Joint of tiles and laminate: without a threshold, with a threshold

When connecting two materials that are different in texture and texture, it is necessary to somehow arrange the place of their connection. In this article, we will discuss how to beautifully join laminate and tile. The methods are different, as are the results. 

Where can there be a joint and how best to arrange it

In a modern house or apartment, different floor coverings are used. In places of their connection, height differences are often formed – due to the different thickness of the coating. You can make such a transition beautifully and reliably only by knowing what and how to do it. Most often you have to join tiles and laminate. These are the two most popular types of floor coverings for rooms for various purposes. The junction of tiles and laminate in place occurs in two places:

• Under the door, where the coverings of the two rooms are combined. It is easier and more efficient to finish the joint with a small special nut.
  

• In an open space, where the tile / laminate transition emphasizes the zoning of the room. In this case, a more natural transition will be if you make a joint without additional inserts.

As you already understood, there are two ways to make a joint between a laminate and a tile – with and without a threshold. The first requires high quality tile trimming, the same gap between the two materials throughout the seam. Only in this case a decent result is obtained. The second one is simpler in execution, does not require special accuracy when cutting material and special skills when performing. But it looks a little “rough”.

Docking methods without a nut

When joining tiles and laminate without a threshold, you first need to solve the problem of height difference: due to the adhesive layer, the tile can be higher. Only after that you can start working. Also, the joint will look good if it is carefully processed, the gap will be even.

If two different materials are joined – ceramics and laminate – it is impossible to place them close to each other without a gap. With a change in temperature or humidity, they can increase in size (the laminate “suffers” more from this). The presence of a gap prevents the problem – it allows it to change in size without compromising the integrity of the coating. When joining laminate and tiles without a threshold, this gap is filled with a suitable elastic material.

Whatever material is used for sealing, the edge of the laminate adjacent to it must be treated with a protective compound that prevents moisture absorption. Most often, a sealant is used for this. Better – silicone, which after drying does not lose elasticity and does not turn yellow over time.

Cork expansion joint

A cork expansion joint can be placed between tiles and laminate. This is a thin strip of cork, which is painted on one side and covered with a layer of protective varnish or finished with a layer of veneer. The second option is more wood surface, you can choose a color that is very similar to your flooring. But they use it more often for joining parquet – it costs a lot.

dimensions

In addition to the fact that the “face” of the cork compensator is finished with different materials, it can be of different shapes: with or without a chamfer of different types. In addition, the sizes can be different:

• length:
  • standard – 900 mm,
  • under the order – from 1200 mm to 3000 mm;
    

• width – 7 mm and 10 mm;
• height – 15 mm, 18 mm, 20 mm, 22 mm.

Cork compensator of standard length is only good if the joint is under the door. Then its length is sufficient. In other situations, you either have to splice or order.

Installation

A cork compensator is installed at the junction of tiles and laminate when laying the flooring. When one type is already laid, and the second will only fit. First of all, if necessary, cut the height of the cork – it is not always possible to find the ideal option. Therefore, carefully, with a sharp knife, cut off the excess.

Another preparatory work is finishing the laid edge. Once again, we remind you that it must be even and well processed. Most often, the edge is sanded with sandpaper, aligning the traces of cutting.

A cork compensator is mounted on glue, preferably for wood. Pre-installation site is well cleaned and degreased. Next, the process is:

• We apply a strip of glue close to the already laid material. You can – in a zigzag, you can – in parallel stripes.
• We lay a strip of cork, slightly pressing it against the already laid material.
  

• We bend the cork and apply sealant.
• Press the cork back. We remove the squeezed sealant with a sponge moistened with water, then wipe it with a dry rag. His traces should not be visible at all.
• Next, put the second material close to the cork. If it is a laminate, we coat its cut with silicone without fail. When laying tiles, this is also desirable to do, but the seam can be filled with glue, which is also not bad, although not so beautiful.

If everything is done correctly, it turns out a neat, not conspicuous seam. What is good, so you can make out both straight and curved joints.

Grout for seams

If the materials have already been laid, the junction of the laminate and tiles can either be decorated with a threshold or filled with tile grout. We’ll talk about the thresholds later, but now we’ll discuss how to use the grout.

The edges of the laminate should be smeared with silicone. They can also fill the joint by about 2/3. When the silicone dries, fill the remaining space with diluted grout, level it and wait until it dries.

Simple and effective way. But only if the edges are processed with high quality. For greater color stability and easier maintenance, it is better to cover the seam with a colorless varnish.

cork sealant

Another joint between laminate and tile can be sealed with cork sealant. It is itself a sealant, so this is the only option where the laminate cut does not need to be protected from moisture. Another plus – the dried composition has the color of a cork tree – light brown. If it suits you, you won’t have to worry about painting it.

Cork sealant is a mixture of cork wood chips and a water-based binder. Without dyes, after drying, it has the color of a cork – light brown. There are palettes painted in primary colors. Available in polyethylene tubes, can be applied with a closed-type gun (with a container) or a spatula. Can be used to fill joints in floor coverings.

When using this composition, you will most likely have to use a spatula. Therefore, on both sides of the mot seam, we paste masking tape. We clean the seam itself, remove dust. You can work at temperatures above +5°C.

Sealing the junction of tiles and laminate with cork sealant is simple:

• We open the tube. The composition in it is ready for use, but for convenience it can be poured into a container with wide edges. You can also try to make a small hole and fill the seam through it.
• We fill the seam (with a spatula or immediately from the tube – as it will).
• We cut off the excess, level the surface, running a spatula from edge to edge of the seam.
  

• We are waiting for drying. This process depends on the thickness of the seam and the temperature. It usually takes 24 to 48 hours.
• Immediately after leveling, remove the masking tape with the remnants of the sealant. If it is somewhere on the floor, clean it with a damp cloth until it is dry. Wash tools with water.

After drying, we have a joint of tiles and laminate ready for use. The only drawback is that the base color is not suitable for everyone. And yet – it is necessary to carefully and evenly distribute it immediately after application. Then it will not be possible to align or correct.

With the use of thresholds

It makes sense in three cases to make a joint between a laminate and a tile using thresholds. The first, when the joint is obtained under the door. In this case, the presence of a nut is logical and “does not hurt the eyes.” The second option is in the presence of a height difference between the two joined materials. There is simply no other way out.

And the third case. When tiles are laid in the hallway near the front door, and then there is a laminate. Even if their level is the same, it is better to put a threshold here. It rises slightly above the finish and will retain sand and litter, which is inevitably brought in by shoes. This is the option when you can close your eyes to some aesthetic imperfection.

Types of thresholds for joining materials

There are the following thresholds that can be used to close the junction of laminate and tiles:

• Flexible PVC profile. Consists of a base and an overlay decorative strip. The base is attached to the floor in the seam, and the decorative strip snaps into place. It happens in two forms – for the junction of materials of the same thickness (maximum difference 1 mm) and for connections with differences (the difference can be 8-9 mm).
  

• Flexible metal profile. It bends due to the elasticity of the metal (alloy) and a special figured edge. Used for both straight and curved sections. It can be T-shaped and L-shaped. In the case of using an L-shaped profile, a laminate is filled into it. The tile is then glued close to the edge, filling the gap with tile adhesive, subsequently filling with grout for joints. There are flexible metal thresholds unpainted – aluminum, there are decorative colors (powder composition).
  

• Aluminum sill. Used for straight joints. Ideal for decorating the connection point under the door. It happens in the form of a T-shaped or H-shaped profile. The width of the “shelves” and the height of the nut itself, the radius of the back bend – all this varies. Holes are usually drilled in such sills, through which they are attached to the base with dowels or self-tapping screws. There are also self-adhesive ones – this is the easiest option to install. During installation, so that dust and dirt do not clog under the threshold, it can be smeared with sealant on the reverse side. Remove excess after installation and wipe clean.
  

It just seems like there aren’t many options. There are all these sills in different sizes and colors, with different fixation systems. There are a lot of them in big stores.

Installation of a flexible PVC profile

As already mentioned, a flexible PVC docking profile consists of a base and a decorative lining, which is held on it due to the force of elasticity. It must be installed after the tile is laid, but before the installation of the laminate.

First, a base is mounted along the cut of the laid tile. It is attached to dowels or screws. Choose fasteners with flat caps – so that in a twisted state it almost does not protrude and does not interfere with installing the overlay.

The installation process is as follows:

• The base of the flexible PVC profile is laid out along the edge of the tile. Its top edge should be flush with the surface of the finish. If necessary, you can cut a strip of the substrate under the laminate.
• The base is attached to the floor.
  • If installation of dowels is required, fastener installation points are marked, the profile is removed, holes are drilled, plastic tabs are installed. Then you can screw the base.
  • When using self-tapping screws, pre-drilling may be required (depending on the type of base). The fastener installation step depends on the degree of curvature of the joint. The base of the docking profile must exactly repeat its shape.
    

• Next, lay the laminate.
• The laminate is laid, now we force a decorative PVC overlay into the installed base. It is elastic and does not fit into the groove very well. It is necessary to press well with the palm of your hand, you can even tap with a rubber mallet.

With the help of a flexible PVC profile, it is not difficult to seal the joint of the laminate and tiles. Outwardly, of course, not everyone likes it, but installation is simple.

Video on the installation of thresholds at the junction of laminate and tiles / porcelain stoneware