Nowadays, the open room concept has become established - the living area therefore houses not only the living room, but also the dining area and the kitchen. The multifunctional room offers many advantages - on the one hand it is a space-saving solution for the small apartment, on the other hand it becomes the center of communication in the large house. This means the family can sit down and spend time together cooking, eating or playing. But it is precisely this functionality that poses a major challenge when designing walls, ceilings and, above all, floors. The living space, which is divided into zones, has different requirements - while the flooring in the kitchen with dining area is subject to heavy wear and therefore has to be impact, scratch and abrasion resistant, in the living room the main focus is on comfort - heat-promoting parquet and floorboards prove to be the case the perfect variant. In the article you will find out how parquet and tiles can be combined stylishly and functionally in a room and how the transition is designed with and without expansion joints.
The basic principles at a glance
For a successful transition between parquet and tiles, a little prior knowledge of the materials is necessary. Parquet is made from hard wood - the material is initially cut into small pieces and can be laid in different patterns as desired. The floor covering requires a stable surface on which it is either glued or laid floating. First, impact sound insulation is laid on the screed and then a vapor-tight film is laid. For edges, corners, heating pipes, etc., the planks are cut out with a saw.
Tiles are glued to a screed. First, a deep primer is applied with a brush - this binds the dust and ensures good adhesion. Special tile adhesive will soon be mixed and applied to the work surface with a notched spatula. At the end, tiling and grouting are carried out.
Basically, if installed correctly, both floor coverings are very durable and easy to maintain. In any case, if they are combined in one room, then the big challenge arises – the transition. On the one hand, floorboards and tiles often have different material thicknesses, which can be compensated for with the screed. Secondly, the two materials behave differently when exposed to steam and heat - wood essentially expands more than tiles. It absorbs moisture, which is why joints must be provided that can accommodate the change in length of the material. Underfloor heating can also speed up the process. The type of installation doesn't play a big role - it doesn't matter whether the parquet is glued or floating. The joint size is calculated based on the parquet size.
This movement joint prevents the parquet from arching upwards. What the transition will look like in the end depends, among other things, on whether the tiles are laid first or the floorboards are laid. There are basically several options to choose from. We take a closer look at them.
Combine parquet and tiles – transition without a rail
A transition profile is the quickest and easiest solution, but purely visually a clean transition without a rail makes more difference. In this case, a stainless steel finishing profile can separate the tiles from the floorboards. For this purpose, the parquet is laid first, then the profile is installed at a distance of approx. 7-8mm from the edge of the parquet. The tiles are laid and the 8mm movement gap created by the distance is finally filled with spray cork. Another option is to fill the expansion joint with silicone. The rule of thumb is: the joint should be at least as deep as it is wide. At the end, excess is removed and the silicone surface is smoothed.
The transition with an expansion joint made of silicone or cork is ideal for wet areas. This means you can easily separate the kitchen from the living room and dining area. All the more so – it can be designed flexibly in terms of shape. The photo above is an excellent example of successful floor design. This method is mainly used in sleeping areas with a bathroom, in living areas with a kitchen and in transitions between hallways and rooms.
In which room does the transition with an expansion joint look good?
Our tip: Choose contrasting materials - this way you can set accents, visually divide the room and give even simple furnishings more flair. Marble tiles give the floor in the bathroom an exclusive look and refine the interior in no time. The granite tiles have established themselves as real all-rounders - they cut a particularly good figure in the kitchen, but are also ideal as a transition between the living room and the adjoining terrace. Especially when the interior opens up to the garden through large sliding doors, the boundary between the house and the outside area merges. In this case, the tiles don't just serve as a connecting element in the interior - they are very practical and can easily withstand rainwater and snow. And the care is also very easy.
Herringbone parquet, which was trendy in the 60s and 70s, is making a real comeback these days - so anyone who lives in an old building can of course look forward to it. The transition to the parquet is really stylish when individual wooden bars replace the tiles. The floor pictured above is an excellent example of a successful mix of modernity and tradition. Even more so - together with the white walls, it forms the perfect background for shabby chic, Scandinavian or eclectic living styles. Its only disadvantage is that it is difficult to install - it is best to hire professionals to do the job.
Transition through a straight joint
For square rooms or living areas with a large fitted kitchen with a cooking island, the alternative is to hexagonal tiles and joints filled with silicone or sprayed cork. A clear edge is definitely preferable here. The tiles and the floor create exciting contrasts that are even better accentuated thanks to the brass strip. The combination between dark parquet floors made of exotic wood and white looks particularly attractiveTiles with geometric motifs(see photo above). The kitchen with handleless fronts and the granite cooking island give the interior a retro look.
Even in French country house style kitchens, the clear edge separates the rustic floorboards from thewhite polished tiles. The oak wood with its attractive grain forms a stylish ensemble together with the large format tiles.
When installing such an edge, particular attention must be paid to balancing the levels between the parquet and tiles. Another option is to use mosaic tiles as a transition between the wooden floor and the tiles. For this purpose, the mosaic tiles are laid in a bed of mortar.
Combining tiles with laminate – what do you have to consider?
Admittedly –Laminate is practical and looks goodand can be easily installed even by people with no manual experience thanks to the click system. Nowadays there is a wide variety of designs to choose from - many are confusingly similar to real floorboards and parquet floors. But what does it look like when laminate flooring is laid under the seating area in the living area and tiles in the adjacent kitchen? What do you have to consider?
One thing in particular plays a role in the end result - namely that laminate, like parquet, expands. The installation is similar here - first the living area is tiled and then the laminate is laid floating. The transition between the two floor coverings is necessarily carried out by a rail. It is L-shaped, is attached to the screed with dowels and fulfills an important function - namely, leaves enough free space so that the laminate can change shape in the winter months.
When it comes to choosing colors, everything is possible here - both a contrasting floor design and tone-on-tone designs where the border between tiles and laminate flooring is barely visible. So everyone can choose the right one according to their own preferences.
Which tiles go well with wooden furniture and parquet?
The decision has been made - the kitchen will be tiled, the living room - with parquet. But then at the latest the question arises: Which tiles suit my living style and, if the house is currently being renovated, which colors and patterns are suitable for a rustic interior with wooden furniture?
Light woods such as Douglas fir, oak, maple, ash or birch give the room a homely character. Tiles in light colors (e.g. ivory or cream) go particularly well with beige woods with a yellowish undertone such as Douglas fir, oak and ash. Dark brown models can also be effectively showcased next to the parquet made of light local wood. Warm gray tiles in gray beige complement the ash perfectly.
When it comes to furniture, rustic wooden furniture made from the same wood as the flooring looks particularly great. If you dare, you can even paint the parquet in a colorful way (see photo above) and thus bring variety to the interior.
Dark woods such as mahogany, wenge, merbau or walnut radiate depth. Light gray (silver gray, dove gray) and metal tiles in particular harmonize with this. The exciting mix of colors forms the perfect background for furnishings in a trendy industrial style. The black chairs and the cross-legs of the dining table come to the fore. The untreated table top made of recycled wood gives the dining area the finishing touches and, together with the gray sofa in the background, rounds off the furniture.
If you prefer to furnish according to the motto “contrasts create tension”, you should stick to two rules of thumb – choose two neutral colors for the background and combine them with two, a maximum of three, accent colors. In the photo above, for example, the old-look look makes the colorful parquet make its grand entrance. Orange, yellow and red create a cozy atmosphere in the living area. Combined with furniture painted in white, the floor covering comes into its own better.
Combining tiles and parquet – tips for a successful renovation
Tiles and parquet can be easily combined with each other - provided you stick to these rules:
- Create a sketch of the room. Based on the sketch, calculate the required quantities of each material.
- Get advice from both the tile manufacturer and the parquet supplier. Choose the best possible variant according to the room conditions.
- Regardless of whether you ultimately decide on a transition with or without a rail – wood absorbs moisture and expands over time. You should therefore definitely provide an expansion joint so that it can accommodate the change in length of the material.
- The joint can be filled with silicone, with spray cork or with special joint compound.
- Whether you visually hide the joint with an edge or prefer a flexible design with silicone depends closely on the shape of the tile.
- Laminate, like parquet, can change shape. In this case, the expansion joint is also an absolute must.
- Depending on whether the parquet is made of light or dark wood, with a yellowish, grayish or pink undertone, different color combinations are available.
- Light woods with yellowish grains look particularly attractive in combination with gray tiles and white wooden furniture.
- Dark woods can be highlighted with metal or anthracite tiles. Furniture in a trendy industrial look completes the interior.
Whether in the hallway, in the kitchen or in the bathroom – patterned models quickly become eye-catchers in the interior. Retro tiles with geometric patterns are currently in vogue. So that it doesn't look too chaotic, the floorboards should be as simple as possible.
