Cork floor covering: description, advice on selection and stowage

The cork flooring is used by owners of apartments and country houses quite well-deserved popularity. And no wonder. Advantages of this material is simply a huge amount. It is made from the bark of cork oak growing in the forests of Portugal and Spain. In the production of such boards, a substance derived from the shell of cashew nut is used as a binder.

The main advantages of cork

This modern flooring enjoys popularity among property owners primarily due to its ecological safety. After all, only natural materials are used in its production. During the operation, the plates do not emit absolutely no harmful substances into the air.

In addition, the advantages of cork flooring include:

• Antistatic and hypoallergenic.
• Good thermal insulation characteristics.
• Resistance to moisture.
• Attractive appearance.
• Good sound-absorbing qualities.

The cork floor covering does not absorb any unpleasant odors. And it never appears mold. This material differs and is resistant to ultraviolet light. Therefore, it can be safely sheltered even in well-lit rooms in the sun. Another plus of finishing this version is that it is absolutely not afraid of vibrations. Cork can burn, of course, can. However, in this case, unlike artificial synthetic materials, does not release into the air any particularly harmful substances.

Cork flooring: reviews of apartment owners

As this material differs simply remarkable operational characteristics and looks solidly, the opinion about it among owners of real estate has developed, of course, only positive. Many people think that the cork is not worse than the parquet. But at the same time it is much more resistant to mechanical damage. Good reviews of the owners of apartments and houses cork has earned and for the fact that it is very nice to walk. Cold such a floor never happens.

What should I look for when buying?

When choosing cork floors, you should take into account in the first place such important factors:

1. A kind of cover.
2. Its design.
3. Brand manufacturer.
4. The thickness of the material.
5. Its design features.

What are the types of cork flooring?

This finishing material is classified into three main groups:

• Tiled;
• liquid;
• Sprayed.

The first cork flooring can be safely operated for 10-40 years. It does not leave any marks from the legs of the furniture. In addition, it is resistant to chemically aggressive substances and is very easy to install. Liquid cork coating - a new finishing material, which appeared on sale more recently. It is even easier to apply it to the floor surface than to install the tile. The technology of mounting such a plug resembles a simple staining. After drying, the liquid coating becomes porous and at the same time very dense. That is, in terms of its performance characteristics, it is similar to conventional tiles. Attractive appearance is also what distinguishes such cork flooring. In the interior it looks very solid and prestigious.

Spray coating from liquid differs mainly only by the method of application. His composition is almost the same. Apply the sprayed cork coating with a compressor and a gun (usually in two layers).

What can be the design?

Of course, choose the cork flooring in such a way that it harmoniously blends into the design of the entire room as a whole. The color of the material can vary from light beige (almost white) to brown and reddish. There are also yellow and even black tiles of this variety on sale. In the texture, the cork usually imitates wood. However, on sale there is also finishing of this variety "under marble" or in the form of sandstone. In some cases a silicone varnish is applied to the cork coating. This makes the floors even more resistant to abrasion and scratches.

Design features

Liquid and sprayed types of cork cover are easy to assemble and look attractive. However, in our country such materials are still used quite rarely. Most often, the owners of apartments and houses revet the floors yet more familiar tiles. This kind of coating, in turn, is classified into two more large groups: glue and chateau. The first option is better suited for rooms with high traffic. Laying of an outdoor cork cover of this kind, as it is already possible to judge by the name, is made on glue. Keeps such a tile on the ground very firmly. Many property owners also use it for rooms with complex contours.

Lock cork floors are mounted on the same principle as the popular laminate. Each plate in this version of the cover is equipped with a special lock. Too reliable this attachment can not be called, unfortunately. Such cork floors are quite quickly loosened up. Therefore, floating coatings at the final stage of installation are covered with a special lacquer, sealing, including cracks. The need for this procedure is due primarily to the fact that in the event of contact between water tiles, the service life of the entire cork floor is significantly reduced.

Tips for choosing a manufacturer

Today in the building hypermarkets cork flooring is being sold, which is produced by a wide variety of companies. They can be Egger, Corkart, Allied Cork, Wicanders, etc. Mostly specialized stores sell European brand cork. The Chinese people, fortunately, have not yet mastered this market. And so any stopper today you can buy almost without fear.

Price list

Most often in building hypermarkets there is a material of this version of the Portuguese company Wicanders. This is perhaps the best flooring cork for today. The square meter of plates of this manufacturer with a thickness of 4 mm will cost approximately 1000-1500 rubles. For the same material, but at 6 mm, you will have to pay 2000-3000 rubles. Tile thickness of 11 mm is even more expensive - about 4000 r.

Features of mounting glutinous tiles

The thickness of this coating can vary from 3 to 6 mm. It is a compressed cork, covered with veneer of the same material and additionally treated with a protective composition. In order to perform a quality installation of such a tile, first of all you should take care of buying the right glue. A floor covering from a cork tree - a material as it was possible to notice, expensive enough. And therefore, it is not necessary to save on glue for it. Buy is worth the product recommended by the manufacturer. The only exception is when the cover is mounted in a pool or bathroom. For such premises it is worth buying a special moisture-resistant adhesive.

Performing the actual installation itself, you must strictly follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Instructions should be adhered to exactly. The fact is that the warranty for cork covers are distributed only with strict adherence to the laid laying technology.

Preparatory work

Before installing the tiles, the floors must be leveled. The concrete base should be adjusted with a self-leveling compound. On the wooden surface you need to putty all the chips and scratches. If there are depressions or any protuberances on such a floor, it must also be previously uncracked and ground.

What tools will be needed?

To work with a cork, you should prepare a meter rule, a construction corner and a stationery knife. Also need to buy a wide tray for glue and a new paint roller. For smooth laying, you will need a padded thread. In addition, you should buy a special rubber kiyanku for parquet. For gluing tiles glues of different composition can be used. Some of them have no smell. Others produce very sharp and unpleasant odors. In the latter case, wear a respirator before starting work.

Tips for installing adhesive material

Begin work on laying the cork from the center of the room, moving to its edges. In order for the coating to lie as flat as possible, you first need to break it with a thread. In the process of laying the glue is applied both to the tile itself and to the floor. On the plug, it should be smeared as evenly as possible. Such adhesives dry pretty quickly. Therefore, experts recommend simultaneously applying a tool for a number of tiles, which can be laid no more than half an hour. Accordingly, and the surface of the floor should not be smeared entirely, but partially.

Cork slabs should be laid as tightly as possible to each other. Performing the work is more accurate. To correct something after some time after stacking because of fast drying of glue will not be possible any more. Mount the tile so that the seams are in a runaway. In order for the elements to lie densely and on the surface, they need to be taped with a mallet (over the entire area).

Laying the floor cork adhesive, to control the evenness of the rows should use the rule. This tool is applied to the end of the tiles and look to ensure that there are no swellings and waves on the finished surface. Like parquet, the cork coating can slightly change its area due to fluctuations in humidity and temperature. Therefore, it should be laid in such a way that there is a gap of about 5 mm between the walls and the whole perimeter of the room.

Sometimes it happens that with the edge of the room at the final stage of laying the whole tile does not fit. In this case, measure the distance from the wall to the last laid row and transfer it to the material. To tile the tile must be a neat - sharp office clerk. Having made a deep incision, the element is gently broken with hands.

Features of the installation of the locking plug

If the cork flooring is corked in much the same way as the parquet, then the float is laid in approximately the same technology as the laminate. Previously, such a tile should be kept in the room in which it will subsequently be laid, within 24 hours. Installation in this case is made from the wall. When laying a floating coating, as well as when installing glue, on the perimeter of the room should leave the temperature gaps. The tiling of this variety is done in the following order:

1. The first row is laid. When assembling it, the studs on the ends of the panels should be firmly inserted into the grooves of the previous elements.
2. The last panel is cut to the required length. Its remainder is used as the first element in the next row. This ensures that the seams are unscrewed.

Side panel fastens to the element of the previous row, inserting it with a thorn into the groove at an angle of 45 degrees. After the coating has been collected completely, it is desirable to additionally treat it with the varnish recommended by the manufacturer, or seal the seams with a sealant.

If the installation of glue tiles in most cases trust professionals, the floor cork, as you can see, is easy to assemble with your own hands. The technology of facing in this case is extremely simple.

Features of care of a covering

Contact with various kinds of chemicals cork carries relatively quietly. Therefore, the floors she floors can be washed using any household cleaning products. Exceptions are only those cases when hard stop spots appear on the traffic jam. It is not necessary to rub these soiled with shampoo. It is better to use a special tool designed for cork. Like parquet, it is desirable to periodically coat this variety with a special compound, prepared on the basis of paraffin and wax. Using such a tool will help make the floors more attractive and at the same time significantly extend their service life.