Opinions on hardwood floor to exterior door transition

I have been thinking about hardwood floor to exterior door/threshold transition but kept changing my mind.

I am now more inclined towards "abutted" transition where there is no expansion gap between the threshold and the hardwood floor. What do you think about this?

Also, should the threshold be always higher than the hardwood floor? What if they level?

I am thinking it would look nice if the threshold is level with the floor and they abut. Any thoughts?

 

You will have to adjust the height of the entrance door, if you want it to seal it to the floor. Otherwise, you will get some drafts & maybe some water.

 

Hi Pulpo,

Yes door will be cut to fit. But is it OK that the threshold and the floor flush with each other?

 

IMO, if you try and make the two come together flush, you will have an expansion joint there that may either get tight and buckle the floor or shrink and make a gap... This is the primary reason why wood floors generally always have space around the perimeter (for expansion and contraction).

It's my opinion that a threshold should generally be higher than the finished flooring and should have an edge that either overlays or is rabbeted out over the floor and that it be secured to the sill of the door and not nailed to the floor, so that the floor can move independently, if needed.

If an exterior door's threshold is not higher than the finished flooring, the inswinging door bottom weatherstripping will surely drag on either the floor, or a rug placed in front of the door.

 

Thanks XSleeper. I will abandon the flush idea and do the usual way.