Laying laminate flooring without thresholds

Laminate flooring laid as a continuous carpet throughout the apartment looks aesthetically pleasing and durable. It is comfortable to move around. The absence of thresholds simplifies the cleaning process. But is everything so clear? In this article we will look at different sides of this issue. We will tell you under what conditions laying a floor without thresholds makes it possible to enjoy its benefits, and under what conditions it can create problems.

Laying laminate flooring in an apartment without thresholds

To obtain the desired effect from laying laminate flooring without thresholds throughout the apartment, it is necessary to comply with some mandatory requirements. Violating them is fraught with negative consequences that can outweigh the attractiveness and comfort obtained as a result of this method of flooring.

It should be noted that all laminate manufacturers clearly recommend performing work with tearing of the sheet in doorways. When laying rooms with a large area, it is necessary to make expansion joints, which make it possible to compensate for the processes of seasonal expansion of the dies.

Multilayer flooring is a derivative of wood that retains its ability to absorb moisture from the air and upon direct contact. During periods of wet weather, fluctuations in air temperature, and flooding with water, such processes inevitably lead to physical expansion of the dies.Violation of the recommendations for their installation will result in swelling of the coating, squeaks or the appearance of cracks between the dies. This may reduce the strength of the locking clutch or cause the dies to fall out. Manufacturers of German and Belgian products refer to 100 m2 (or a room of 10 by 10 meters) as the maximum solid floor area for laying a single carpet. For products produced on Russian lines, this area is 48 m2 (or a room 8 by 6 meters).

The risk of installing seamless laminate flooring over a large area or throughout an entire apartment/house can only be taken on by experienced craftsmen who are well aware of the parameters of the physical expansion of the material, the technology of its installation and are able to flawlessly perform the work in specific conditions. The first condition is to prepare an ideal foundation for further work. In this case, it is better to exclude even surface level fluctuations allowed by the manufacturer.

IMPORTANT. The base of the floor must be perfectly level.

This effect is achieved in different ways, depending on which base is being leveled. It can be:

• liquid leveling mixtures/thin-layer self-leveling floors - for concrete bases;
• impeccably made flooring made of OSB boards and plywood;
• leveling using a scraper or grinder - for wooden floors.

It is allowed to level the concrete floor using a mosaic grinder.

Information regarding the maximum permissible area on which laminate flooring can be laid without thresholds is contained in the instructions placed on the inserts in packs with dies. The parameters of permissible base humidity and other recommendations regarding the installation of the material are also indicated there.

IMPORTANT.The entire surface of the base for installation must be set to zero. After this, it is brought to a perfectly clean state.

Carrying out flooring work in two or more rooms with one carpet without a threshold requires professional knowledge and skills. Carrying out such work by a non-professional is only possible after careful preparation.

Laminate flooring is classified according to its strength level. A higher class will ensure appropriate coating quality and a long service life. When choosing, you should pay attention to the density of the dies and the quality of the connections. When choosing a class of material for flooring without thresholds, we focus on the most intensively used premises. Otherwise, the coating in it will deteriorate noticeably earlier than in others. This will force you to replace the entire surface covered with one carpet sooner.

Installing flooring in a private house will require the installation of hydro- and heat-insulating layers, which are laid across the direction of installation of the laminate. The backing is made with an overlap of about 10 cm.

IMPORTANT. Before starting work, the laminate must be in the same room for at least 2 days. Installation should not be carried out in high humidity. Its level must be acceptable as specified in the instructions for the material.

In areas adjacent to walls, door frames, pipes or other objects, be sure to leave technological gaps.

Advantages and disadvantages of this method

Professionals and manufacturers give preference to laminate flooring with thresholds. Work without thresholds is resorted to in cases where threshold profiles do not fit into the design project of an apartment or house or they are categorically not accepted by the customer.

We list the main advantages and disadvantages of the method without thresholds:

The table shows that flooring without thresholds has more disadvantages than advantages. In addition, manufacturers of decorative joints offer a wide range of finishes with stone, wood and other materials of various shades and shapes. With their help you can create smooth joints, rounded and more complex shapes.

How to lay laminate flooring without thresholds

To rationally use the material, it is advisable to take accurate measurements and make a scaled layout of the dies on paper, taking into account the direction of their laying. You should start working from the wall with a window in the largest room and move towards the exit.

Further operations are performed in the following sequence:

• the lock of the first row dies needs to be cut down;

• Along the perimeter of the room, purchased wedges or home-made spacers ≈ 12 mm wide are placed close to the walls to create a technological gap for expanding the dies without swelling (they are removed at the end of the work);

• preliminary laying of the first row to determine the length of the last lamella;

IMPORTANT: If the preliminary laying of the first row shows that the last lamella needs to be cut by more than two-thirds, shorten the length of the first lamella in the row by one-third.

• after laying the first row, all subsequent rows are installed with a shift of 1/3 or 1/2 of the lamella length (equally over the entire area).

The technological gap should not be increased to avoid swelling of the coating, as this leads to the formation of gaps between the lamellas.

Laying laminate flooring in two rooms without a threshold

Laying laminate flooring in a doorway without a threshold between rooms will require special attention and preparation. Professionals believe that the flooring should be installed before installing the door frame. In this case, the laminate is cut to the shape of the doorway. If the door is already installed, you need to remove the door leaf and make a cut in the door frame into which to insert the lamella. The cut is made so that there is no pressure on the laminate; the gap should be ≈ 10 mm. To do this, lay a lamella with a backing on the subfloor next to the door frame, mark a horizontal line (taking into account the gap), along which the cut is then made. After installing all the slats, install the baseboard. If the room with laminate is adjacent to the kitchen in which the tiles are laid, the tiles joining the tiles must be cut as accurately as possible, and the joint should be grouted with a special grout.