What is it?
A metal trim strip used to contain the edge of a floor finish: holding it in place, protecting its edge, and providing a clean line where the finish stops or meets a different material.
- 1Floor Finish (timber)
- 2Trim
- 3Mat
What does it do?
It holds the edge of a floor finish (paving, screed, a resin or tiled finish) square and supported so it doesn't crumble, chip, or spread at its unsupported edge, and gives a straight, defined line to work the finish up to. Where two finishes meet at different levels or materials, the trim also manages that transition.
Where is it used?
Anywhere a floor finish needs a defined, protected edge, including where external paving meets the building at a threshold.
When used internally, they are often placed beneath the door leaf. This is because floor finishes often change at the line of the door, and the leaf can hide them when in its closed position.
How to specify
Trim profile and material (typically galvanised or stainless steel, or aluminium) are chosen to suit the depth of the finish it's containing and the exposure conditions. External trims need a corrosion-resistant material. It's fixed either into the sub-base below or mechanically to an adjoining structure, depending on the manufacturer's system.
Other considerations
Trim at an external threshold needs to be detailed so it doesn't itself create a path for water into the building. It's a metal element sitting right at the junction between hard landscaping and the wall.
Interacting elements
- Cill: the trim's line often meets the cill at the threshold