Hello, gentlemen, I haven't been around for a while so I hope all is well. I am installing a travertine marble floor in my foyer and it will meet up with my freshly installed hardwood floor. I usually use a metal edge in this situation, but I have to admit I like the look of the marble directly next to the wood. Is this advisable? I have seen sanded caulikng; would it be used in this situation? I really don't want to do this more than once and I appreciate any advice.
Respectfully, One Eye

Hi One eye Joe,

A 1/4" gap filled with caulk will work if you hate the "L" channel molding made for this purpose.

I'm kinda concerned about the subfloor and framing where the travertine will go. I doesn't sound like it's what you need for natural stone.

Please tell us; The type and size of the joists, species and grade would be extra helpful, spacing of the joists and the unsupported span of the joists to the inch. Also what's above the joists.

Jaz

Detroit & Windsor, where Canada is south of the USA.

The area where the travertine is being laid is a small one-6x12-and it is being laid over 1/4" Hardi Board that has been thinsetted and screwed down. It is on top of 1 1/8" plywood- that has been glued and screwed down. The plywood is in two layers:5/8" with 1/2 " on top. The floor joists are 2x8 with 16" centres. The travertine is 3/8" thick, but if I need to reinforce the floor joists with bracing it will be done. Would I use that sanded caulking for the joint between the marble and the hardwood? Is it a good product? And finally, would you recommend this or should I stick with the L channel. Thanks.

your floor system is strong enough, as long as the unsupported span of your joists does not exceed 10 feet. I normally but the stone tight to the hardwood and leave that joint "dry". The wood could shrink a little over time, but it is not likely to swell up (unless it gets flooded)

I agree your subfloor should be OK, if in good condition. We normally recommend 2x 5/8" or 3/4 + 1/2" however.

You didn't answer all the questions concerning the framing though. We got 2x8 & 16" o.c. how about the span, species and grade. The span info is obvious, but the species and grade are just as important.

Jaz

I'm not going to sweat 1/8" especially when the top 1/4" is Hardee backer. The condition of the sub floor is brand new; it was all replaced as I've pretty well gutted the entire house. The question of span is one I don't fully understand. If you could explain, I could certainly give an accurate reply. Quite honestly, I have no idea what the grade and the species are. The house was built in the early 70s and whatever the Canadian Building Code and regulations required, I'm assuming, was used. Spruce seems to be the standard now, however, I can check with a neighbour; he built his house shortly after mine was built and he may be able to shed some light on this. Thanks.

Your joists can be supported by exterior or interior walls or a beam.If you can see the floor joists from the basement, measure the distance between the bearing supports,IE: walls or beams that the joists are sitting on.

Your house would have been be built to the minimum Ontario Building Code which is to say that your floor system will only be built for a 1/360 deflection rating.
This is not enough for a stone floor, hence the questions from the other experts to determine what you have.

You certainly have plenty of plywood layers but the joists themselves may not be capable of supporting that floor system for stone.

As pistolpete said, if your floor support is not more than 10' you can carry on.

The direction that the floor joists run would mean that there is a span of 12', which is obviously more than 10'. To reinforce this, would bridging - screwing 2x8 pieces in between the joists every 2 feet- be sufficient?

Aren't you able to actually measure the span? If by bridging you mean simply connecting a board to two joists, I doubt that will do much. X bracing helps a little, but that should already be there.

You need to sister another piece of lumber to every joists to make a difference.

Jaz

I am going to take 3 pieces of 2x8 and screw them together, then at the midway point of the 12' span use two jackposts to hold the beam up. It is in a crawlspace so it is acessible, but low. There is already a support beam there, but of course it is at the 12' mark, so I'll just replicate that in the area under the foyer. I'll have a solid 2x8 beam that will be 4.5" wide, at 6'.