How to eliminate transitions for disability/mobility reasons

Submitted by HobokenChickn t3_127nkpb in DIY

TL;DR: help a disabled person figure out how to eliminate trip hazards in a house that has rooms with varying floor height due to prior remodels

Hi- I am a 40-something with multiple sclerosis and early atypical Parkinsons. Cause of that I tend to trip/fall a lot. Also, there’s a decent chance I’ll be in a wheelchair or a walker at some point cause I already periodically need them now.

So as part of a whole-homecosmetic remodel we are trying to get continuous floors without transitions throughout the house. but trying to do it for the least amount of $$ cause my disability has ended my career, so handy hubby is DIYing as much as possible.

We have a 1980s rambler (about 2600 sqft) that currently has lots of transitions due to various changes to the floor. There are two problem areas I’d love some help with to make it disability friendly.

First problem: the large 12x12’ entryway (which has a crawl space underneath) weirdly has four layers to it (1) some 1980s particle board like subfloor attached to joist by nails, 2) a thin layer of the type of concrete aggregate usually reserved for outdoor patios, (3) white thinset to hold down (4) really ugly red and black tiles. This entryway adjoins problem area number two which is

(2) A very long (40’x4’) hallway that had a 1) the same particle board like subfloor attached to joists (2) a 3/4 inch second layer of the same particle board glued to the first using the classical winding S- shaped pattern often used in construction, (3) white thinset to hold down (4) some more really ugly red tiles. This hallway leads to a bunch of carpet or vinyl rooms cause it’s a single story.

Presumably during a remodel the prior owners added the tiles to the entryway and the hallway cause they tired of the outdoor looking entry surface. They just used double/triple tack strips in the adjoining carpeted rooms and pretty meaty 3/4 wooden transitions to the vinyl rooms.

Heading into our own remodel, we have pulled all the carpets and are in the process of removing the tile. As a result, the hallway has 3/4 inch drops into each adjoining room. Want to find a way to eliminate transitions or at least make them very wheelchair friendly and then install a floor with rigid LVT plank.

Husband and I are debating our options including

(1) trying to saw out/pry up the subfloor in entry/hall and replace with single layer OSB pr plywood. While the particle board while not rotted seems to resist the attempt to pry it up since it’s more of a particle board. We are worried it will crumble not lift . Plus the entryway aggregate will be a Pita to cut

(2) building up all the other floors in other rooms with a second layer of wood. Obviously higher material costs and knock on issues like having to fiddle with all the moulding.

(3) trying to cut out a layer of the sub flooring using a depth-limited saw and a sander.

(4) add gentle slope transitions and switch to glue down sheet vinyl tiles. My husband would hate the aesthetic

ETA: I’ve researched and most flooring options with plank or tile aesthetics (click or glue LVT or ceramic tile) specify a very tight flatness/slope tolerance. Also, for your consideration have a fairly tall (5’?) good dry and insulated crawlspace to access the floor from the underside. Our doors are hollow core but thankfully swing inwards from the higher hallway into the lower rooms so that they won’t need to be trimmed.

What would you do?

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sielingfan t1_jegx6p7 wrote

So the cheapest thing (and what I've done in my house) is to purchase rubber threshold ramps from Amazon (or spinlife, or possibly request some through PCP/PT/OT if that's a thing for you). Make only the minimal adjustments to flooring that you would've done anyway, and then set these mini ramps at each transition and trim them to the desired height and width. Mine showed up with about a 2" height, which I cut down to about 3/4" to match my door threshold. Put some grip tape on the bottom, call it a day. I also put in (well, had a contractor put in) a foam-based ramp in the garage, which has held up phenomenally well and looks nicer than the metal ramp outside (not as nice as the concrete in the back yard, but much cheaper).

But anyway, yeah -- threshold ramps make it so you really don't have to worry about perfect level. Although, I say that for wheelchair purposes, and your tripping concerns are maybe a different animal. If you go that route, buy one taller than you need and then cut it lengthwise at the proper height for your floor.

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MajorElevator4407 t1_jeh15al wrote

I would try and remove second layer of subfloor using the skill saw at the required depth once you have made it into small strips. It will come up easy.

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BleedingRaindrops t1_jeewsq3 wrote

If the drops are only 3/4" this should be no problem. If you use 36" for the slope transition you shouldn't notice it much if at all (1/48 slope). You can make it even more subtle by splitting the difference at the transition point, but that might create an uneven hallway.

You can round out the ramp to allow for covering it with vinyl but unless it has a visible outline you'll find it more comfortable if it's more square. Plus it's easier to cut that way. You'll want to have a compound side cut at a 45 angle from the end of the ramp to the adjacent wall. This should give you the simplest and most comfortable transition, and with a bit of extra work you can lay the vinyl right over it.

Obviously the ideal solution is to rip up the hallway floor but without being on site it's hard to brainstorm elegant solutions.

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HobokenChickn OP t1_jeexib1 wrote

Thanks. The challenge (which i will add to the post to clarify) is that all the vinyl and file flooring options require that the floors be level to a pretty tight tolerance so that the click mechanism works (and to avoid adding other trip hazards). I agree that slope transition is not noticeable to the human but I am not sure I can get a flooring contractor to install anything but sheet vinyl or carpet. Husband had heart set on something with the aesthetic of planks or tiles. Any follow up thoughts on this?

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BleedingRaindrops t1_jef3kpu wrote

Carpet shouldn't be a problem with that setup. It stretches over imperfections well.

Another option is vinyl planks. They might charge more for the extra effort, but a smart contractor should know how to handle putting planks over the ramp. I've done a similar job when I was 19. I cut the plants flat to the edge of the ramp, then cut a slight angle for the ones over the ramp. Just had to cut the moulding a bit higher but it fit fine. If your husband is a confident DIYer he might be able to figure it out himself. Shouldn't need much more than a slight angle saw for the cuts.

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