How to Install Laminate Flooring Next to Tile Flooring
- 1). Prepare the subfloor for the laminate flooring installation. Clean the subfloor completely, and place a layer of polyethylene film sheets 6 millimeters thick onto the floor as a moisture barrier, overlapping sheets at the edges by 8 inches. Put a layer of foam underlayment on the sheets to act as a noise reducer and to soften the surface of the floor beneath the laminate flooring, extending 2 inches up the walls and secured with masking tape.
- 2). Install the laminate flooring starting from the corner of the room and moving toward the center. Leave a gap at the walls of 1/4 inch for expansion of the laminate flooring due to temperature changes. Glue the laminate into place using an adhesive spread onto the rear of the flooring. Make sure the flooring is placed firmly by tapping each piece into place with a tapping block and rubber mallet. For partial floor pieces, measure the spot where the partial piece is to be placed, and cut as needed using a circular saw for planks or a tile cutter for laminate tiles. Place masking tape over any floor seams until the glue has set.
- 3). Allow every two rows of flooring to set for 20 minutes before continuing to the next two. Remove excess adhesive with a dry cloth as you go along. When the entire surface has been laid, cut away the excess foam from the walls, remove the tape and install the baseboards and trim.
- 4). Purchase the transition track and strip made specifically for your laminate flooring type. The track is a long, narrow bar that the strip fits snugly over.
- 5). Place the transition track between the laminate and tile floor surfaces, securing it into place, flat side down, with either nails or screws.
- 6). Trim the transition strip so that it fits level against both the laminate and the tile flooring surfaces, sanding the strip until it lays flush against both floor surfaces.
- 7). Place the transition strip onto the track using the groove in the bottom of the strip. Secure the strip to the track firmly by tapping it into place with the mallet.
