Used to fight with LVP transitions for years until a job in Austin changed my mind

For the longest time I would spend 45 minutes just trying to get a transition strip to sit flat between LVP and tile. I'd cut it, recut it, sand the edges, and it still looked like garbage half the time. Then last spring I did a kitchen in Austin where the homeowner was watching me struggle and goes 'why don't you just use a T-mold with a track instead of that gluedown crap?' I felt like an idiot because I'd been using the same method for 6 years. Now I switched to track-in T-molds for any transition over 3/8 inch gap and it takes me maybe 10 minutes total. Has anyone else had a moment where a customer pointed out something simple that totally changed your workflow?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthewmartin5d ago

Oh man, that dishwasher bit hits close to home. I had a similar thing with a homeowner watching me re-caulk a shower for the third time because it kept cracking and she said 'have you tried using a spray bottle with soapy water to tool it smooth?' I had been using my finger and getting frustrated for years. It was honestly embarrassing how much time I had wasted before that. These little tricks from people who don't do this stuff every day really do make you stop and think about why we do things the way we do.

the_lee5d ago

Wait, THIRD time re-caulking the same shower? That's INSANE.

rubyshah5d ago

There is something to be said for fresh eyes seeing what we've been staring at too long. My wife once pointed out I was loading the dishwasher wrong for fifteen years because I had it in my head that the silverware basket had to go in a certain spot. Simple little thing, but it saved me time every single night after that. These moments remind me how easy it is to get locked into a routine without ever questioning it. Sometimes the best advice comes from someone who has never done the job before.