interior door sills

[Popeye]

Not sure that's even the correct name but anyway...
A big part of my whole house remodel is putting down new floor coverings. Just tiled the back ( laundry room ) hallway, Tiled the sill into the bathroom. Made white oak sills for the other three doorways.
I'm not sure how I should attach them. One goes into a carpeted bedroom, another into the laundry and one into the kitchen.
1. Finish nail them and put colored filler over the counter sunk nail heads?
2. Counter sink and plug screws.
3. Silicone them down.
I'm barely a woodworker, but I can't even spell finish carpenter so any advice here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Pat

[jAngiel]

If it were me, I would use screws. Counter sink and either painted heads to closely match the wood or cover with a plug. They will be kicked around a lot especially since they will be sticking up slightly above the other surfaces. Finish nails won't hold by themselves very well. You could use glue (epoxy, liquid nails and the like) with the nails but if you ever needed to replace them it would be a major PITA to get them out again. Just my .02

[RayintheUK]

Counterbore and plug the screw holes, Pat. For a standard door width, I tend to use three screws, one centrally and the others a couple of inches in from the door frame. Push comes to shove, you can always drill the plugs and unscrew, causes much less damage than pry-barring them up if nailed and/or glued. Just make sure that you can get a decent fixing into the floor for the screws (and - obviously - that they won't puncture anything).

Ray.

[cabinetman]

Pat

The on-slab installations are fairly easy with Liquid Nail or some other construction adhesive. When applied correctly, the wood is darn hard to remove. But it's a last resort for me. For on-slab installations, I have used square drive trim screws. They have the approximate general dimensions of an 8d finishing nail. You would set the moulding in place and drill a small through hole and mark where on the slab to drill (a 1/16" carbide drill bit will work). On the slab drill a larger hole (1/4" or larger). Take some #2 pine or other wood and place on top of the hole an oversized section of the wood on edge (grain is up/down). With a hammer pound wood into hole in the slab so that the entire width of the hole is filled. Smooth off the surface flat. Place moulding over the holes and screw down to the slab seating the head of the trim screw slightly below the surface. You'll have a tiny hole to fill, or tap into hole small chunk of oak (about the size of the 8d head). Once in, it won't go anywhere. If you have to remove, pry it out. I don't really like the adhesive method. I like screws. You could also use Tapcons, and countersink/plug holes with a matching wood plug.

For wood floors, still go with the countersunk screws, and plug. The trim screws work well also because they are small in diameter and easy to hide. Or, regular coarse threaded screws. I find the traditional wood screw (having a tapered shank) threads are too fine and don't get a good grip. In a pinch, I'll use sheet metal screws (flat head phillips).

For tile, you'll have to use a carbide tipped masonry bit, and use an anchor compatible with the size screw being used, and plug and/or fill. Or, you can use the wood anchor trick. In any case if you're going to use wood plugs, take all the thresholds and match up plugs for each one that look like they belong.

I agree with Ray on the three screw installation, unless the wood is warped or there is an uneveness. Then 4 might be a better choice.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[Popeye]

Screws were my first thought and you guys confirmed it. Wish I'd drilled and counter sunk for plugs before I put finish on these but......
Thanks for the rapid come back guys. Gotta quit working so hard on my days off Pat