Since sharing this photo more than a month ago, several readers have asked for more detail about installing the transitions around the cork flooring in our kitchen and around the fireplace surround. I finally tackled the rest of them and wanted to walk through what we learned.
Before I explain the process, keep in mind that we plan to refinish the rooms with the orange hardwood so they’ll better match the darker cork tone eventually. The transitions are a temporary but necessary step to make the floors feel finished now.
Finding a suitable transition piece took some effort because our Lisbon Cork didn’t have matching transitions available. The salesperson at Lumber Liquidators cautioned against cork transitions, noting that they aren’t as durable as hardwood in high-traffic threshold areas. Lumber Liquidators offered oak transitions that could be stained to match (about $45 for a 72″ piece), but I found an engineered option at Home Depot for roughly $27 that already matched closely. The only downside was that the store stocked only 48″ pieces, so I had to special-order 72″ lengths. That delay is why only our shorter doorways received transitions when we finished the floor in March; we finished the rest once the longer pieces arrived.
There aren’t many tutorials specifically about installing transitions on cork floors, so I’ll describe our approach. While it may not be the only correct method, it’s what worked for us and should be helpful to others facing the same challenge. I didn’t photograph the kitchen transition when we installed it originally, so I’ll describe the doorway we completed last week as an example.
Because our floating cork was installed over an existing floor (we were working around an asbestos liner under the original vinyl tile), our transitions needed to accommodate a slight drop—about 1/4″ to 1/2″—where the cork meets adjacent hardwood that sits a bit lower. In cases where floors end up at different heights, you use a transition called a “reducer.” A reducer slopes gradually from the higher floor down to the lower one so you avoid a sharp bump that could be a tripping hazard. The key to a seamless look is a gentle slope rather than an overly curved profile.
Once I removed the protective plastic from the transition pieces, I marked where they needed to be cut and made the cuts with a miter saw for accurate, clean edges. For longer runs and doorways, proper measuring and cutting to fit the opening was essential to avoid gaps and to keep corners neat.
Some guides recommend using adhesive to secure transitions. In our previous house, and throughout this one, we’ve used nails, so I followed that method again. Because we don’t yet own a nail gun, I pre-set the nails by starting them with a hammer and a piece of scrap wood underneath to avoid splitting. Pre-drilling a small pilot hole is another good option if you’re concerned about splitting the trim.
For the doorway with the most pronounced drop, I positioned the small lip of the reducer to rest on the top of the cork which helped hold it steady while I finished setting the nails. After fully seating the piece and driving the nails flush, I used a cheap nail punch to avoid leaving hammer dents.
The result was much better than the protruding edge that had been a toe-stubbing hazard for months. The transition now sits flush and looks intentional rather than unfinished. The hallway transition followed the same procedure and went in quickly once I had the technique down.
The fireplace surround was a slightly different and more interesting challenge because it required mitered corners. I measured each side, cut 45-degree angles on my miter saw, and fit the pieces together much like baseboard trim. The fireplace floor currently sits lower than the cork, so we used the same reducer profile there as well. This is a temporary solution: we plan to retile the fireplace area someday, which will raise the surface and allow us to remove these interim transitions for a fully flush finish.
For now, the transition trim has done exactly what we needed: it cleaned up raw edges and made the entire floor feel complete. It’s a small step that adds a polished, finished look to a space that has been visually interrupted by exposed thresholds. Seeing those finished seams really elevates the room.
Below is a view from the hallway showing the new doorway transition with the fireplace just beyond. You might notice the large faux clam shell in the fireplace—that was an item from our Joss & Main collection that we kept for ourselves. It’s oddly popular with friends and family who’ve seen it; apparently the idea of a decorative clam shell in a fireplace resonates with a few people.
And finally, here’s a shot of all three newly transitioned areas together. Ta-dah: trim work completed and our cork floor now reads as finished. We’re still using a placeholder rug in the kitchen for now, but the transitions make the room feel much more complete even before we replace it.
If you’re tackling transitions around cork, hardwood, or any varying floor heights, consider using reducers for gradual slopes, pre-fitting and mitering corners for a neat appearance, and nailing or adhesive based on your preference and the product’s requirements. It surprised me that there weren’t many cork-specific transition posts online, so I hope this rundown helps anyone else facing the same task.