Today, linoleum is very often used to decorate the floor. It is very easy to lay it, it is easy to take care of it, there are no problems during the operation of the coating. It is important that such a floor looks harmonious and serves faithfully for a long time. That is why you need to properly lay the selected coating. To perform laying, you should know how to make a linoleum joint. The quality of work and the final result depend on this.
What is docking and features of the process
Docking is a fairly simple manipulation. But you need to do it, adhering to certain rules. The choice of the type of linoleum joint between rooms directly depends on the characteristics of the coating and the way it is laid.
Today there is an opportunity to purchase two types of linoleum - household and commercial. They differ in thickness. The commercial type is thicker than the household version familiar to all of us. That is why it is much more difficult to connect it. But at the same time it is durable and strong. Before laying, you need to choose the type of linoleum that is right for you. If desired, it is possible to buy a semi-commercial type, which is intermediate.
Disadvantages of overlapping
Paths can be laid butt-to-butt or overlapped. The second option has a number of disadvantages:
- Water may get under the canvas. The result will be dampness.
- Laying up will result in a slight step. It will interfere with walking, as the surface will be uneven.
- If the sheets are not fixed, debris will fall under them. When bonded with glue, the canvases will unstick over time.
That's why you shouldn't use this method. It is better to connect linoleum sheets between rooms butt-to-butt. It is important to do this in such a way as to exclude the penetration of water and debris under the material. Today, there are various options for doing work.
Methods of joining sheets
Processing the joint of linoleum between rooms is needed in order to achieve a number of goals:
- Give your floor an attractive look.
- Make it whole.
- Perform a neat and even floor.
- Protect the rough finish from water and debris.
- Protect basements from moisture.
If you do not know how to close the joints of linoleum, choose one of the four possible docking options. For work, different types of glue are used, as well as additional elements. Seams are done with:
- classic double-sided tape;
- decorative thresholds;
- cold welding;
- hot welding.
Features of cold welding
The joints between the two pieces are treated with glue specially designed for such work. The composition acts on the material, penetrates into its structure and hardens. Provides secure bonding. The glue is toxic, so it is important to work with it very carefully. You need to follow the safety precautions. Mandatory ventilation of the room is required. Otherwise, you will be poisoned by harmful fumes.
The method is quite simple. Reliable connection of commercial and household linoleum is guaranteed. This option is only suitable for a small gap between the pieces. To perform this technique, you do not need to purchase equipment. It is possible to create seams completely invisible to the eye. Such welding is not suitable for linoleum with a warming felt layer. It is not used for multilayer linoleum either.
Today there are different types of glue that are suitable for cold welding. They are used for seams of a certain type.
In the process of work, it is important to ensure that the composition does not fall on the front surface of the linoleum. This will cause imminent damage. Glue drops cannot be removed by erasing. It is worth waiting for them to dry, and then cut them off with a knife.
Hot welding
Hot welding of linoleum joints is the most difficult way. It is also the most reliable. It requires special equipment to perform. That is why it is used in everyday liferarely. Suitable for commercial use only. For a household coating of small thickness, it is completely unsuitable. When welding is performed, the coating melts.
Equipment and materials are heated up to 450 0C. Initially, you need to glue the linoleum to the prepared rough base. Only after the glue has dried, you can start joining the pieces of linoleum. In this case, the canvases are not overlapped. The tightest fit is required. To carry out the work, you need a special tool:
- groove cutter;
- plating welding machine;
- Sickle-shaped knife to remove excess glue.
The cord acts as a connecting material. It is made from PVC. The thickness is 4mm. It is sold in specialized hardware stores. It is possible to choose a cord of a suitable color. At high temperatures, the cord melts and fills the gap between the sheets. After cooling, it acquires characteristics identical to linoleum.
Other docking methods
It is possible to process linoleum joints between rooms using other materials. It can be double-sided tape, profile or sills. The simplest material is tape. It does not take much time to complete the work with it. Financial costs are also kept to a minimum. This method does not allow you to create a quality connection. It is required to glue the adhesive tape to the prepared rough base. Then linoleum is glued on top of it.
Sills
Often, decorative floor sills are used to connect two pieces of linoleum between rooms. They perform the following functions:
- Provides protection from dirt and moisture. Linoleum will not delaminate, mold will never appear under it.
- Do not allow linoleum to break at the joints.
- Become an unusual decorative element.
- Improve the perception of different coatings. Different material options look like one element. This eliminates the contrast in hue, texture and color.
- The threshold for the joint of linoleum becomes a good connecting strip between two rooms.
Types of docking thresholds
Today, different floor mats are used:
- Straight lines are used to join materials located on the same level.
- Differences are used for materials of different heights. Suitable for joining linoleum with parquet, laminate and tiles.
- Finishings are laid in the place where the linoleum coating is completed. Usually these options are used in openings.
The size of the sills are narrow and wide. Narrow ones are less noticeable, while wide ones are used to close wide gaps.
These elements are made of different materials: metal, plastic, rubber and cork.
Metal
The most popular metal options. They can be used for a long time. Externally, the models look very presentable. Product dataavailable in aluminum or brass. The aluminum nut is more common, as it is more affordable. Such planks have one drawback: they are slippery. It is better to give preference to aluminum sills with a grooved strip in the middle.
During the production process, metal thresholds are painted in colors that mimic gold, silver or bronze. Lamination allows you to create skirting boards with the texture of stone, wood or other materials.
Plastic
Plastic sills made from polyvinyl chloride are no less in demand. The rich color palette of these elements is impressive. Paint is added to the original composition. Typically, such products are used to connect carpet and linoleum.
Another advantage of plastic skirting boards is the ability to bend. That is why they are ideal for curved joints. The service life of these products is not so great. Over time, the attractive appearance is lost. After a while it needs to be replaced. The cost of plastic thresholds is low, so you will not hurt the family budget.
Rubber and cork strips
Two versions of rubber thresholds are also used: completely made of rubber and with an aluminum base. They are used when it is necessary to minimize the slip of the coating. Rubber skirting boards are suitable for joining curved seams.
Cork planks are ideal for joining linoleum. This material has excellent cushioning properties. Their other name is compensation rails. Today, cork sills are made in various sizes andforms.
Installation
Requires proper sill installation. Often they are attached to dowels. In this case, a plinth with an aluminum strip is used. This type of fastening is hidden. The dowels are hidden under the lining. The flooring looks perfect.
For fastening the thresholds when laying linoleum with arcuate or curved joints, you can mount the strips in two ways:
- Using a flexible baseboard attached to the floor. They put on a decorative bar. Such products are easily bent, which is very convenient.
- Aluminum profile hides narrow joints.
The threshold will complete the design of the coating and will provide an opportunity to embody various ideas in terms of design.
Docking with laminate and tiles
Connecting two pieces of linoleum is quite simple. It is much more difficult to connect the edge of this material with a tile or laminate. For high-quality docking, several problems are required:
- height difference;
- choosing a similar or contrasting color;
- hermetic connection of materials.
If such a docking is required, it is worth using a threshold. This method is suitable when the materials are located on the same level. If a step is planned, it is possible to use an angled profile.
If the linoleum connection between the rooms is done correctly, the coating will always be dry and clean. At the same time, the material will look very attractive on the outside. Execute worksimple enough. You will be able to do everything yourself. There will be no problem with this.
