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The joining of two floor coverings can spoil the impression of the renovation, cause discomfort and even injury. Professionals know how to flush the levels at the junction, but for those who like to make repairs with their own hands, this phrase can be puzzling at best.
Is it possible to connect the edges of the two most popular coatings at the same level and not hide the joint under an aluminum or plastic door sill? Experts from the Leroy Merlin School of Repair talk about technologies and materials that allow materials to be joined together aesthetically and safely.
“Floats and breathes”
The laminate is laid in a floating way. Due to the very nature of the tree, manufacturers do not recommend continuous laying of a large area. It is possible, but it takes skill and skill. Nevertheless, not a single even the most experienced master will give guarantees. As a general rule, if the room is more than 8 meters long and 6 meters wide, either an expansion joint will be required, or the joint should be removed. This is due to the fact that the tree and its production expand and contract depending on external conditions. For the same reason, a gap is left between the floor and the wall, which is then covered with a plinth. It is more logical to display the joints at the boundaries of the rooms and there you need to make expansion joints, if you nevertheless decide to cover several rooms with one type of laminate.
Long before styling
Even before choosing a docking method, it is important to create the conditions for it to become possible. This is done at the stage of rough finishing, so that the level of the two different coatings is the same, taking into account the laying technologies. To do this, it is necessary to select all types of floor coverings to be joined in advance and provide samples to the specialists who will install them. This will allow you to take into account the nuances: the height of the screed or the laying of additional chipboard boards, underfloor heating, the order of installation, types of laminate substrates, etc. Different floor coverings have different thicknesses, which is why it is so important to purchase everything in advance.
And so they met
The combination of tiles (or porcelain stoneware) and laminate is one of the most common solutions. In many houses, it is in this combination that the transition between the kitchen and the corridor or the hallway and the living rooms is made. In the case of a linear joint between these materials, you can use a cork expansion joint, a narrow strip of cork, which is laid in the seam and glued to the subfloor with the underside.
In the line of flooring manufacturers, you can find a compensator painted in the desired color. In hypermarkets for home goods, they sell a universal expansion joint in sheets or strips of different widths. After laying in the seam, the cork is sanded and painted in the desired color, if it differs from the industrial versions.
Another popular solution for joining tiles and laminates is a metal profile. The range of profile finishes includes copper, brass, aluminum, chrome, abrasion-resistant enamel coating in different colors. This makes it possible to choose a profile to match the color of one of the floor coverings at the junction or create a bright accent that has an independent decorative value. The height of the protruding part of the profile rarely exceeds 2,5 millimeters. There are modifications that do not protrude above the floor level. Different manufacturers of coatings offer their own options for laying the profile, therefore, in hardware stores, you can choose from a modification with an L-shaped, T-shaped or U-shaped lower part.
laminate and multi-faceted tiles
Non-linear joints between different coatings are certainly spectacular, but troublesome. The complex edge of a multi-faceted tile is repeated on the surface of a laminate or parquet board using patterns and a jigsaw. The equal width of the seam throughout the joint is achieved by multiple adjustments. In this case, the tiles are first laid, and already from the joint – the laminate. For complex contours, a cork sealant, also known as a liquid threshold, is ideal. In terms of its properties, it is absolutely similar to the expansion joint, but it is produced in the form of a paste, which is used to fill the seam. Plastic cork compensates for the natural expansion or contraction of the laminate.
We join a complex contour
If it is necessary to select a zone with a complex contour in the room, the seams are joined using a flexible profile. Using flexible tape, you can make zigzags, corners and smooth curves on the floor. The profile is part of the product line of flooring manufacturers and is created taking into account individual characteristics and colors of materials. As a rule, the profile width does not exceed 40 millimeters, and the protrusion above the coating level is 4-5 millimeters.