How to make a joint between tiles and laminate: Solution + Video

Resistant floor coverings in the form of tiles are often chosen for bathrooms and kitchens. Living room floors are often made of warm materials that help create coziness, such as laminate flooring. Let's look at how to make a junction of laminate and tile, depending on its shape,

and also its location, so that it does not spoil the interior, but also be practical.

What factors can complicate the joining of laminate and tiles

Depending on the layout of the rooms, as well as what the creative idea is, making the joint of two floor materials can required in different places. In the classic design of rooms with doors, the laminate and the slab will meet under the door frame, and this most often needs to be closed with a decorative sill.

It is much more difficult to design a joint on a large area, as is most often the case in studio apartments. They simply do not have partitions that can clearly separate living rooms from the kitchen, so zoning will be performed along a conditional line on the floor, which will connect both coatings. The difficulty will only be to do everything in harmony with the rest of the elements, as well as practical for cleaning or moving residents.

Different floor heights

Joints Between tiles and laminate, it is much more difficult to make beautiful if the height of the flooring is different. For example, a tile will have a thickness of 0.

8-1 cm, and it will be laid with a special tile adhesive that will make the floor 1.2-1 higher. 4 cm. But a durable laminate for flooring will have a thickness of 0.8 cm, so even when using a special substrate it will not be possible to bring the level to the same value.

Differences in joints can be inconvenient for the passage, and also accumulate debris. Bringing the laminate to the same level with the tiles only at the joining point will contribute to a smooth rise in the floor, but in that place the joint will "play" due to the load. For this reason, it is better to make a more stretched screed under the laminate in order to even out the drop and create a solid base under the coating.

The hygroscopicity of the laminate

Another difficulty that can arise when joining the laminate and the tile covering is the hygroscopicity of the laminate, which will affect its structure ..

. If the laminate absorbs moisture, then it begins to swell and become looser. To avoid this phenomenon, you should first lay the tiles and allow the adhesive to dry. After seaming the laminate strips, treat with a sealant that will block the moisture absorption points.

Change in the linearity of dimensions

In some cases, the physical and mechanical properties of the laminate coating, which consist in a change in dimensions due to the action of a different temperature and humidity.

With an extremely tight fit to the tile, this sometimes provokes swelling or other deformation. To prevent such a phenomenon, a small gap should be made, which will provide freedom for expansion.

Cut of materials

The most popular difficulty in joining boards and laminate flooring was line fitting. Often in such places, a marriage is noticeable due to an inaccurate cut. For short joints under the doors, this can be hidden with a door sill.

How to make a joint between tiles and laminate in a large space? This will require the use of an electric jigsaw for the laminate, a grinder with diamond discs for a tiled coating and a template for cutting. This will promote the lines' identity and evenness, especially if the seam is wavy.

Shapes of joints between tiles and laminate

Depending on the location of the joint and the configuration of the tile, there may be different forms of joining the two materials. Let's highlight three main types.

Straight line

This is one of the simplest and most popular joints.

Decoration with or without a threshold. It can be long, when dividing the room into zones, or short, which is located under the door. Even an inexperienced person can cope with the second option; you just need to close the sill with a decorative lining.

Broken line

A very beautiful, interesting way of joining floor coverings, which will imply laying solid tiles (diamond, rectangular or triangular) without performing the fit. Laminate should be laid around, following the line.

But such a performance will require an accurate cut and take longer. In this case, the threshold is not used, since it will only spoil the appearance. This joint will look best on a long section.

Curved joint

This implies the connection of tiles and laminate with a wavy line, which is often realized when moving from the living room to the kitchen area. Here you will need a professional toolkit for working with wood and stone materials, as well as an accurate template.

Joints can be made without using a nut if you can get a perfect cut. If wide gaps are formed, then they should be hidden with a wavy lining that will repeat the joint line.

Design options for tile and laminate joints without a threshold

The boundaries between two floor coverings on a long section can be created in several ways. This will help reduce the cost of the process, and also you will not need an additional tool for fastening.

Interseam grout

The simplest and most inexpensive method will be to buy an inter-seam grout.

The joints of laminate and tile without a sill will be sealed using the tile floor grout, which is available at every hardware store.The color should be chosen based on what shade you have of tiles, laminate and other elements in the interior. It can be a fusion of colors, or vice versa, a game of contrast. The application can be started as soon as you install (if you have a long line and work is done in more than one day) or after both coatings have been laid.

The process is performed in the following way :

1. Based on, that is, the floor (concrete screed) should be marked with a marker for the future line for connection with the material.

2. First, lay the tiles so that their edges exactly fall on the intended contour.
3. Next, the laminate is trimmed to size and the edges are lubricated with silicone to immediately block moisture.
4. The strips should be put in place, taking into account a gap of 0. 3-0. 5 cm.

5. The gap between the two materials should be filled with silicone at least half the height.
6. After the sealant is dry, grout can be applied while pushing in deep and avoiding gaps. The resulting seam should be leveled, and the places that are nearby are dirty, clean.
7. At the very end, the seam should be covered with clear varnish, which will help maintain its beautiful appearance and strength.

Consider another option for how to make a tile and laminate joint.

Installation of a cork expansion joint

To implement this option of joining, you will need to buy a long strip of cork. Such material will easily and softly take different forms, therefore it is suitable for both a wavy joint and for an even one. In length there are two strips of cork from 0. 9 to 3 meters, and the thickness will vary from 0. 7 to 1 cm.

This element is also called a compensator, since it is able to fill in the gaps and compensate for cut irregularities. Due to its soft structure, the cork can shrink and fit easily even in narrow areas. With its help, you can conveniently hide small errors in the work of the master. Eats goods where there is a treatment of the upper side of varnish or decoration with veneer, which increases the strength and beauty of the product. But keep in mind that with long joints (more than 3 meters), you will need to buy not one, but two compensators, then connect them together, and this will be noticeable even with the naked eye.

Laying is carried out as follows:

1. First, lay the tile covering. Sand its edge in order to eliminate the protrusions from the hardened glue.
2. The area should be well cleaned of dust, it is better to use a vacuum cleaner or compressor for this.
3. Apply adhesive to the edge of the tile.
4. If the expansion joint is taller, you can trim it to fit exactly the tile.

   Next, it should be glued by pressing it with your fingers.

5. Then lay a laminate that can be fitted back to back. To expand it when heated or humid, the cork can move due to the softness of the structure.
6. Carefully pour joint compound between the laminate and the expansion joint.

The third method is somewhat similar to the second.

Using cork sealant

This method will be similar to grouting, but it requires the use of a special sealant that contains cork chips. Tile and laminate joining is performed using a construction gun, where the tube and sealant should be inserted. This is extremely convenient for accurately squeezing the substance into the slot.

Cork sealant will help to simplify the installation process, as it already contains protective components for the laminate covering, which will prevent moisture absorption. The seam will be elastic and fill well any irregularities that appear due to an uneven cut.

The seam width will not affect the quality. The only drawback is the presence of a single color - brown, and this is not suitable for all shades of tiles or laminate.

Design options for tile and laminate joints with a threshold

The design without using a threshold is beautiful, but how to make a tile and laminate joint if you have no experience work and do not get accurate cutting lines? Most often, the first time during a home repair with your own hands, it is difficult to do this, therefore, it becomes necessary to create a simpler type of masking with the help of an overlay on top. Such decorative elements, regardless of the material of manufacture and variety, will be called sills. They are used for both long and short sections.

When is it worth using the nut

The threshold is used not only to disguise the uneven cut of a beginner master, and often resort to such a move even repairmen that have experience.

This is justified in such cases:

• There is a height difference of up to 1 cm between the materials for the coating, which cannot be hidden in other ways.
• Separation of the hallway by lowering its level, so that dirt and debris from the street does not spread through the house, but can linger behind the ledge.
• Zoning of areas due to relief and visual division of the room.

But if you decide on such a design method, get ready for the disadvantages, among which there will be difficult cleaning, accumulation of debris under the threshold and the ability to catch on through the separator when passing on the site.

Varieties of sills and installation features

To understand how to close the joint between the laminate and the slab on the floor, you should first find out which there are varieties of sills. They are available in different materials and shapes, which will affect the ease of installation and the configuration of the docking line. Let's consider the most popular solutions.

Aluminum threshold

This element is stylish for creating a joint on the floor.Its silvery shiny surface will harmonize perfectly with gray wood and light-colored tiles.

Aluminum has an increased strength when compared to other materials in the industry, which will contribute to a long service life. But with such an overlay, only smooth joints can be made, but the length will not matter - it can be a short transition under the door, or a long line between the rest room and the dining area. Aluminum sills can be of different design - L-shaped, T-shaped and flat.

The fastening method can be hidden (this is when the fastening to the floor is first installed, and the field and the decorative top panel) or open (you can see the places with the incoming screws). The thickness of the sides can be the same or with an internal drop (at the top, the sides will be drawn at the same level, and at the bottom they will be supported by shelves with different heights), and this will also help to arrange the border safely and beautifully.

Thresholds can be straight, for joining floor surfaces and curved, in order to make joining of coatings with a difference in height. For fastening, the elements can be on screws or on an adhesive composition.

Installation with self-tapping screws is performed as follows:

1. Purchased nut cut to the length of the joint.
2. Mark points between laminate and tile to create dowel holes.
3. Use a drill to drill.

4. Begin laying the dowels, which will provide a firm grip for the fastener in the concrete screed.
5. Lubricate the inside of the joint element with sealant. This can prevent dust and debris from accumulating under the edges.
6. Fix the nut on the self-tapping screws, and for this use a screwdriver or screwdriver, but the speed of the device should be at a minimum, since it is very easy to bend the aluminum profile.

How else to make joints between tiles and laminate?

Self-adhesive threshold

Such overlays can be made of metal or wood, and be slightly convex shape, which will perfectly smooth out the joints and make a convenient transition for transporting toys with wheels, a stroller, a coffee table and other things.

There are also models with different levels in order to create a beautiful drop with a smooth rise. The sill is attached to a self-adhesive base, which will be located on the bottom side along the edges. It will stick to tiles and laminate rather than concrete floors. The models differ in length and width, which will simplify the selection. The color range is presented from bleached oak to wenge.

Installation is as follows:

1. The element should be unpacked and cut to the required size.
2. To lay down exactly the threshold (regardless of the quality of the cut line), you should draw an exact marking and you can orient the edges of the overlay along it.
3. The sides of the flooring should be dust-free as this will directly affect the adhesion.
4. Gradually remove the paper layer and the part can be applied along the intended contour. You can also immediately remove the protective layer, but in this case the sill will stick along its entire length, and it will be more difficult to maintain the evenness of fixation.

The next version of their polyvinyl chloride.

Flexible PVC threshold

This element of floor finishing is made of two parts - a cover and a base, and the first will play an exclusively decorative role. The underside should be fixed to concrete or any other surface. To do this, use self-tapping screws (if the base material makes it possible to screw them in) or dowels (for a concrete base). The upper counterpart must snap into place in the clamping grooves.

Due to the fact that the material is perfectly bent in different directions, the design is perfect for wavy joints with different lengths. It is produced in large sizes, and it can be with a drop or a single level. The difference in heights is up to 1 cm. The variety in shades makes it possible to choose a color that will suit the color of the laminate and tiles at the same time.

1. Draw a joint line on the concrete base.

2. Lay the tiles with edge precision along the markings.
3. The flexible base profile should be brought under the tiles and fixed with dowels or self-tapping screws.
4. Next, we lay the laminate in such a way that its edge is on the border of the lower part of the threshold. The end must be lubricated with a sealant.

Lastly, put on the cover, which must also be sealed with a sealant so that debris does not start to build up.

It will slide into the grooves and click into place with a little force. If there is not enough cotton with your hand, then use a rubber mallet.