When the repair of the balcony is almost complete, windows and doors are installed, one small final detail remains - the installation of the balcony threshold. It is believed that if the balcony is glazed, then the threshold for entering the balcony is optional. But experienced builders advise be sure to install a threshold on the balcony.

The main reasons for installing a threshold on a balcony

In fact, a threshold on a balcony door performs several tasks:

• The aesthetic appearance of the entrance to the balcony is improved. With the help of the threshold, a smooth transition is made from the floor of the main room to the exit to the balcony.
• Even if the balcony is glazed, the threshold on the balcony door serves as an additional obstacle for cold air to enter the room. If the balcony is not glazed, then the threshold serves not only as a heat-preserving protection, but also prevents moisture and dampness from entering the room.
• Safety and ease of movement. The chances of stumbling over the high threshold of the balcony door are much greater in cases where the threshold on the balcony is not installed.

Making a threshold to the balcony with your own hands is a completely feasible task even for a beginner and inexperienced builder. But here, as in any construction business, there are professional nuances, without knowledge of which you cannot do in order to get a successful result of your self-made deed.

Options for thresholds for a balcony made of various materials

In order for the threshold to harmoniously fit into the interior of the room, it is necessary that the step in the opening of the balcony door matches the color of the floor covering of the room.

For finishing the threshold, depending on the preferences and design of the room, the following materials are used:

How to make a threshold to the balcony yourself

The technology for manufacturing a threshold for a balcony includes several stages:

If the difference between the floor levels is quite large, then a brick base is used instead of a cement-sand mixture. When the threshold to the balcony is finally ready, it is recommended not to step on it during the day.

For clarity and understanding of all the details of the process, there are a lot of videos on the Internet on how to make a threshold on the balcony with your own hands. A clear video instruction will explain to the novice master all the stages of making a balcony threshold.

I often hear from people that plastic balcony threshold flexes when stepped on. Having heard about this, some clients even refuse to install such a threshold on the balcony and ask to come up with an alternative to it.

As you already understood, this article will focus on the strength of the plastic threshold on the balcony door, or rather, how to quickly and efficiently install it. And the main thing is not expensive, that is, without resorting to additional costs for materials.

Plastic threshold to the balcony

First, you need to know why the threshold bends. This is not because it is plastic. This is because they install it. There are two options. Either the installers are in a hurry, or they don't know how to do it right.

Yes, the plastic threshold is the same PVC window sill. He has some flexibility. But, if you put the window sill on a flat and solid surface, and step on it, then I assure you, it will not bend!

1. Fast, high quality and cheap - installation of a threshold on point supports
2. Long, costly, well, in general, "hemorrhoid", but also of high quality - installation of a threshold on a slab made of mortar or expanded polystyrene

How to install a plastic threshold on a balcony on chiseled supports?

This is the same method that I have been using all the time for many years.

Point-supported threshold. It looks simple, but there is a certain order of actions that must be done. Let's start in order. But first, a little digression.

My personal recommendation is to install the plastic threshold only on the inside of the balcony door. From the outside, that is, on the balcony, there is no need to install a plastic threshold. Note that in Soviet houses, and not only where wooden windows were installed, there were no thresholds on the outside on the balconies. Not a large brick or concrete ledge was made, which was plastered and that's it. If, you put yourself a plastic threshold on the balcony on the outside of the balcony door, then as a rule this threshold will be higher and wider than the old one, and even more so above the floor on the balcony.

And now attention is the most important thing. Imagine that when you exit the room from the room, you first normally step on the inner plastic threshold, which is usually equal to the length of your foot, then you step over the very PVC door profile box itself, and then a threshold grows on your way, usually 15 cm wide that does not fit a person's foot. That is, you will have to cross this external threshold, and it will be more difficult to do than to cross the old Soviet threshold (especially for the elderly), and therefore you will have to stumble all the time.

In general, all this is written above in order to make it clear that installing a plastic threshold outside the balcony door is not advisable. And further, we will only talk about the inner threshold.

So, the procedure is as follows. After installing a balcony door, or a balcony block (as a rule), it is the turn of the threshold. Let's skip the details on how to measure and cut the threshold. This is in another article. Next, we take the following set of tools:

• Level 400 or 600 mm, depending on the width of the threshold
• Elbow 90 degrees, also 400 or 600 mm, again depending on the width of the threshold
• Construction knife
• Hammer
• Threshold trimming (always remains when threshold trimming)

First of all, we take the trim from the threshold. As a rule, its length is almost equal to the threshold extension. We slip this scrap under the door frame, for example, from the left edge, and put wooden kolobashki, which are pricked with a construction knife and hammer under this scrap so that it is pressed against the frame. As you can imagine, then instead of trimming there will be a threshold, which will rise in the same way.

After our trim is pressed to the bottom of the door frame, that is, it fits tightly under the frame, you need to set this trim to a horizontal level, since the threshold will then be set. And, accordingly, put the balls under the middle so that there is no deflection. Thus, the left row will be exposed. Then, all the same must be done with each row. If the threshold is less than one meter, then four to five rows are enough.

Now that all the point supports are aligned, you need to make sure that they are aligned at the same level, that is, in one line. To do this, we take our plastic threshold, previously cut off and put it on point supports. We check the evenness with a level or square. And we also check the deflection. To do this, you need to stand on the threshold and walk a little along it. Then, making sure that everything is level and firm, we remove the threshold, moisten the surface with water and apply polyurethane foam to the anchor points so that we get a pattern in the form of a lattice.

This is how the threshold is set on the balcony. Yes, the most important thing is not to forget to put the load on the threshold.

How to install a plastic threshold on a balcony on a slab made of mortar or expanded polystyrene?

The principle of a slab made of mortar is clear to everyone, so I will not focus on this. I will just repeat that this method requires a lot of time, which you yourself understand is not.

It is also difficult with expanded polystyrene. Here it is necessary that the platform under the threshold be flat. And it is difficult to choose the thickness of the material. That is, again, it is expensive, difficult and time-consuming.

Other types of threshold to the balcony

Now you know how to install a plastic threshold on a balcony. It remains to talk about other types of thresholds for the balcony, or rather, thresholds made of other materials. Such as:

• Laminate
• Tile
• Linoleum
• Parquet

But, the best threshold to the balcony- this is when he is not. That is, when the floor in the room comes right up to the balcony door, and is flush with the floor on the balcony. In this case, they knock down the concrete threshold, raise the floor on the balcony, redo the floor in the room, well, in general, this is a large-scale event.

Well, I think it would be nice to shoot your own video on how to install a plastic threshold on a balcony. I'll post it in the near future.

The balcony threshold is a transitional area between the room and the balcony or loggia. Often, when decorating an apartment, it is left unattended. And in vain! It can also be distinguished somehow. Below are 5 options for finishing the balcony threshold, with which you can make it more accurate.

There are several ways to decorate the threshold of the balcony. But the choice of finishing material depends largely on the design of the room. After all, if an element such as brickwork is present in the room, the plastic threshold will not always be appropriate. Below are the most popular options for finishing the balcony threshold.

Wood

First, a frame is made from a bar, its size is adjusted, focusing on the size of the threshold. They additionally reinforce the case with metal plates to make it more durable. Then holes are drilled in the corners in order to easily fix the threshold in the future. After installing the structure, the rough version is closed with a chipboard sheet: they take a piece according to the size of the threshold and fix it with self-tapping screws. Then it is varnished.

Attention! This option for finishing the threshold is more suitable for a room decorated in Provence or country style. "Wooden step" in the interior of the room will bring some zest.

Plastic

Plastic is the most popular type of balcony threshold finishing, but not the most durable. Someone thinks that an interior with such a threshold looks cheap, but in fact it is not. It looks great if the door and windows are made of PVC.

Before installation work, they clean off all the debris, and then cut out the plastic blank to the desired size. Glue is applied to the surface of the step and the threshold is mounted on top. Self-tapping screws are also screwed into the wall and the voids are filled with foam. After the foam has set, its excess is removed, and the corners are formed with special corners.

Brick and tile

To complete the installation of a brick threshold, first dismantle the old threshold, if it has completely become unusable. The surface is cleaned of dust and debris. Then putty is applied to it to roughen it up. The next step is brick laying. A row of bricks is placed on the layer of gypsum-cement mortar. The last layer of putty is applied to the last row and after it has set, the surface of the threshold is tiled.

Worth knowing! A small gap for tiles must be left between the balcony door and the last row of brickwork.

A balcony threshold tiled with tiles looks better if the walls are lighter than the tiles themselves. It can be used to decorate not only brickwork. The main condition is that the surface must be flat.

Laminate

It is a great alternative to wood flooring. In addition, a lot of laminate is not required - one plank is enough. They make measurements, then cut off the desired piece, check for any flaws. Then, with the help of liquid nails, they are glued to the threshold, pressing it tightly. After the glue dries, the edges are closed with corners.

Linoleum

The necessary measurements are made, then a linoleum blank is cut out from them. Then the base is coated with construction glue and this piece of linoleum is pressed against the surface of the threshold. To make its joints in the future less exposed to various damage, metal corners are attached.

This finish of the balcony threshold is perfectly combined with a wooden floor or laminate flooring. In addition, if the doors and walls of the room are light, the dark threshold will stand out perfectly against their background.

Technologically, there is a threshold under the balcony door, at the exit to the balcony, in all civil houses. The question is why? It is unlikely that the answer, because it is so laid down in the projects will suit us. What role does the threshold of the balcony door play and what its dismantling can lead to, how you can remove the threshold of the balcony door, we will answer in this article.

Balcony door threshold

It seems quite reasonable to think to remove the threshold of the balcony door when combining the kitchen, room and balcony or equipping the balcony as a functional room in the apartment. But do not get excited and demolish the threshold on the advice of friends, if the threshold was made, then it is needed for some reason?

Standard balcony threshold

Why do I need a threshold under the balcony door

It all depends on the type of your home, or rather, on the type of your balcony.

Note: We must understand that there are balconies in houses and loggias different from them.

The loggia, in contrast to the balcony, is the structure of the house, and the floor of the loggia is a remote or built-in part of the ceiling. A balcony, on the other hand, is a separate cantilever structure, which is joined to the structure of the house and is subjected to a bending load.

• Rice. (c) and (d) we see that the balcony slab is outboard, but supported from below.
• In fig. (b) we see that the balcony slab is a continuation of the floor slab.
• In fig (a), we see that the balcony slab is portable and is held only by the upper outer slab of the house on the next floor.

After installing the frame and doors with access to the balcony, it becomes necessary to make a threshold for the balcony door. At first glance, it seems that it is easy to make. Indeed, for the knowledgeable it is not difficult. But for someone who is going to do it on their own and for the first time, it will not be easy. However, if you follow the advice of experienced builders on how to make a threshold to the balcony, you can easily cope with this task.

Benefits of balcony thresholds

Balcony thresholds have several advantages and useful features.

Firstly, the aesthetic appearance of the balcony door becomes better. So there is a smooth transition from the floor of the room to the lower lintel of the door to the balcony.

Secondly, in addition to the foam on which the door is installed, the threshold performs additional protective function against cold ingress through the foam (and it happens). This is especially important when the balcony itself does not have an installed balcony frame and is not glazed. Such balconies do not have protection from external factors of moisture and dampness. If, after rain, water ends up on the balcony, then, without a threshold, a large percentage of humidity will pass through the micro-slots in the room.

Thirdly, the warmth of the room will not be lost through such cold bridges as propene places.

Fourth, there is less chance of stumbling over a high threshold for a balcony door.

What can a threshold be made of?

How to make a threshold on the balcony with your own hands? What materials are needed for this? The threshold can be made from:

• silicate brick;
• cement-sand mortar and tiles;
• plastic;
• wood.

In this article, we will look at each option step by step.

Brick threshold

Such a threshold is usually done when the floor level is significantly lower than the frame of the door block to the balcony. The thickness of the brick will help eliminate this discrepancy and save on cement-sand mortar.

What is needed for such work? For work, you will need the following materials:

• bricks (preferably silicate);
• cement;
• sand;
• drill;
• mixer;
• perforated corner;
• metal beacon;
• hammer;
• roulette;
• putty knife.

Practical tips for work:

First you need to prepare the base, the place where the threshold will be mounted. To do this, you need to remove the floor from dirt and dust. You can clean the plane with an old spatula. Further, priming process... This is necessary for the final dedusting of the surface and improvement of adhesion. It is better to do this with a primer that leaves a roughness after drying. This enhances the adhesion of bricks to the floor surface, floor slab. Since there are many manufacturers of primers, their names may vary. Therefore, in a hardware store with a seller, you can clarify the option that suits you.

Then you need to prepare a solution of cement and sand. Proportion: one to three. One measure of cement for three measures of sand. For quick adhesion of the solution, you need to add a little gypsum mixture (satengips or isogypsum) to it. For mixing, use a mixer installed on a drill.

The mortar is placed evenly on the floor with a spatula, and bricks are placed on the mortar. Necessary do not forget to apply the mortar to the sides of the bricks so that they are also fastened to each other, and not only to the floor. Due to the reversal of the slopes of the doors, you may have to hammer the outermost bricks with a hammer to bring down the corner. Then they can normally occupy the area of ​​the threshold.

Try to position the bricks so that they do not reach the level with the outer wall about three centimeters. If the threshold is planned to be tiled, and at the end too, then at least 4 cm.

At the corner of the bricks, you need to put a perforated corner, and at the door - a lighthouse. Freeze them with the same solution. After a few minutes, the mortar will set and can be poured onto the brick, leveling it along the way. With a spatula, level the plane, trying to make it as even as possible. The corner and beacon should help with this. Do the same from the end. It is important to take care that there are no voids left.

After leveling and drying, the threshold is ready for cladding. The material for this can be both tiles and laminate or linoleum.

An option of how you can trim the threshold on the balcony with linoleum is shown in this video.

Threshold made of cement-sand mortar

If the balcony doors are not installed so high that the sill is poured out of bricks and then filled with mortar, there is a way to make it only from cement mortar. To do this, you will need a formwork from a board 2 cm thick, pressed against the plane of the wall, in the line of which the threshold should go.

For work you will need:

• broken brick;
• board 20 mm thick, length - from 120 cm to 150 cm (formwork);
• gypsum mixture (satengips, isogypsum);
• hammer;
• roulette;
• putty knife;
• half-rub.

Installation of a cement mortar threshold using formwork follows the same sequence:

1. preparation of the base, cleaning;
2. padding;
3. installation of formwork;
4. kneading a cement-sand mortar with the addition of a gypsum mixture;
5. broken brick is poured into the place of pouring the solution, which, together with the cement-sand mixture, will be something like concrete;
6. pouring solution;
7. leveling the mortar with a spatula and a polisher.

It is necessary to level the cement mortar because it is the finish. After it dries, the surface will be ready for cladding. As a result, you may end up with a threshold on the balcony made of tiles, laminate or covered with linoleum. Before installing the laminate, both in this case and in the case of a brick threshold, remember to install the underlay. It will prevent the transfer of cold from the cement / brick floor to the laminate.

Threshold on the balcony photo

In this section, you can see a few more photos on the topic of our article about what and how you can make a threshold on the balcony with your own hands.