Combining flooring and tiles. How to do it right?

When is a transition between flooring and tiles necessary?

Most often, a transition between flooring and tiles is necessary between individual rooms. Here, the most common solution is to use a transition strip that clearly marks the boundary. However, many people choose to combine a spacious living room with kitchen and dining room. In order to make a division between them, different floors are used. However, this combination is clearly visible in such a case and should be carefully thought out. You can, of course, use such combinations in any other room in your home in order to create unique interiors. However, you should remember a few basic rules.

What should you pay attention to when choosing the flooring type?

If you want the interior of your home to be cohesive, carefully plan the appearance of the floors in its individual parts. For the combination of flooring and tiles to look good, matching materials should be used. First of all, it is worth reaching for colour-matched tiles and flooring. This will make it look natural and will not overwhelm the room. Also, make sure to choose flooring and tiles with a similar level of abrasion. You will appreciate this after a few years, when both surfaces age at the same rate and there will be no need to replace the good material because the other part of the floor has deteriorated.

The difference in the height of the flooring and tiles is seemingly imperceptible. However, it is worth paying attention to it when shopping and carefully check all the parameters. Even a slight disproportion will make it impossible for you to accurately combine tiles with flooring in the living room and in the kitchen. The difference in level will be clearly perceptible and can lead to rapid deterioration of the floor. This issue will be less troublesome if you are combining floors in two different rooms. Here, all you need is a special threshold or threshold strip to compensate for the difference in height. Once you have chosen the right products, start the installation by laying the tiles. Flooring is more flexible and easier to cut, so fitting them will be less problematic.

What are the most common ways of combining flooring and tiles?

A key question when installing flooring is how to combine the flooring and tiles so that this combination looks good and is durable. There are several options. They main ones involve combining flooring with tiles either with or without using a transition strip. Below we describe the most effective of them.

Transition strip

The most possibilities are provided by the use of special transition strips. They are distinguished by their high durability, flexibility and relatively low price, which is why they are one of the most popular choices. What is more, thanks to them you can hide any imperfections occurred during the floor installation. They fall into several categories, and each will work well in slightly different circumstances. When it comes to combining flooring and tiles, the following two types are most important:

• Threshold strips — this type is irreplaceable when combining flooring and tiles in different rooms. With its help, you can easily separate both types of floor in an aesthetic way. Threshold strips can also be used to compensate for the difference in height.
• T-moldings — this type is dedicated to different floors in the same room. This category is really diverse: you can choose strips made of aluminium, PVC or wood.

However, the choice of strip cannot be accidental. If you want it to create a coherent whole with the floor, match it both to the appearance of the flooring and the tiles. Only in this way it will not be conspicuous and will perfectly complement the decor.

Cork

Another very easy way to combine tiles with flooring is to use a flexible joint. It will fully fill the gap that almost always appears between materials. Cork is a popular option that you choose when combining different types of flooring. It is available as a strip or as a special liquid. A strip can be simply inserted into the gap between the tiles and the flooring, thus filling it. Liquid cork is more versatile. You will fit it even into the irregular shapes that are increasingly common when creating interior designs. Its characteristic feature is also its natural colour. Cork most often comes in brown, which goes well with many types of flooring. In the case of grey floors, however, this will be a disadvantage. Luckily, it is possible to dye it a different shade to match them. You should remember that cork is not water-resistant, so if moisture can be a problem in your home, it’s better to use other solution.

Acrylic

For combining tiles with flooring without a strip also acrylic can be used. You can conveniently apply it with a gun into the gaps between flooring and tiles, filling them tightly. You won’t have any trouble keeping it clean either. Acrylic is also distinguished by its subtle appearance, which will hide the transition between the two types of flooring in a natural way. It is available in a wide variety of colours, allowing you to make it even less noticeable and match it to the floor. Unfortunately, acrylic is one of the less durable solutions: after some time, it can discolour or crumble. However, this is not too troublesome. You can remove the old joint very easily and the application of a new layer should not cause you any problems either.

Polypropylene rope

Polypropylene rope is also a solution worth considering. This type of flexible joint is distinguished from others by its exceptional waterproofness. Its durability will therefore not be affected by possible swelling of the flooring. Keep in mind, however, that no flexible joint can hide floor imperfections or unevenly cut flooring. Everything must be perfectly finished for the floor to look good.

Silicone

This is our last suggestion. This material is particularly often chosen for rooms that are exposed to adverse effects of moisture and temperature changes. It is therefore a good idea to use it especially in the kitchen and bathroom. Silicone can be applied in gaps very easily. What distinguishes silicone from other materials is the possibility of using fungicides. If you decide to do it, you will provide additional protection for your floor.

Combining flooring and tiles offers you many possibilities!

Each combination of tiles and flooring has its own advantages and disadvantages. To choose the best one, consider what effect you want to achieve and what you care about most. Whichever option you decide on, combining different types of flooring provides you with access to many interesting solutions. We hope our tips will help you achieve a beautiful and durable combination of different flooring materials.