-transition-strips
- https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/191400/how-to-cut-the-correct-angle-on-transition-strips
- https://www.houzz.com/discussions/3514994/sharp-edges-on-metal-transition-strips
- https://www.diychatroom.com/threads/cutting-metal-tile-transition-strip-at-45-degrees.157236/
