All about cork floors. Whether the choice of cork floors is justified. Rectangular or square tile

Cork, as a cork flooring is used for several decades in Western Europe. We also appeared relatively recently. However, the recognition of consumers received very quickly, so deserves to talk about it more.

What is it from?

Outdoor adhesive cork coating is characterized by such a component composition:

cork crumb;
polyurethane varnish;
cork decorative veneer;
mDF layer - if we are talking about a three-layer board.

To obtain cork crumbs crushed the cortex of cork oak. For drying granules, special ovens are used. At the end of this procedure, they are mixed with glue and pressed. The result is a cellular closed structure. This peculiar carpet of natural material is cut on the plates, which are then screwed, that is, a cork decorative veneer is applied to them. The final stage of production of the floor covering from the tube consists of grinding, after which the material is covered with varnish - in the manufacture of single-layer plates, or an additional agglomerated substrate from the tube is performed from below and the base MDF in the midst - for three-layer.

Laca The plug surface is open twice:

first, polyurethane varnish are applied and dried under ultraviolet rays;
then, after re-applying, it is frozen under pressure.

Interesting: Such technology contributes to the preparation of high, not inferior to parquet of natural wood, wear-resistant qualities. In the residential premises, the lacquer coating will be at least 5 years.

Types of cork coating

The above describes the technology of production of cork flooring as a whole. However, several types of this material can be found on the market, which differ in the first place at the price. Experts allocate such a plug for floor arrangement:

Whole veneer - The most expensive view of this material. In one collection, the selection of the flooring occurs in color.

Agglomerate - Cork crook, pressed into a single integer at high temperatures. In production, any pieces are involved, even very small.

Large veneer combined with agglomerate - Material compromise. Here are also selected expensive particles, and small pieces.

Of particular differences in mechanical properties and wear resistance, these types of plugs do not have. It is found in another: the difference in the appearance and the use of various plasticizers for better gluing cork pieces. The presence of some additives in the material gives reason to think about its naturalness and real ecology.

Attention! Very often, sellers in the retail network declare the best quality of the natural cork, meaning the veneer, and in fact implement agglomerate.

Advantages - the opinion of manufacturers and sellers

Environmental Safety.
Presentable appearance.
Long service life.
The best way is reflected in the natural regulation of air humidity in the room.
Endowed with bactericidal properties.
Natural antistatic.

In addition, due to the cellular structure, the cork floor has elasticity and ease, as well as high heat insulating and soundproofing qualities. It is for this reason that in residential premises and commercial destination is relevant cork flooring - consumer reviews in this case are the best proof of its functionality.

It is important that closed cells make the material fireproof - the coating is very difficult to burn, and at the same time there are no toxic combustion products. The plug is not sinking in water, that is, the percentage of its water absorption does not exceed 2%. Especially this quality is of great importance in an apartment building, where unpleasant surprises come from neighbors who have broken the pipe with water or they forgot to close the crane. In other words, if they were filled from above, then after drying the cork floor does not lose a magnificent appearance and its technical characteristics remain at the same level.

Opinion! The plug is distinguished by resistance to mechanical deformation - after a point load, a complete recovery takes place to the initial state.

Disadvantages - consumer reviews

FirstlyIt is worth mentioning the most significant lack of an outdoor coating of a genuine plug - high cost. It depends on such parameters as: the thickness of the cork layer and the type of coating.

SecondlyOften, you can hear complaints of consumers pointing to the fact that traces from furniture still remain on traffic jam. No matter how cool, and the trace from the bulky cabinet or the sofa will not completely disappear.

ThirdlyThe protective layer is erased over time. In rooms with large patency (kitchen, corridor) you can clearly define the "trotten" track. This factor indicates that special care is needed behind the plug.

Cork

To wash the cork floor, detergents are used, as part of which there are no abrasive particles and solvents. The market presents a large selection of special care products, which not only protect it, but also give shine with lacquer coating. With their help, various contaminants are removed, including fat stains. To restore abrupt coverage, manufacturers are offered polyurethane varnish.

Methods of installation

In fact, there is nothing wisdom here - the cork floor can be laid in two ways:

Fixation with the use of special contact glue - adhesive floor.
Laying without adhesive composition - floating floor.

We hope that the information provided will be enough to make the right decision regarding the establishment of sex. We also suggest that you can understand whether a cork flooring is suitable for you - photo and video materials. In the end, I just want to add that thanks to its texture and availability of installation, the plug is a favorite material of interior designers.

Outdoor coating - almost the most important element of the interior decoration of the premises. It should be wear-resistant, beautiful, easy to care. It is desirable that it was nice to walk and still not frills legs. All these qualities correspond to the sexual coating from the traffic jam. Recently, the cork sex was very expensive. Not to say that now he is so low, but not so inaccessible.

Types of flooring for the floor

If we talk about appearance, that is, the cork floor with a traditional pattern in different colors. But such a drawing is far from everyone like, so there are collections that mimic wood, stone, sand, even lawn grass. Images are very realistic (photo printing), and they are applied directly on the plug layer - there is no intermediate layer, because such a floor is a product from natural components. From above, the pattern is covered with a protective layer of polyurethane or polyurethane varnish. Here is a protective layer - not the most natural, but there is no alternative - wood is also covered with varnish or paint.

Pros and cons

Cork floor has quite a lot of advantages. They are "quiet," elastic, elastic, well absorbs sounds, it does not spend warmly. For this floor, it is pleasant to walk in winter and summer. It is easy in cleaning - almost no applied, the dust will not "lipnet", the smooth surface is easy to clean. Some colors are so "non-coma" that garbage is not visible. This is simultaneously and minus - a damned small thing has to search for a long time.

One of the important advantages - the cork floor is warm and soft

There are few minuses - soft and high price. The softness is bad in that the coating "I remembered" under the weight - furniture, fallen heavy objects, heels. But this deficiency is compensated when it is covered with several layers of varnish. And so that he is not remembered under the furniture, choose it on the wide legs, as well as the felt on them. When permutations, it is also worth being caution - put plastic covers under the feet of furniture. They distribute the load well.

Structure

Both types of cork flooring - lock and adhesive - multi-layered, but they are different. Adhesive cork consists usually (bottom-up):

If we talk about the thickness, then this coverage is thinner. It is more flexible. This causes the requirements for the preparation of the foundation: manufacturers recommend to have an absolutely level basis. Otherwise, any jam or a humpback will be visible over time. The practice has been established that the differences can be, and significant (up to 5 mm), but they must be smooth. No "steps" or cracks, but a smooth gradual increase or a decrease is not visible. The size of the sizes formed during the laying is compensated by the elasticity of the coating.

The lock cork floor also consists of several layers:

Cork floor with a lock is tougher and very similar to laminate. But only looks like, as in the laminate - pressed paper covered with a film with a drawing film. The same material mainly consists of natural components. It is the rigidity that causes the softest requirements of the manufacturers to the base: there may be drops in height, but not more than 2 mm by 2 meters. Also under this coating can be putting the substrate, improving sound and heat insulation.

Castle or glue?

How to choose which cork sex is better, lock or adhesive? Everything is not bad, but has its own nuances. For ease of choice and a clearer view, the properties of the coatings are reduced to the table.

	Adhesive plug	Castle plug
Reaction to humidity	Not afraid of high humidity and "Flood"	Can swell when water gets
Base	Must be perfectly even (according to the requirements of manufacturers in general without drops)	Differs are allowed no more than 2 mm by 2 meters
Laying	Requires care or skills	Going easy
Speed \u200b\u200bof laying	Long-term process - to smear glue, wait until he dries, fit the plug, coat 2-3 layers of varnish	The floor of 10-15 square meters is collected per day (without experience)
Maintainability	You can cut a damaged fragment, replace and cover lacquer	You can replace a damaged bar, but it is necessary to disassemble the coating from the wall to the place of damage

From this we can conclude that the adhesive cork gender makes sense to lay in rooms with high humidity (kitchen, bathroom) and a large crossing (corridor, entrance hall). It can even be put in unheated premises or where the high differences of humidity and temperature (in the baths, for example). In residential rooms perfectly feels a lock cork covering. In his favor, there is simplicity of laying, but it is worth remembering that it is made on the basis of MDF and, if water penetrates into the seams, the base will swell, the bar is deformed. After drying, unfortunately, the former look will not return. But this is no different from ordinary laminate, so this is not such a big drawback in residential rooms. It is only necessary to clean the spilled liquid on time.

Cork floor with applied photo printing - Option for interior in style

This does not mean that the adhesive coating cannot be used in the rooms. It is very possible. Many people like it, since with a good layer of varnish has excellent strength - it is not formed with heels and furniture. Also castle. It can be covered on top of a layer of varnish (but not all firms) and use in the corridor, kitchen or bathroom. Still covered with its special oil with solid wax (type OSMO). Coating no less reliably protects from moisture penetration, but it is easier to apply and can be updated only in some places. Minus is a high price, but the minimum consumption is minimal in the lock tube - absorbed only into the joints.

Views and subspecies

Note that there is a glue cork floor of different thickness. The thinnest tile is 4 mm, it can be laid in rooms with low patency, but it would be better to use at least 6 mm coating. For the bathroom there is a special subspecies - large squares with a thickness of 10-12 mm and the size of 148 * 148 mm. A more subtle coating of the foot of the bathroom simply take through.

In addition, a glue cork is produced with the first lacquer layer. It is worth it, the case is more expensive, but the number of layers of varnish decreases - even one layer may be enough. Also, the facial surface of this type of floor finishing material is protected from dirt, and the plug is very easily dirty and all stains after varnishing become visible.

Modern cork covers have not only natural colors. There is with the applied image of wood of different color, sand with seashells, herbs ...

There are subspecies and from the castle cork. First of all it is worth saying that there is a moisture-proof version. The basis of this material is not MDF high density, but a special plate of PVC and quartz, which is not afraid of water and high humidity. But this material has no such a large range of colors and is even more.

Any cork laminate has a protective coating. But it can be made of two materials - varnish or transparent PVC. Varnish is more accustomed, but PVC is stronger. Although, the laid coating with the lacquer shoulder layer can be repaired, having achieved high moisture resistance, but is it possible to do this with a coating of PVC.

It is also worth considering when choosing an adhesive cork floor, which after applying the varnish its appearance is significantly changing. It becomes darker, transitions are not so bright. In order to more accurately imagine the end result, find the locking coating with the same coloring. You will like it as a result.

Cork manufacturers and quality

The market contains two major floor cork manufacturer: CorkStyle (Corkstyle) and Wicanders (Vicerters). Non bad respond about the South Korean manufacturers. They have no prices as high, but the quality is quite normal.

Specifically, in the process of choosing, pay attention to the cork conglomerate itself (pressed layer). To reduce costs, the chips and the other cheap material are added to it, but the quality of this product is already far from the traffic jam. It is more rigid, it is cut faster. Therefore, it is better to pay a little more expensive, but choose with a cork layer, albeit pressed.

Those who tend to choose the adhesive tube on the floor, it is worth knowing that even very good manufacturers plank are imperfect. They differ in size - plus-minus 1 mm in width or length - these are normal tolerances. They are compensated by the elasticity of the material: when laying, the plug is slightly compressed so that the joints are dense. In addition there are planks of different thickness. It is not compensating in any way, they have to sort out, sort. Thin fit in one place, where the transition be invisible, in thick excess on the edges they are tossed by sandpaper until the required thickness is achieved.

This is also a tube floor - in the nursery

In addition, defects are found on the front plug surface. It is laid out with a cork veneer, and this is a natural material. It is cached, ugly color changes, etc. There may also be an error of production - a veneer died in some places or a facial to the substrate. Before stacking, all tiles are inspected, the reached places are lined up, the remaining planks are used when laying in certain places. Read more about laying here, it is also painted where these straps with flaws use.

Cork laminate - there are no lock corks such problems - the protective coating all the flaws have already hidden. But when this material is selected, pay attention to the reliability of locks - in cheap materials they are the main problem.

The plug is a novelty of the floor covering. To date, disputes do not subscribe around the advantages and weaknesses of this material. It is exotic, expensive. What is the plug better than laminate? Is it possible to drain cork floors in the kitchen, bathroom? Let's analyze the situation from different sides.

What it is?

Cork floors - environmentally friendly material, for the production of which use the upper layer of cork of cork oak. It is a unique natural raw material: cork oak groves are found only in Europe. Non-standard specificity has a crust removal technique. The process requires exclusively manual labor. Perform the task of the master virtuoso: careful and directed actions are necessary for the separation of the top layer of the crust from its array that do not harm the tree itself.

As donor trees, only thirty-year-old oaks are used (not younger). If neatly and technology is agreed by the upper layer, the bark continues to grow, it will fill its stocks for a new portion of the material after 6 years. Natural collection, obtained from the tree, is processed on cork plates. They are the basis for creating a new floor.

Environmental purity plates guarantee their production. Corre is crushed and passed for special processing through heating in the furnaces. Then the resulting mass is pressed. Under the press, the particles of wood plugs are connected, creating a unique texture, externally similar to honeycombs.

This is a fairly durable substance impregnated with air bubbles (suberin). In order for the cork material to be stronger practical, the second layer of suberine is increasing in production. Flag of cork coverage is an interesting design solution in the decoration of an apartment or at home.

Natural cork has a beneficial effect on the human musculoskeletal system and its nervous system.

Features of the coating

Specialists are talking about a number of features of cork plates. Whole veneer is an expensive type of traffic jam. More available for the price cork agglomerate. This is a crumb compressed at high temperatures. It includes any small pieces of material. There is also a compromise option - a large veneer in the agglomerate. According to mechanical properties, expensive and budget variant are practically no different. Differences exist in appearance.

The highest characteristics are inherent in cork coatings 33 class.The properties of them are in the presence of a different basis, but equally efficient wear resistance. The hygiene and environmental friendliness of such a material is guaranteed by manufacturers. 33 class of cork laminate is considered the best. It is perfectly assembled, in composition has several layers: first balancing, then shock-absorbing, moisture resistant and a layer of genuine tube with a thickness of 3 mm.

This is a 100% natural material, a high-class cork veneer that performs a decorative and artistic role. Floor 33 of the class cannot damage any pets of pets, no frown knives or even axes. It is restored if after moving the cabinet in the floor remains dents from the legs.

Doctors advise sitting on such a floor: how much the healing effect transmits natural coating.

Views

The main types of cork coating for the floor are as follows:

Technical cork rolls. On the market, this material can be purchased by a metro. It is used mainly as a substrate when insulating the floor.
Cork tiles. Products are used for sticking when installing flooring. The adhesive sizes are different: squares are 300x300 or 450x450 mm, rectangular tiles are designed in parameters 600x300, 450x150 mm. When forming the floor, the variety of forms of the tile provides the ability to lay out various patterns and ornaments.
Parquet from traffic jam. This flooring is sometimes called floating floors. It has the basis of the MDF on which the plug is glued. Its size is 900x185 mm, the plates are outwardly similar to the laminate, but the texture of the material is completely different, genuine. Starts also with locks.

Cork finishing material is divided into several basic groups: sprayed, tile; liquid.

Tile cork covering provides for operation up to 40 years. It is resistant to aggressive substances, easily mounted. For laying, tiles are offered with a thickness of 6 mm, now manufacturers are produced on sale and more subtle (4 mm), but the thin tile is much more complicated when the floor is cleaned. It is better to apply on the board or sheets of wood.

Liquid coating - innovation in the finish, which appeared on the market recently. Mount it is easy: the technology is similar to ordinary staining. In the finished dry form, the liquid coating looks like a porous and at the same time dense surface. In the interior it is not much different with the tile, it looks elegant and prestigious. The sprayed coating differs from the liquid method of applying. This work is performed by a gun or compressor, to instruct it better by professional masters. Different firms offer more voluminous fragments for the production of work (cork panels) that allow you to quickly update the large floor area.

Pros and cons

Cork coverage has a lot of indisputable advantages. Despite the fact that its price is higher than that of the common laminate, this is a profitable and useful material:

Cork is environmentally friendly. Natural is the material itself, as well as the process of obtaining it.
The coating has high antistatic characteristics. The surface is not covered with dust, which is important for people prone to allergies.
The plug does not emit toxic substances when heated. It does not form a fungus, so the pad from the cork coverage will be appropriate in the bathroom.

Valuable quality is high sound insulation. Cork coatings are devoured noise on the ceiling, walls and semi. If something falls on such a floor, the stall and the screen is practically not heard, so cork facing are used in recording studios.
The cork floor has a good thermal conductivity. No one can deny himself the pleasure of walking on such a barefoot. There is a feeling that a "warm floor" system is installed under the plug. It seems that the elastic plug springs when walking, reducing the total load on the body.
To install cork slabs or package, no special skills will be required. This is a pretty simple and inexpensive procedure.

Minuses

Justice to voiced and disadvantages. The first one is the high cost of the product. Even the adhesive cork coating is more expensive than the castle, not to mention the version of the cork veneer. The plug is quite susceptible to water.To achieve good moisture resistance, it will be necessary to complicate and express the process: install wax impregnation.

Failure disadvantage - fire hazard.To mount the adhesive cork floor, like any cork cover, it will be necessary perfectly smooth surface. The plug is susceptible to the direct sunlight. With bright and constant staying in the sun, the coating and decorative patterns on it will be fused.

Solid and sharp embezzlement of garbage can be jammed into the plug.

photos

Coloring

Introducing the conversation about the colors of the cork cover, we note that in Russia there was a somewhat derogatory attitude towards a traffic jam, although gradually the trend is changing, opinions are in favor of natural material. In decoration of the interior of modest and presentable apartments, cork coating justifies itself at 100%. Depending on the color functionality, there may be different.

In the kitchen, for example, it looks original, natural yellowish color. Harmonies with the setting brown cork floor or the shade of the oh color. If you have bright furniture, you can lay a white cork. Cream, beige tones visually increase the space, emphasize the purity of the room.

Consider that the cork floor takes additional colorful shades based on how it is lit, which panels or curtains are reflected in it, as the coating is laid.

Manufacturers today are promoting a plug with an intestine for texture design, using the most unusual shades. The upper layer can be performed in any color palette, it is suitable for exquisite design solutions. Modern technologies allow you to apply the photo printing when plates and plates. So your photocurrent and photopole will become spatial and bright.

Site owners with cork coating while more attracts stylization under natural texture. They like the cork, imitating pine, oak, cherry, birch, alder. Supporters of exotic allow themselves to be rare options: coloring for american walnut, rosewood. Depending on the selected shade of cork plates, the coating takes the coloring of the stone, sand, pebbles.

How to choose?

When choosing, pay attention to the manufacturer's country. Having an alternative, for example, choosing between Portuguese or Chinese traffic jam, specialists advise to give preference to the first, since it is better. Portugal cork is denser, it contains a larger percentage of suberin, does not carry risks,that soon the gap will go. If it is an adhesive option, the quality of varnish and glue are important here, which are used to create a coating.

When buying a floating floor for the kitchen, it is important to consider what you have "weather" in the house. If there is more shadow in the kitchen, pay attention to the presence of moisture-resistant casting of the lock between the tiles. If the kitchen is solar, take a solution on a tinted coating so that the cork does not lose color under the influence of direct sunlight. On the balcony is practical to put a dark cork floor. Children's room, bedroom is better separated by light.

Adhesive slabs are roughly twice as cheaper. When purchasing glue and varnish on the adhesive version, you need to "throw" another third value of the material. The installation of the adhesive floor is twice as much as the floating. So in sum, the difference will be insignificant. If we are talking about the designer tiles, this is the pleasure of expensive: 1 sq. M. The finished coating can do several thousand rubles.

Tiles of Wicanders, Corksribas, Baumtex, Ibercork are considered good quality.

Many have heard of cork floors, but do not have specific information. We will make a small overview of the cork coverage to the floor, consider its main characteristics, pros and cons.

Floor cork coating - new environmentally friendly material. It appeared recently and is in a fairly high price category. In addition to a flawless appearance, this coating has a lot of advantages over traditional.

You probably heard something about the floors "from the traffic jam", rightly believing that such a coating was something like a bottle plug material, soft and warm to the touch, able to quickly restore its shape after long deformations ... maybe you even saw somewhere such Floors or were their happy (or unhappy) owner.

Helpful information:

In fact, today's variety of such coatings presented in the construction and finishing materials market is so rich that there is absolutely no guarantee that your personal experience (if you, of course, not a pro) is quite universal and allows you to do unambiguous conclusions. Hence the contradictory reviews on the cork coatings of the floor, the disputes of their owners on the quality of such sexes and the conditions of their operation. In the Internet, many information about cork floors, however, most of the articles wears a clearly pronounced advertising or anti-plastic character. In this article, we will uncomplicitly consider common issues related to the choice and features of the operation of the "floors from the traffic jam".

Pluses of cork coating

For the manufacture of cork gear, the bark of porous oak, the relict tree of growing on Earth is more than 60 million years old. Trees in the Mediterranean and North Africa are common. Portugal with Spain is considered leaders in this area. Asian countries are trying to compete in the market, but the wood grown in their climate has not such high quality. South Korea stands out a little on them. There is also a Russian brand that manufactures its products at factories in Portugal.

It is believed that the mining of the bark does not cause damage to nature, as the trees from which it was cut continue to grow and after 9 years the procedure is repeated. You can already do this with 25-year-old oaks, and the pasta 150-160 summer trees are considered the most valuable.

The basis of the future coating is a pressed mixture of bark. Special processing in the furnaces saturates the composition of air, the natural juice of micropores is participating in the process.

The next stage is to giving strength, reinforcement by adding resins and several layers of wood dust.

The finish coating of the "cake" can be different, even from the cork itself. Directly on the plug, using the photo printing method is the most diverse pattern with imitation of wood, stone, sand, grass. The top layer material determines the sector of the use of the floor.

Decorative floor trim from traffic jam

To give a certain appearance and protection against wear, the following materials are used:

Veneer 0.5 mm thick. It is applied to the base with the help of glue, gives the original appearance.
Thin veneer with a layer of varnish. An additional lacquer layer increases the service life. Lacked plug floors make in residential rooms, bedrooms.
Vinyl film veneer. Protective vinyl film will protect the floor from scratches, the penetration of moisture into the pores. Warranty from the manufacturer at least 10 years.
Veneer from the tree of valuable varieties and vinyl. Protective vinyl film applies on natural veneer expensive breeds

Types of cork floors

First, cork floors are several species. From here often there are various misunderstandings, because Each of them has its own properties and borders of applicability. The most common types are two: glue and floating floors.

The figure shows a typical adhesive cork floor. This is either a thick veneer of cork oak, or a thinner veneer, pasted on a substrate from pressed glued cork chips. Also, instead of the top veneer on the substrate from the tube, some other material can be passed, for example, vinyl. Such a floor requires the perfectly prepared even base to which the cork floor tiles are attached. The slightest irregularities of the foundation will be very noticeable not only to the touch, but also visually. After the tiles are glued, if they are veneered with a plug, it is required to cover them with a special lacquer at least 2 layers. Such floors can be installed in almost any rooms, they are not afraid of temperature and humidity drops, unlike "floating fellows".

Floating cork floors, the structure of which is shown in the figure, are essentially a conventional laminate with a cutting coating from below, and in the middle, a regular MDF panel with a groove-spike locks system. As can be seen from the figure, the upper coating can also consist of either a continuous thick veneer of cork oak, or with an intermediate substrate from glued cork crumb. And the thicker veneer, the better the cork floor restores the original form after long deformations (for example, from studs or dents from furniture). Floating floors are much easier to install, according to properties and appearance, they differ little from glue cork floors, but have all the unpleasant properties of the laminate floors, i.e. Fenced with temperature drops and humidity. Such floors cannot be used in kitchens, bathrooms and bathrooms. In the hallways, their use is better to also limit the zone inaccessible to moisture flowing from the shoes.

Secondly, as already mentioned earlier, cork floors can consist of both a veneer and glued crumbs covered with veneer, or completely from glued crumbs, from here and different abilities to restore the initial shape. Veneer is better restored, glued crumb is worse. On the other hand, the glued crumb allows you to get more diverse patterns of the coating, which is especially important, for example, in the kitchen or in a nursery, where there is a danger to shedding something coloring to the cork floor.
The crumb is worse absorbing dirt, and bright and flip colors are better hiding stains.

Sellers in one voice claim that cork floors are very warm - the Holy True. As the truth, and the fact that they are pleasantly spring, reducing the load on the spine. And if your child has a cerebral cereal or any disease of the spine, then cork floors will be simply indispensable. But the statements about the high environmental friendliness of such floors should not be trusted, what could be the ecology, if there are glue, varnish and other chemistry as part of the finished gender? Moreover, often such floors are quite smelling, and the unpleasant smell can hold on weeks, which can be critical for allergies and for people with increased sensitivity to smells. However, a lot depends on the manufacturer here - with a high-quality product, there are much less problems.

Castle or floating floor

Plates having castle compounds on the sides.
The thickness of the panels is 10.5-12 mm. Sizes of fragments 90 cm x 18.5 cm.
Based on the plates - chopped cork crumb, reinforcement HDF, MDF.
Facial coating - plug, wood, paint layer with various prints.
Recommended for laying in heated rooms, without temperature drops. Sharp fluctuations can lead to a gradual decay of castle compounds.
Not suitable for intensive movements: kitchens, passing corridors.
Installation is simple enough. If the fragment is damaged, the whole range of walls to the broken place.

There is a moisture-proof version of the castle laminate. Its foundation is a plate of PVC and quartz. This subspecies stands on more expensive and does not have such a large range of colors.

Tip! When choosing a cork laminate, pay attention to the quality of the lock connections.

Adhesive

Cork panels with additional protective coating.
Total thickness of panels 4-6 mm.
Two-layer material.
Facial coating - veneer.
Well suited for places with high humidity, kitchens.
The laying surface must be perfectly smooth.
Plates are attached to the glue composition. Fit must be done accurately without the backlash.
If the fragment is damaged, the bar is cut and replaced with a new one.

Such floors are frozen by masters of different patterns and ornaments.

Technical flooring

Used as a substrate for any floor covering. It is made of residuals from the main production. Rolls, granules or plates create additional sound and thermal insulation.

How to choose a high-quality cork on the floor?

Three types of plugs suitable for use in floor coatings are produced:

Veneer whole. It is a solid piece of cortex. A rather expensive view, we will apply more for the decoration of walls, ceilings, niches.
Agglomerate. Sheets made of glued crushed bark. Practical and inexpensive option.
Combined view. Consists of veneer and agglomerate. It includes a veneer that did not come up for the plates. It is manufactured by gluing with a high pressure agglomerate. It has a beautiful appearance and texture. Combined with other finishing materials.

The operational properties also depend on the structure of the cork floor and its coating. Adhesive floors can be safely washed at least a hundred times a day, the floating cork floors can be washed, but in moderation, remembering the properties of the MDF, which is there the basis. Also, cork floors have different degrees of surface roughness - from very slippery to rough shredders of children's socks. Remember this when you select a cork floor or apply an excess layer of varnish. The floors with a rough coating are better suited for bathrooms, bathrooms and balconies, and in the living room and children's better putting a smoother material.

Try not to use cork floors with "warm floor" systems, at least some cork floor manufacturers make it possible to do this in pursuit of the client, however, with reservations relating to the maximum permissible temperature, warm-up time, the minimum distance between heating loops, etc. If you carefully read these reservations, the use of heating floors becomes simply meaningless, because it will not be able to heat at such conditions, and the disturbance of the conditions can lead to different unpleasant consequences in the form of swelling, the appearance of odors, etc. Thus, the use of cork floors is unacceptable in rooms where the floor is the main or additional source of heating.

Cork floors, regardless of their type, can be glossy or matte. If you have smaller clawed brothers in your house, then you need to forget about the beautiful gloss on the floor, otherwise you are tortured to refresh the coating - all traces of claws are perfectly visible and stronger stronger than on a natural parquet. The matte coating will not save from attack, but will reduce the visibility of inevitable defects.

Laying of cork laminate

The plug needs acclimatization. Packaging with plates should stand in the room for several days where the installation will be held. As a substrate we take cork rolls (technical floor) with a thickness of 2-3 mm. The back of the substrate from the wall is 1.5 cm. The substrate is placed on top of the concrete screed. The screed is covered with a waterproof film. Sunset sheets at each other at least 20 cm.

Before working, check the tiles, fragments should have the same size so that large gaps do not arise. Permitted Drops: 2 mm 2 meters. It will not be superfluous to check the opposite side of the tile, an inhomogeneously painted surface - a certificate of extraneous impurities in the cork mass.

We lay the first row starting from the wall opposite the entrance. Optimal gap to 5 mm walls. If the boards are required, cut off the side of the ridge, but not a groove. Cutting with an electric bike or disk saw, from the manual tool, the plug will be folded. Exception is a single-layer cork covering, a sharp construction knife is suitable for cutting it.
The second row is gaining half a tile with a displacement. For fitting plates, we use rubber hammer and wedge. The selection of the wedge is also recommended to take from the plug, another material will damage the coating.
Deformational seams from traffic jams to the wall - 1.0-2.0 cm (because natural material has a temperature expansion).
We put the varnish in several layers (the lacquering can be a glossy or matte).
The joints are closed with wooden plinths.

Tip! To prevent water from entering the gaps between the plates, we appline the lock part of the wax sealant panel.

Laying adhesive cork

The dimensions of the adhesive tube can be dispersed in 1mm. This is considered to be a tolerance, as it is compensated by the elasticity and elasticity of the material. Before mounting the tiles sort, selecting thinner strips. Between them, the transition will not be noticeable. Thick grind out eats or paper.

The material is inspected for the presence of flaws and defects. Pay attention to the pressed layer, it should not be viewed chips or other additives. Spacing spaces can be reached, fragments with color change - postpone for invisible places. The base for the adhesive floor is. If it is old linoleum, then be sureless without damage and bloat. Suitable fiberboard plates, moisture-resistant plywood. Ideally, there should be a solid and even surface without garbage, mud lumps. The requirement is due to the flexibility of the coating and its small thickness.

The primer layer will increase the adhesion of the materials and smooth the small differences. Installation is carried out indoors with a temperature not lower than +18 with and a humidity of 65%.

Works start from the middle of the room. On the surface we apply the necessary markup for convenience. It is done with the help of a folding cord.
The glue composition is applied to the plates with a roller, withstand according to the instructions and tightly pressed to the base. To coat the base with glue, we use a wide spatula with a shallow comb. Surplus remove immediately with such a substance as solvent. Do not allow a long-term contact solvent with a floor. Tiles roll heavy metal roller.
After completion of the work, the room is ventilated and left to completely dry the glue (36 hours).

For finishing lacquer, it is required to completely clean the floor from the garbage. Varnish is applied in 3 layers. To full operation, the floor is ready in 5-7 days. The monolith of adhesive coating is a good opportunity to use the cork floor in combination with other materials. For example, to attach to the laminate or parquet.

High prices for material. The adhesive floor will cost more cork laminate. Simple laying of lock plates, compensates for costs, as a result, the cost is lower than that of the classic parquet.
The ability to remember weights. Furniture to the room recommended to mount soft felt pads. On the coating there are traces from sharp heels and rubber soles. Also should not leave rubber or latex mats for a long time, the trace of the products is not eliminated. Snacks from light furniture, the legs of the chairs are able to strain themselves. Bathrooms produced plates with a thickness of 10-12 mm and sizes 148x148 mm. A smaller thickness will be broken through.
Felicness. The cork itself is not combustible, but the danger represents its coverage: varnish, paint, adhesive compositions.
Low moisture resistance of natural coating. Eliminated by sealants, varnishes, wax impregnations.
The complexity of the milt of the adhesive floor. For such work, it is advisable to invite specialists.
It is not possible to use in the "warm floor" systems. Cork, possessing
The high degree of thermal insulation will not pass through the outgoing heat flow.

There is nothing complicated in caring for traffic floors. It can easily vacuuate, washed with warm water with the addition of non-abrasive liquid products, but it is better to purchase specially intended for traffic jams.

The top layer of varnish needs special protection. Sometimes it is useful to cover special compositions to extend the service life. Update the coating of the lacquer every 5-7 years. Vinyl - once in 2 years is treated with special wax mastic.

In order for the floor to serve as long as possible, it is necessary to take care of this already at the styling stage. Do not save on concomitant materials, tools. Installation work in compliance with all rules and rules. If water-soluble glue is required, use it. The finishing coating of a cheap varnish "kill" the whole work done before that. Do not care what you do not know how to pay the master once once than spoiling an expensive material.

Cork floor has its own inner heat. It is able to warm in winter and will be a cool summer. With a competent approach and careful attitude, the coating will retain its original appearance and unique natural qualities.

Stamp

Before purchasing cork floors, read the pros and cons of this product that will give it to full. And if the positive feedback on numerous sites is filled with variety, then negative essays are practically not found. And not to find them because of marketing manipulation by this popular product. After all, in order to sell profitable, no one will allocate cons.

Describe the cork sex will be in this article not only as a master, but also as a consumer. The fact is that in one of the rooms, I was lying through for about 6 years, until I replaced it to laminate, and for what reason.

Cork castle floor We purchased for flooring in the nursery. Focused on my experience in laying, natural heat and softness of the material. In this regard, the plug is indeed an excellent material.

It so happened that during departure on vacation, left to live in the apartment of relatives. Upon arrival discovered several spoiled boards. Rodin used a working stool without a plastic plug, remaining after repair. Dooked the packing of the coating and replaced the damaged areas.

A few years after replacing the old sofa, they saw a frightening picture. No, of course, we noticed until this point that the legs from the sofa leave traces, but did not attach much importance. Nevertheless, the main area of \u200b\u200bdamage was covered.

The depressing appearance of a spoiled traffic jam finally convinced his spouse that in vain I listened to me and the cork floor was used. The cork itself was not sold, but the coating was spoiled with a knocked and crumpled veneer. You did not hear, in the cork cover the upper layer is veneered with a veneer. I suggested correcting the case in a simple way: to rebuild a plug. As a result of overpowering, spoiled panels removed the last rows under the place of the future sofa. And got the floor as new. Here it is, plus a lawlessly castle compound.

Less than another 3 years, while the son in the village and I had several free days, decided to replace the cork floor to the laminate. The old problem surfaced - dark traces remained on the floor of the furniture. When dismantling, inspected carefully all the boards for further possible use or sale through Avito. For this reason, sorted the floor covering and that's what a curious noted after 6 years of operation.

What happens with a stopper after 6 years of use

Cork floor

The bottom of the coating in the lock version consists of a technical cork. Roughly speaking, on the HDF-slab sheet rolls the cork substrate 2-3 mm. In my case, I lay the ART CORK on top of the foamed isolation. Although it was possible to put on a bare concrete.

Somewhere I read the information that a cork substrate, if it rotes it, turns into a concrete without a film, turns into a dust and so on. Nothing like this. In one place under the heating radiator, where the concerning mother-in-law hung underwear, water penetrated. In that place between the plates, the gap appeared. The sheet of HDF plate blackened, but the plug only changed the color. That is, it is not covered by mold due to natural substances in it contained.

Lock connectionHDF-stove

The lock connection used on my plug is very similar in shape on Uniclic locks. This type of clutch is used on the famous brand of Laminate "Kvik Step". Given the fact that I have already moved out the floor covering, the locks were in a normal state suitable for further installation.

Interestingly, wood-fibrous stove green. Typically, this tone means the moisture resistance of the material.

Top layer of cork parquet

The top layer consists of technical traffic jam. The fact that we choose a different texture in the store is an applied thin veneer of a cork coating. And sellers, by ignorant or with intent, do not inform customers about this feature. And this part and leads to abrasion and damage the entire plug during operation.

Yes, the plug itself restores its structure to the compression almost to the original size. Like us in stores and convince sellers. But the subtle finish cladding that gives the noble coating is not capable of it. It is crushed and pushed.

Cork coverage - pros and cons, review

It is time to leave your feedback, allocate pluses and cons of the cork floor. Now you know the structure of the coating, from which made and draw conclusions has become easier.

Here will leave several links on the cork floor to familiarize yourself.