What is a header board? A header board refers to a piece of hardwood flooring laid perpendicular to make a transition and is typically found in a doorway. In this particular case a bathroom remodel had left a gap between the new tile and existing 80-year-old hardwoods.

The existing ends of the boards were left “wild” meaning they were at different lengths. There are basically two options for dealing with this: installing a threshold or a header board. A threshold is factory-milled wood that sits on top of the two types of flooring while a header board is cut and installed into the wood floor and sanded flush.

The easiest way to complete this transition is to purchase a threshold as they can be installed quickly. Installing a header board is a bit more technical and requires some skill. First a precise line is cut in the existing flooring. The old ends of the floor are removed revealing a perfectly straight line to work off. In this case the new tile was ¼” lower in height than the ¾” hardwood. From there a custom header board was milled. A ¼” rabbet (a recess or groove) was milled and a 45-degree miter finished this piece beautifully. The board was put into place under the existing door jambs and slightly overlapping the tile for a custom clean look.

Both options can make a great transition between rooms depending on preference and style.

Threshold (left) and Header board (right)