How to connect different laminates. How to make a technological joint between tile and laminate

Laying laminate flooring is not as easy as it seems at first glance. This process has a lot of nuances, the observance of which is important for the successful completion of the procedure. And the correct joining of the laminate between rooms, as well as with other coatings, is precisely related to these aspects of correct installation. The procedure is simple, but it is important to know how to join the laminate between rooms. Only with the necessary knowledge will it be possible to create neat and beautiful floors.

How to join laminate and tile - photo

This material, which consists of rectangular long planks that consist of several layers, is one of the most sought-after flooring on the market. It is distinguished by its high strength, attractive appearance, and ease of installation. The coating itself, created from a laminate, can serve for many years if strips of the appropriate quality were used for the manufacture, and they were laid correctly.

On a note! The thickness of one lamella varies from 9 to 11 mm. The width is 19.5 cm and the plank length can be up to 185 cm.

The covering consists of several layers, its base is made of fiberboard, and other layers are located above and below it. From above, the coating is covered by a special protection made of melamine resin, under which there is a layer responsible for giving the material a certain color (for example, imitation of a cut of wood or stone). The bottom layer also has a protective function. Thanks to the top layer, the coating is not afraid of exposure to ultraviolet rays, moisture and other external factors.

Laminate does not like water, and the side part, unlike the bottom or top, usually has no protection from moisture. That is why it is important to correctly lay the material so that there are no gaps between the individual lamellas. However, often when laying a covering in an apartment between separate rooms or other rooms, the lamellas have to be joined - it is not always possible to put the laminate in one continuous cover. Also, this type of coating is often combined with other types of materials for finishing the floor - for example, tiles, linoleum, etc.

On a note! Since laminate flooring does not like water, it is rarely installed in rooms with high humidity. These are kitchens, bathrooms, bathrooms. There usually ceramic tiles take their rightful place. And it is also very important to dock it correctly and beautifully with the laminate.

Prices for laminate "Tarkett"

laminate tarkett

Why do you need a connection

Why is it so important to correctly form the laminate joints between rooms? There are several correct answers regarding this question:

• individual areas of the coating are sometimes easier to dock between rooms than to continue to lay out the coating as a continuous one;
• according to the recommendations of experts, every 7-8 meters between the rows of the laminate there should be gaps of about 10-15 mm wide. They are necessary to compensate for the thermal expansion of the strips;
• the design of joints is necessary for joining different types of laminate, the locking joints of which do not coincide;
• the procedure is performed with a combination of lamellas of different colors or different coatings when zoning a room;
• it is also indispensable when decorating steps if the room has a podium.

By itself, the lock connection between the lamellas is quite strong and reliable, it will not allow individual parts of the coating to walk. But the laminate is a "living" coating, it is capable of changing its size depending on the temperature and humidity of the air, then expanding, then narrowing. That is why the presence of deformation gaps is necessary. Still, the laminate has a woody component in its structure, which reacts sharply to changes in humidity and temperature.

On a note! Such deformation gaps must also remain along the walls around the perimeter of the room. Otherwise, the coating may heave over time.

Thus, it is necessary to do the joining of individual parts of the coating, and not always the reason is that it is required to connect the floors in separate rooms. It will also look ugly if you leave different types of coatings without joining.

How to join laminate

The connection of individual laminate planks between two rooms can be done in several ways. It can be docking with locks directly on the lamellas, joining with sills, cork expansion joints or adhesive mixtures such as sealants or polyurethane foam.

Lock connection suitable if the same planks of the covering, having the same structure and height, are joined. Simply put, when lamellas from the same batch are used. In this case, the locks will match exactly. Also, the method is suitable for small premises, where additional expansion gaps between the coverage areas are simply not needed.

Lugs are used more often than other docking elements. This is due to the simplicity of their installation, availability and low cost - you can buy sills at any hardware store for little money. The profile is simply screwed or glued (depending on the type of product) to the gap left between the laid sections of the coverings. This gap will be sufficient so that the lamellas can easily expand if necessary, and the coating will not bulge. By the way, the sills can be made from a variety of materials, but standard metal ones are most often used. Their length can also vary.

On a note! With the help of sills, you can join a variety of types of flooring with each other, including laminate with ceramic tiles or laminate with linoleum.

It is usually used only for joining two sections of a laminated flooring, less often for connecting different types of coatings. Such a product will allow you to avoid the presence of gaps on the floor at all, since the cork is a rather soft material and when the coating expands, it will simply crumple, and when it shrinks, it will return to its original shape. The cork expansion joint is laid immediately after the installation of the entire coating - it is, as it were, inserted into the cavity of the remaining gap with the help of a small spatula. Usually, the cork is not even visible to the naked eye, since it rarely differs in color from the coating itself. And if necessary, it can be tinted with a marker or paint.

Sealant and foam are used less frequently, as they can stain the surface of the coating. But on the other hand, with their help, you can hide gaps of any width and join sections of coatings that have rather bizarre shapes. It is important to immediately remove excess material after application, otherwise, after drying, they will leave ugly marks. The main disadvantage of the method is the impossibility of dismantling this section of the panels if necessary. Also, because of the sealant, the lamellas cannot expand, which means that the method can only be used in rooms of small areas.

Sometimes the connectors are supplied with the laminate. They are ideal for joining individual areas of the flooring. They usually cost more than universal connectors. Usually, such options are produced only by large and well-known manufacturers of laminated flooring.

Types of connecting strips

All floor area connectors can be divided into several categories. They are divided by the type of material from which they are made, as well as by shape.

Table. What can the sills be made of?

Combined floor in the hallway - tiles and laminate

Also, profiles for decorating joints can have different shapes. They are:

• straight- these are used to design joints between two types of laminate or between laminate and other coatings. The main thing is that they have the same height, otherwise the sills will be inconvenient to fasten;
• transitional- this version of the nut is useful just for joining multi-level coatings;
• corner- such a sill is useful if you need to connect two perpendicular surfaces together, for example, when decorating podiums and stairs;
• concluding- allow you to close the edge of the last laminate plank.

What to consider before starting installation work?

Before you start joining two separate sections of the laminate flooring or connecting it with another type of floor finish, you should take into account several features and make sure that all the necessary requirements for the conditions of work have been met. For example, the installation of a laminate and its joining can only be carried out on the condition that the rough base is perfectly flat. There should be no drops on it.

On a note! The maximum horizontal deviation of the floor prepared for laying the laminate should not exceed 2 mm.

Also, do not install immediately purchased laminate. He must necessarily lie down in the room for two days before starting work. Otherwise, the coating is likely to heal over time, and even the presence of expansion gaps will not save the situation.

Installation of the laminate can only be carried out at positive temperatures. Work begins from the corner of the room farthest from the exit. It is also recommended to orient the lamellas along the direction of incidence of the light rays, so the joints between the lamellas will be minimally noticeable.

Installation of connecting strips

Let's see how the installation of the sills of the connectors necessary for joining individual sections of the laminate between rooms takes place.

Step 1. The first step is to measure the sill and doorway. Make sure that the product fits into the opening and completely covers the expansion gap along its entire length.

Step 2. The nut is applied to the installation site, a marking is applied through the holes in it, which will allow you to mark the drilling points of the rough base. Anchor holes should be drilled in the center of the gap and not on the surface of the laminate. The location of the nut is also noted.

Step 3. At the marking site, holes are made in the subfloor. The drill diameter should be optimal for the size of the dowels included with the nut.

Step 4. Dowels are inserted into the holes made in the floor.

Step 5. The nut is placed in its intended place.

Step 6. The bar is fixed with self-tapping screws, which are screwed into plastic dowels and tightened tightly.

There are also sills with hidden fasteners on sale. In this case, you will have to act as follows.

Step 1. As in the previous case, the sill and doorway are measured, and then markings are applied to the rough floor in the places where the dowels will be inserted.

Step 2. The slot with hidden fasteners has a groove on the reverse side, into which the caps of the self-tapping screws are inserted. The dowels are screwed onto the screws immediately.

Step 3. Holes for the dowels are made according to the previously applied marks.

Step 4. The nut is attached to the gap, which must be closed with it. The dowels fixed on self-tapping screws, moving along the groove, are inserted into the holes made by the puncher.

On a note! There are also self-adhesive sills on sale, from the seamy side they have a special adhesive tape that allows you to fix the product in the required place.

Video - Option for mounting the nut

Docking laminate and tiles

If you need to dock the laminate and tiles, you can act in the same way as when installing metal sills, or you can use another option for the docking profile - a cork expansion joint.

Step 1. To install a flexible cork expansion joint, you will need to cut it not only to the required length of the doorway, but also in height so that it does not protrude above the surface of the coatings.

Step 2. The laminate has already been installed at this stage, you need to start laying the tiles. But first, the cork sill itself is glued to the base with the help of reliable construction glue. First, glue is applied to the rough base along the edge of the laminate, on which the sill is then laid, but temporarily not pressed.

Step 3. Acrylic sealant is also used to seal the gaps between the cork expansion joint and the laminate. The cork expansion joint is then pressed against the subfloor and laminate.

Step 4. Excess sealant is removed with a sponge soaked in water. Then the surface is wiped with a dry cloth.

Step 5. In the traditional way, on the other side of the cork expansion joint, ceramic tiles are laid on glue.

In general, joining laminate and tiles is necessary to achieve aesthetic harmony, extend the life of the coatings, and protect the joint from water.

Video - Option for joining laminate and tile

It is not difficult to dock separate sections of the laminate or different types of flooring with each other. The main thing is to know how it is done. In general, if the installation instructions are followed, difficulties should not arise even for novice craftsmen.

For those who independently lay laminate in their house or apartment, the question often arises: how to make a connection between laminate and laminate or laminate and other flooring so that the joint looks neat and does not interfere with free movement.

How to join laminate

First, let's figure out in what cases it is necessary to make laminate joints.

Why do you need a connection

This is not a standard assembly, when each panel is connected to previously laid ones. And about those situations when you have to use a special connecting profile for the laminate.

The need for this arises:

• When moving from one room to another.

For reference. The fact is that the interlocking joint of the laminate is quite tight, it does not allow individual panels to "walk" freely in the event of changes in humidity and temperature.

Therefore, along the perimeter of the room, damping gaps are left between the coating and the walls - free space for the expansion of the laminate.

If it is not left every 7-8 meters, the laminate will have nowhere to expand, and it will bulge at the joints.

And in order not to make the connection in a conspicuous place, it is usually arranged in doorways.

• When finishing large areas... The reason is the same - the device of the damper clearances.
• When using different types of flooring or different types of laminate in the same room whose locks do not match.
• With differences in floor level... For example, if you need to trim a podium or stair treads with laminate.

When specialists are involved in finishing, we do not even think about such trifles. But if the repair is done by hand, even such a simple task as connecting the laminate between rooms can cause difficulties.

How to make a connection

Fortunately, all these little things have long been thought out, solutions have been found, and we can only use them. Almost all manufacturers of laminate flooring produce various components for it.

In addition to the plinth, they also include a connecting strip for a laminate, which is often called a sill or a connecting profile.

Types of connecting strips for laminate

When purchasing a laminate flooring, you can ask the seller about the availability of the connecting elements required in your case. They differ in both shape and material from which they are made.

Profile form

Depending on the purpose, the connecting strips are divided into the following types:

• Straight (connecting) profiles- used for decoration, located on the same level with it.

• Transition profiles- connect floor coverings located at different heights.
• Corner profiles- designed for the design of the joint of mutually perpendicular surfaces on stairs and podiums, finished with laminate.

In addition to the above, there is also a finishing profile for framing the open edge of the laminate.

All these products perform not only a decorative function. The instruction manual requires the device of expansion joints, and the connecting profiles allow them to be hidden, invisible to the eye.

Manufacturing materials

Connecting profiles are made from different materials depending on the purpose.

• Laminated- are made of pressed wood fiber and covered with a laminated film with a decorative pattern.
  The pattern is selected in accordance with the decor of the laminate. Since it is required to connect the laminate between rooms as imperceptibly as possible, this type of profile is most often used in doorways.
• Metallic- made of aluminum, brass or stainless steel and covered with a decorative foil.
  They are distinguished by increased durability, therefore they are used in places with high traffic.
• Plastic- soft and flexible profiles, most often used for the design of curved joints. Their main advantages are a wide variety of colors and a low price.
  But the service life of plastic profiles is relatively short.

• Rubber- these are most often corner profiles intended for fastening to stairs. They allow you to walk on them more safely, preventing slipping.

Installation of connecting profiles

All of these connectors are supplied with an additional flush-mounted fixing rail.

For reference. Metal profiles can be installed in an open way using dowels and self-tapping screws.

Fasteners are included in the set of products, and mounting holes are made in the metal strip during production.

You can see how to attach a profile in the video presented on this page.

The fixing rail is mounted to the base with glue or screws. Moreover, the second option is considered more preferable, since it makes it possible to re-install and has greater strength.

The sequence for installing the connecting profile is as follows:

• The fixing rail is placed close to the edge of the cover and secured with screws.
• From the slats, they begin to lay the second coating.
• The decorative strip is installed in the mounting rail guide and snapped into it with hammer blows through a wooden block.

Conclusion

The quality of the renovation and the impression of the created interior largely depend on such trifles as the design of joints, corners and transitions.

The photos presented in the article confirm this. By using specially designed connectors, you will not only achieve the perfect appearance of your laminate flooring, but also extend its life.

Laying laminate flooring is an important stage in the renovation of an apartment, because the floor covering is often the first to catch the eye and contact us. When working with laminate, many difficult tasks arise, including organizing the connection of lamellas between rooms. This task is not difficult to cope with, and in this article we will talk in detail about how to dock the laminate.

The main solution to the problem

As mentioned above, the joint between laminate and laminate is quite simple to make, and such a question arises only for beginners. Professionals in the field of flooring are faced with similar cases when renovating any apartment, so they came up with a solution for a long time - connecting strips.

By using the laminate connector, you can create a strong joint between the slabs from the joined lamellas. This joint will have not only aesthetic value, but also prevent deformation and movement of the planks under the influence of heat and moisture.

Should I use connecting strips?

Before starting to talk in detail about the types and installation of connecting strips, it is worth mentioning that they are used only if you are going to connect new lamellas with already laid material. The connectors are not used for joining the planks when assembling the floor covering.

Specific cases where a laminate docking bar may be needed:

• When laying laminate flooring in large rooms, you will have to create damping gaps, which will help you with the connecting strip;
• Joints between rooms in an apartment are also often made using connectors;
• If you are laying different types of lamellas in the same room, fastened to each other with different locks, then you cannot do without a connecting strip. This happens, for example, if you wanted to create different zones in the same room;
• Changes in floor level, or steps are finished with these strips.

How to choose planks

The docking profile for the laminate differs in the field of application, and, accordingly, in the shape, as well as in the material from which it is made.

First of all, you must decide on its shape:

• Straight profiles are used to join the laminate evenly with another part of the laminate, or to join with another floor covering, such as tiles. Most often, a joint between laminate and tile is made without a sill, but other options are also possible;
• Transition profiles are used when it is necessary to connect floor coverings at different levels;
• Corner profiles are used for finishing joints, perpendicularly connected surfaces, for example, when finishing a podium or stairs;
• The finishing profile is used for decorative finishing of the open edges of the laminate.

With any installation of the laminate, you will have to use at least one type of connecting profiles, because the instructions say that every 7 meters you must make a gap that compensates for the expansion of the laminate, and the thresholds for the laminate will be able to decorate this opening between the lamellas. If you do not make these gaps, then the laminate may bump in some places, which will ruin the connecting locks, and you will have to purchase new material.

As mentioned above, the connecting strip for the laminate also differs in the material from which it is made:

• Laminated planks are made like the lamellas themselves from wood-compressed fiber, covered with a special film on top. Such joints are usually used in doorways, and the color and pattern of the planks are matched to the main floor covering in order to make the joint as invisible as possible.
• Metal strips are taken solely because of their strength. The appearance of the floor with the use of such planks is significantly deteriorated, but such planks, made of brass, aluminum or stainless steel, perfectly cope with high loads, for example, at the connection of lamellas at the podium.
• Plastic connecting strips are distinguished by their flexibility, therefore they are used on curved joints, for example, on rounded stairs. Significant advantages of these strips are also the price and a huge selection of colors, but plastic quickly wear out under load, which is a big disadvantage.
• The rubber profiles are also flexible and have a high friction value, which will protect you from falling, for example, on a ladder.

Installation of connecting strips

Having chosen the desired strip, it remains to figure out how to connect the laminate with its help. First of all, you should pay attention to the mounting rail that comes with the connecting strip. This rail is needed in order to attach the connecting strip without visible fasteners, for example, self-tapping screws. In a similar way, the transition from tile to laminate is done when needed.

The process of installing the connecting strip:

1. First fasten the batten to the floor. This can be done using glue or screws, and the second option is highly reliable, therefore it is always recommended by professionals.
2. After you have placed the fixing strip on the laminate, install the second piece of flooring.
3. Fix the connecting strip in the grooves of the rail by hitting it with a hammer through a wooden block.

It is worth making a correction here, because this method is not entirely suitable for metal profiles. They are fixed in the open with self-tapping screws, and the holes for them are prepared immediately at the factory.

Using this method, you can bond your laminate to a variety of floor coverings such as tiles, linoleum, etc.

Conclusion

Do not forget that making laminate joints between rooms is at a high level, because this will have a positive effect on the beauty of the entire room, as you can see by looking at the photo.