Joints between tile and laminate: an overview of joining methods

In one house, rarely the same floor covering in all rooms. Moreover, you can increasingly see that in one room are used 2 different materials, for example, tiles and laminate in the kitchen. However, there are some difficulties. For example, how to connect them, so it was beautiful and at the same time convenient? Inaccurately made joints between the tile and the laminate can ruin any interior.

When it is necessary to combine

Each material fulfills its function: the carpet softens the blows in the nursery, the parquet makes the room more presentable, the tile is not terrible water, so it is stoned in the bathroom, etc. The use of different coatings in one room makes it possible to divide it into zones or get a floor, ideally Suitable for certain conditions.

Justifies the combination of tiles and laminate in the kitchen. Ceramics are more practical and wear-resistant, it is not afraid of damp, so it is advisable to use this material in the cooking area. Laminated panels do not strongly wet. But this coating looks aesthetically pleasing and very pleasant to the touch, so it is customary to put it in the dining area.

Also very appropriate tile in the hallway, where there is always a lot of dirt and damp. However, in the corridor it is more expedient to put a laminate.

Thus, a combination of different coatings will make it possible to obtain an ideal floor. However, the joint between the tile and the laminate needs to be closed somehow. There are several options for registration.

Varieties of joints

Before you start laying tiles and laminate, you need to decide where the border between them will pass and what shape it will be. Connect two different materials on the floor in two ways: straight and wavy. Each of them has its own scope and some features.

Straight joint

Logically looks in the doorways and arches, it is used to divide the room into zones or to decorate the corner joints. For example, the joint between the tile and the laminate in the corridor when going into the room. Organically fits into the situation if it passes through the center of the room. The width of the gap between the covers should not exceed 5 mm, otherwise it will be difficult to hide.

To make a straight joint, it is best to use the sills. It will look good, as well as disguise all small irregularities, including those that can appear when trimming the material by a layman. Floor coverings must be on the same level.

Wave-shaped joint

Much more difficult to perform. It may be necessary when zoning the room or when projecting the stretch ceiling lines to the floor. It can also be used to create a "path" through the room. This is an original design solution, when the interior uses wavy joints between the tile and the laminate. The photo shows how interesting and aesthetically they look.

The joint of the original shape must be made using a template that can be cut from cardboard or other dense material. Paper will not work because of its fragility. To trim the laminate, you can use a jigsaw, and for a tile - a grinder with a diamond circle. If the form is very complex, then you may need a diamond string. Therefore, you should immediately soberly assess their strength.

Powders

This is one of the simplest and at the same time aesthetic ways to disguise the joints between the tile and the laminate. You can use the nails both for single-level connections, and for differences in height. This element can be made of aluminum, wood or plastic. Metal is the most durable material, resistant to various aggressive influences.

The pores can be straight and curved (to form curvilinear joints). Also there are flexible bars that can take the necessary shape. They are made of aluminum or plastic, but they have a rubber base. Only wooden pegs can not be bent.

To install the joining elements is quite simple: just screw them to the dowels. There are 2 types of installation: hidden (when the decorative strip closes the fasteners) and open (when everything is visible).

The joint between the tile and the laminate with the doorway not only improves the appearance of the floor, but also closes the slots, preventing dirt and dust from getting into them. Also, it does not allow to separate and be irradiated to the edges of the flooring materials.

Joint between tile and laminate without padding

Fastening without transition elements requires great accuracy and accuracy. It is advisable to use this method when you need to perform a figured connection.

First, the tiles are laid-in such a way that it goes out a little beyond the docking line. Laminate is then lapped. Next is the line of the joint. To make it perfectly smooth, it is advisable to use a template and traverse it. After the marking, you will have to remove the protruding elements of the flooring so that it is convenient to cut them.

When the materials are ready, they need to be carefully put in place. At the same time, the substrate should be removed from the laminate (about 10 cm from the joint) to level it with the tile. To prevent subsequent shifts, both floor coverings must be carefully glued in the docking areas. After performing all the procedures, you need to clean the seams and wipe them. The joints between the tile and the laminate should be dense, without crevices.

Using a sealant or foam

If there are gaps between the floor coverings, the following seam treatment method should be used.

Hide the joint between the tile and the laminate with a silicone sealant or foam. In this case, the same method of laying the floor covering as described above is used. The only difference is that the slots are closed with additional building materials. In this case, it is possible to make the seam aesthetic, by selecting a sealant for the color of the laminate or tiles. The use of auxiliary substances allows you to mask gaps of varying depth and width. It is advisable to use this method of connection, when the joint between the tile and the laminate with bending is processed.

When working, pay attention to the amount of silicone or foam that is squeezed out. If the material is too much, the surplus will come to the surface of the floor. They will need to be removed immediately so that they do not stick and do not spoil the appearance of the tile or laminate. If the material is small, it can not provide reliable fixation of the coatings. In addition, the gap will be open to clusters of debris and dust.

A significant drawback of this method is that, if repairs are necessary, it is impossible to dismantle a part of the floor. The entire joint will have to be dismantled.

Cork compensator

This option is considered one of the best for masking slots. The joints between the tile and the laminate, closed with a cork compensator, look very aesthetic and neat. This material is well combined with both types of flooring. One of its advantages - the ability to paint the cork in different colors, using a tint. However, it should be noted that the tone will be more saturated due to the porous structure of the material. However, the cork compensator is not able to hide the unevenness of the seam, it must be ensured that the gap is the same in width and depth along the entire length. It is also important that the materials to be joined are at the same level. Otherwise, using this method of connection does not make sense: the cork compensator can not cope with its task and only spoil the appearance of the seam.

The service life of the flooring and how much aesthetically they look like depends on the quality of the joints. If the seams are done somehow, then the materials on the borders will quickly become worthless. It is worth remembering this by collecting a combined floor.