Natural cork coating. Cork floors: pros and cons, as well as specifications and examples of existing proposals from manufacturers

Cork - What is this material? Everyone knows that it is used to climb wine bottles, for the manufacture of winter ammovikov with their own hands, in the production of shoes. However, a little is known about traffic like a building material. The cork coating is a novelty in the field of finishing floors, which disputes do not subscribe, because the material is exotic and not cheap. What are the cork sex pluses and cons? How is this covering better laminate? Does it apply in your kitchen and bathroom?

The plug is called the cortex of cork oak, which grows in Mediterranean countries with a warm and humid climate. The most extensive plantations of such oak are located in Spain and Portugal, so these countries are world leaders in the field of cork processing and production of building materials. The tree and in Asian countries are grown, but as a result of different quality of Mediterranean climatic conditions, for example, Chinese traffic jams are worse.

Cork floors are divided into three types:

1. Glue;
2. Castle;
3. Technical.

The floors for which the glue base is required, absolutely natural. They are one-piece pressed panels of different sizes (30x30, 45x15, 45x45, 60x30), their thickness is from 4 to 6 mm. Two-layer tiles:

• Nizhny - extruded cork crumb,
• Upper - high-grade veneer.

The cork coating of this type is highly moisture resistant, carries the temperature of the temperature due to the impregnation with the special composition. As a rule, glue cork floors are used in the hallway, bathroom, toilet, balcony and kitchen.

Such a coating is a creative scope for designers. Using a plug of different shades, you can apply any mosaic to the floor and thereby perform a completely unique finish.

Laying of the floor requires a carefully prepared foundation. It should be smooth and cleaned of garbage. Panels do not require substrates and are attached to ordinary universal glue.

Castle floors are called cork laminate. This is a multilayer material in which the agglomerate (cork coating made of crumbs), in the middle - MDF, and from above - cork veneer or several more layers of agglomerate. The overall thickness of the plate can reach 12 mm, dimensions - 90x18.5 cm.

Like the usual laminate, the cork floor is equipped with locks, which greatly facilitates the installation process. Neither the adhesive basis, nor sealants, only the substrate in 2-3 mm is not required. After the floor is laid, it is covered in several layers of varnish. As a rule, manufacturers of cork floors recommend the compositions that best apply.

Technical cork floors are not used for finishing floors, since they are nothing more than production residues. Technical coating from traffic jams are available in plates, rolls or granules. Their main purpose is the frustration of the defects of the base or substrate under the laminate.

Advantages of traffic jams

Despite the fact that the cork sex is more precious than linoleum and laminate, the material is very profitable. To assess its attractiveness, it is necessary to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the cork floor.

• The plug is absolutely eco. Natural is not only material, but also the method of its prey, the tree does not suffer.
• Antistatic coating. Due to this, the surface does not attract dust, which is very important in the kitchen, as well as for small children and people suffering from allergies.
• Safe for human health. Does not highlight harmful substances when heated.
• Prevents the formation of mold and fungus, which is a fairly common problem in the bathroom.
• It has good sound insulation. Isolates noise not only on the floor, but also when used on walls and ceiling. Even in sound recording studios apply cork material. If something falls on the cork floor, the screen will not arise.
• In the cork floor it is nice to walk barefoot. It is very soft and keeps warm well. Under such a coating does not need to install the "warm floor" system.
• Useful for people with the problems of the musculoskeletal system. Judging by the reviews, the elastic cork floor springs when walking, reducing the load on the body. And the lack of slip will be indispensable for the elderly.
• Cork floor is easy to lay. The principle of installation of the coating is the same as the laminate with locks. For adhesive slabs, special skills and tools are required.

Tube laying technology on the floor is available to any home master.

• Easy to care. The surface can be vacuuming, wipe with a damp cloth. Solvents and cleaning materials with a rigid surface should be avoided.
• Strength and durability. The structure of the surface in the form of cells allows to reduce friction and reduce external impact. Will serve the cork floor for about 10 years;
• Castle cork floor can be operated immediately after laying. But for the suspension, it is recommended to impregnate the surface with a special protective substance.
• Ability to create any drawings on the floor, even consisting of several colors.
• The ability to free yourself from plinths and thresholds. You can create a monolithic floor or to attach it tightly from another material.
• No need to leave gaps between the coating and the wall.
• There is a choice of the degree of gloss surface. For adhesive tube, finish lacquering is needed, which can be both matte and glossy.
• Perfectly transfers temperature drops, which you can not say about the laminate. Therefore, suitable for cottages and balconies.

The structure of the surface in the form of cells will help to avoid slipping in wet rooms.

Disadvantages of the coating

Despite numerous advantages, the gender from the traffic jam is not deprived of the shortcomings, including:

• Pretty high price. The adhesive cork floor is more expensive than the finished castle. But at the expense of simple laying, as a result, the cost is obtained much lower than that of the parquet.
• Low moisture resistance. But this minus is eliminated with an additional wax impregnation.
• Critical drawback - flammings and vulnerability to external influences. Under heavy furniture, the cork begged, traces of furniture legs remain. Therefore, it is recommended to put gaskets in such places that will reduce the load on the floor.
• The adhesive cork floor unlike the laminate is quite difficult to mount with their own hands. Required.

• Under the adhesive cork floor, it is impossible to immediately walk and arrange furniture. Operation of the floor is possible in a day, only a complete drying of varnish.
• The plug is poorly tolerates straight sun rays. With a debt and intense sunlight, natural decorative elements are burning over time.
• Complex dismantling of adhesive coating. If the plates are glued to the screed, they will be problematic to tear it, because very strong glue is used.

Cork light material is known to many as necessary for clogging glass expensive bottles with alcohol or manufacture of shoes. However, there is another wide sphere of applying the plug - construction, or rather, finish. The cork floor is a relatively new option for the finishing decorative decoration of the premises, and this option causes many questions. In particular, it is believed that the floor of the cork material is expensive, impractically and short-lived.

Today we will talk about the peculiarities, advantages and cons of floor cork coverage, compare this unusual, if not to say, exotic, building materials with more familiar, such as laminate or linoleum, discuss the process of flooring the floor with a tube.

The cork is actually a wooded bark removed from an oak that wears a similar name - cork. Oak groves grow on the lands of the Mediterranean. In Portugal and Spain, multi-nestric plantations of this valuable oak are specifically cultivated, and these states have long been recognized by world cork raw materials processing centers, the manufacture of finishing materials and related products. It should be noted that oak plantations are also grown in Chinese territories, but the cork oak is needed climate not only warm, but also with a certain level of humidity, and for this reason the Chinese traffic jam is inferior to Portuguese and Spanish in quality.

Having a plug, the tree does not cut down - Curu is simply removed from the trunks, leaving oaks to grow further. From the tree that lives more than one hundred and fifty years, the Cora is removed regularly, every ten or twelve seasons. Therefore, the production of cork material does not harm nature, is environmental and humane in relation to trees.

To create panels from cork-tubes, raw materials are crushed into small pieces, fall asleep into special forms and pressed into the furnaces under enormous air pressure and at low temperature. There is a suberin - the unique lighter material, which was a mixture of cork kneading and air bubbles. Subterry plates glue in two layers using a natural resin for this, and they turn into monolithic durable tiles.

What types of outdoor traffic jams?

Industry, producing cork coverage, supplies a plug of different types into building markets. To what suitable for outdoor use include:

1. Multi-type veneers. The most expensive cork material consisting of a single, whole piece of oak bark. From the veneer most often produce tiles of different sizes, thickness and color shades.
2. Agglomerates. Sheets made from corky cropped bark, which glued into sheets or multi-meter rolls with wood resin. Such a traffic jam on the Russian market is the fiscal, practical and distributed in construction stores.
3. Combination of agglomerate and veneer. Cork shallow and large crumb in combination with a veneer glue between themselves under pressure, pressing into sheets or boards. The combined cork coating is made from a veneer that did not come up for clean panels in size or quality, complementing the chopped crust.

If we talk about the combined floor canvas from the tube or agglomerate, then the front of the finishing construction material is usually applied by the face layer. It protects the floor from premature wear, and at the same time gives it decorativeness and aesthetics. The front layers of the cork floor are divided into four varieties:

1. Oak veneer protected by vinyl. The coating of the agglomerate from above can be closed with a thin layer of natural oak veneer, and then closed with a film from vinyl, which does not distort the natural drawing of the crust, but protects the tube from sunlight, scratches or humidity.
2. Veneer from other trees breeds in combination with vinyl. The face layer looks and manufactured in the same way as described in the previous paragraph, but no oak veneer is used, but the bark of exotic or expensive wood species.
3. Varked veneer. On the basis of the pressed plug, near the half-bentimeter of the veneer is pasted, which is then lacquered in two or three layers to make the coating of greater wear resistance, as well as pleasant shine and decorativeness.
4. Thin veneer. The cork crumb is simply "covered" with a beautiful veneer coating to hide the chaotic drawing of the pressed crust.

Types of cork floor

The type of cork floor is selected depending on the objectives of the finish, as well as the available temporary and financial resources. The modern building market presents three options for flooring from traffic jams.

Table 1. Three types of coating

View	Description
Glue	Adhesive cork trees are made in the form of tiles of different sizes and thickness or rolls. Such tiles have a two-layer structure, where the bottom is a pressed crumb of cork tree, top-decorative oak veneer, characterized by high external attractiveness. The adhesive floor is well tolerating moisture, temperature differences, so it can be used in the zone of the balcony, the corridor, in the kitchen. However, the adhesive cork requires perfectly smooth coating, so the preparation before the finishing finish is extremely important. Universal adhesives are used for mounting cork slabs.
Castle	Castle type cork floors are analogs of laminate. Such a coating is released in the format of boards having fastening locks on the sides. Installation of locking cork floors is carried out without a adhesive component or other fixing means, everything that is necessary is the substrate, as for laminate. Coatings of this type consists of several layers, as a rule, the lowest, invisible layer - extruded natural crumb of oak bark, in the middle - MDF plate, giving strength, top with a decorative layer of cork veneer or crumb.
Technical	Technical coatings are made from stoppers, so to speak, excessive production. Such gender is not used for finishing finish, since it does not represent aesthetic value. The technical cork is made in rolls or granules, and it levels the defects of the base, or they insulate and align the floors before laying the tiles, laminate, parquet, linoleum.

Prices for cork floors Wicanders

Cork floors wicanders

Cork like floor covering: pros and cons

Like any building material, the coating made from the cork of cork oak has drawbacks and advantages. Below we will talk about the advantages and minuses of traffic jams so that you can estimate this coating from the point of view of your own tasks and goals.

Advantages of traffic jams

First, adhesive and castle coating are eco-friendly and natural materials that are not harmful to human health. Cork floors can be put even in the room of a small child or a family member suffering from asthma or allergies. Note that environmentally friendly is not only the production of cork panels, but also the method of production of traffic jams - oaks do not suffer at the same time, as the trees do not cut down, but simply "stripping", remove the ripened bark.

In addition, the cork coating has an antistatic effect, that is, interferes with the accumulation of dust, mold disputes and fungi will not start in the traffic jam, and when heated, the material does not release toxic harmful substances into the air, there is no smell. Also, the plug is an excellent insulator - has the effect of noise reduction, it is good in the room warm. In the cork floor, it's nice to walk with barefoot, while the sound of steps will be muffled, and if there will be no sharp and unpleasant rumble on the surface, which will never have a sharp and unpleasant screen

The cork natural coating of any kind of slightly springs under the legs, which is useful for children only begin to learn to walk, as well as those who suffer from the ailments of the musculoskeletal or articular apparatus. Doctors recognize that regular breaking across the plug reduces the load on joints and bones, forms the correct set of stop. Another advantage of the traffic jam is that it does not slip, so the floor covered with this material will be an excellent solution in the house where there are children or the elderly.

The following group of cork coating benefits can be attributed to purely practical:

1. Easiness and efficiency of installation. The adhesive coating is simply pressed against the floor surface, pre-groaping the adhesive composition, the lock panels are placed as a laminate - the groove in the groove. Special knowledge and skills, as well as expensive tools for laying a cork canvase on the floor are not required.
2. Practicality and unpretentiousness. Caring for cork floor is simple - it is recommended to wash a wet (not wet) cloth, vacuuming or brushing, sweeping.
3. Durability. If non-shed solvents on the cork canvas and do not use abrasive cleaning products, the coating will last at least ten years.
4. Lack of gaps, the ability to abandon the thresholds and plinths. The cork flooring floor can be monolithic, as the plates are easily mounted without gaps. Thus, the cork floor is perfectly connected to other coatings, for example, tiles (you can immediately lay it closely), and if desired, the retreat from the wall is also not done, which allows you to refuse to use the plinth.

A large plus of cork flooring is its versatility. You can use the plug both in the apartment and in country houses or in the country. Cork laying rooms can be any, the material is suitable for a kitchen or damp area of \u200b\u200bthe bathroom, for a balcony or corridor, for a living room and any other residential area. The cork itself has a low moisture resistance, but if it is impregnated with its wax-based agent, it will last for many years and in high humidity conditions.

Disadvantages of cork

The advantages listed above are significant, but the floors from the traffic jam are not devoid of flaws. To the first one can attribute a high cost, and the adhesive floor will be taken away almost twice as much as the castle. The second drawback is a vulnerability to heavy objects, which includes furniture. The plugs of the cabinets and sofas legs will be perfectly saved on the traffic jam, and special gaskets are only slightly collapsing.

If we talk about glue floors, then only the installation process will be easy, it is extremely difficult to dismantle the panels, since it uses a strong glue composition to fix them. Another minus is precisely the adhesive cork gender in the inability to exploit it immediately after laying, since the panels are impregnated with a special varnish, and it is necessary to wait for it to dry.

Which floor is better: adhesive or castle?

Choosing an outdoor cork cover, each person gets up in front of the choice: get the glue panels or, so-called cork laminate, that is, the lock panels. If we argue from the point of view of ease of installation, especially if the laying will produce a non-specialist, then the castle cover will be advantageous. Such a traffic jam is produced from different forms, but they all have the grooves on the sides, like laminate. Accordingly, such a floor is mounted very simply - boards or panels are closed with each other.

Castle floor has only two tangible advantages - simplicity of installation and, accordingly, dismantling, if necessary. The disadvantages are larger: under the lock plug, it is necessary to sharpen the substrate from the foam material, and the coating should be covered along the perimeter of the walls. In addition, a large amount of joints imposes restrictions on the operation of the floor, in particular, on wet cleaning. The joints of the panels will absorb water and swell, so the locking coating must be covered with special wax, and the seams to handle with hydrophobic sealant.

In addition, like laminate, the lock plug should be selected in the figure, and so that the final result turned out to be aesthetic, the intended junctions should be selected in advance. Accordingly, the boards or panels will have to cut, picking up in length and ornament.

Adhesive cork coating has a different drawback - for its installation you need to have experience. In order for the floor to be durable and beautiful, it is necessary not just correctly applied to the base and the cork itself with the glue composition, but also to customize the cork panels to each other so that they seem in one whole, without having the slightest clearance.

Special attention requires the basis for which the adhesive floor will be laid. The bases should be perfectly smooth, not having bugs, drops or protrusions, also before installation, the floor is washed several times to remove all the garbage. Restrictions occur and after laying such panels - as the adhesive plug is covered with varnish, it is impossible to step on the fresh floor, put the furniture or any other items on it until the lacquer dry. The premises will not work for a day or even more.

Advantages of adhesive cork are also several. To the first, and most important, it is possible to take high durability of the coating, its monolith and wear resistance. Also, the cork floor from glue panels is absolutely natural, and fully transmits a beautiful pattern of a tree. The adhesive tube can be placed on the floor as a solid canvas, and to combine two or more shades, lay panels with various ornaments.

Another important plus is the ability to adjust the adhesive plug under any room, cutting the tile of the desired size and shape, no joints at the same time will be seen. The high-quality installation of the adhesive cork floor allows you to do without the use of plinths, thresholds and other elements covering the seams, joints and gaps. Simply put, glue cork is applied to the floor as wallpaper.

The adhesive plug has a small thickness that makes up about five to six millimeters, so it does not grind the volume of a small room, but at the same time it takes its sound insulation and heat-saving quality.

How to choose a good cork floor?

Choosing an outdoor material from the traffic jam, you need to navigate not only on its view: glue or lock, but also on the class class. Like laminate, cork cloths are divided into three classes of wear resistance, and this is an important parameter that provides reliability and aesthetics of the future floor.

So, the plug presented in Russian buildings has the following classes:

1. 33 - recommended for laying in residential premises, as well as commercial use rooms with medium pedestrian activity (for example, in offices). At such floors for residential rooms installed the average warranty in 25 years for the service life of the traffic jam, in commercial - 15 years.
2. 32 - recommended for apartments or houses with styling in rooms with constant active movement (corridors, living rooms, kitchen zone), as well as for offices or other commercial premises with low pedestrian activity. Warranty on laying in residential rooms - 15 years, commercial - 5 years.
3. 31 - The plug is intended only for residential rooms, where the activity is low (bedroom, a children's little child). The warranty on the coating is at least 10 years.

In addition to class, you should pay attention to the brand manufacturer. Well, if the cork canvas produced by the Portuguese or Spanish company. Currently, market leaders are brands like Wicanders, Corkstyle, Allied Cork. The average price per square cork floor meter from these manufacturers varies in the range of 1,600-2,700 rubles, respectively, more cheap options are class 31, those more expensive to 32 and 33 classes.

How to lay a cork: instruction

Regardless of which type of cork coverage will be used, you must first prepare the basis for it. On the basis there should be no serious irregularities or drops (if the lock material is selected), or the perfect smooth screed or alignment of the floor with plates of plywood should be used (under the adhesive plug). After the basis is ready, you can start the installation.

We lay the adhesive coating

Of course, by the time of the start of work in the room there must be a cork coating itself, as well as a special varnish to cover the cork after laying. To independently put on the floor, the coating from the cork of the adhesive type, the following tools and devices will be needed:

1. Thin painting brush with a coarse pile to apply glue.
2. Rubber hammer.
3. Gloves to protect hands from adhesive mass.
4. Construction knife for trimming tiles.
5. Roulette.
6. Roller on a long handle to varnish the floor.

Step one

The flooring is always beginning for five or six rows from the wall, the width of the row is always multiple the width of the cork tile itself. The material put the joints longitudinally. Depending on the shape and size of the tiles of the adhesive cork, the figure of the future floor should be selected. Standard the plug is placed in disperse, that is, the transverse joints do not match it never, and the pattern, according to which the tiles are displaced, is not guessed. You can decompose cork tiles on the floor without glue, catching how much they will enter into a row, and also placing according to the shade or pattern. If the cork coating goes a roll, this step can be skipped.

Step two

With the help of a painting brush on the floor and tiles are glue. You can immediately smear a whole strip on the base, and also apply glue into four or five cork tiles immediately to put them on the floor one after another, without losing time. The plug in the roll is glued to the style manner - that is, the base and the base, and the cork band itself from beginning to the end. Next, glue mass must dry, follow the instructions indicated on the package with glue. Usually, drying is required from fifteen minutes before half an hour.

Step Third

We start laying the tile. At the same time, two rows can be glued. The first tile is put, according to the drawing, then next to it, on the side, tightly glue the second tile, with a displacement of two thirds. So two rows appear, which continue to the wall. Most likely, the last cork tile, which is contacted with the wall, will have to be cut. It is necessary to do this in the process of laying the plug on the glue, and not in advance to leave the minimum clearance. The desired size is measured by a tape measure, and then cut off with a sharp construction knife - it perfectly cuts a thin adhesive plug. Thus, the entire floor is laid out from the center of the room to the walls.

Rolled cork is glued easier - the required length of the canvas is folded on the floor, cutting off from the roll, as wallpaper.

Table 2. What glue can be used?

Name	Features, Description	approximate cost
Quelyd "Kork", France	One-component composition drying independently. It has a class of environmental safety, can be used for heated floors. Grapping time - about 25 minutes.	About 1,300 rubles for packaging in 3 kilograms
Moment "Cork", Russia	Waterproof and resistant to negative temperatures, quickly and reliably glue cork cloth to any surfaces (wood, concrete, iron, rubber and so on). Grappling time - about 20 minutes.	About 550 rubles for packaging in 1 liter
Decol Vern, Portugal	Contact (setting instantaneously) adhesive composition, reliably and monolithically connecting the plug of any thickness with the base. The manufacturer does not recommend working with this glue without professional skills. Grappling time - 15 minutes.	About 2,450 rubles for packaging in 5 liters
MAPEI ULTRABON ECO CONTACT, ITALY	There is no smell, it does not flow (the type of thick paste), suitable for laying the cork cloth in rooms with high pedestrian activity. It has an environmental certificate. Grappling time - 45 minutes.	About 2,300 rubles per pack of 2.5 kilograms
Cipade Reviprene, Portugal	Contact, very durable adhesive composition designed specifically for working with cork blade. Contains rubber components, intended for professional use. Grappling time - 15 minutes.	About 2,300 rubles for packaging in 5 liters

Step fourth

When the floor is laid completely, it needs to be closed. Special varnish, which can be purchased in the same department as a cork coating, applies with a darous roller with a long handle. It is necessary to start the application of the lacquer layer from the far wall to the exit so that in the process of shocking to the doors, and not the opposite. Varnish does not need to regret - the mass should pour all the joints and possible irregularities of the canvas.

Important moment! Before starting the varnish, you need to mix the lacquer thoroughly, and then repeat the procedure every ten minutes so that the coating is uniform. The joints of the wall need to pass by a painting brush, because the roller make it smoothly and efficiently impossible.

Clamp lacquer is a universal coating that gives not only a visual effect, but also protecting outdoor material. The floor must be lacquered immediately after laying, so you need to purchase a means in advance.

Table 3. What varnish can be used?

Name	Features, Description	approximate cost
LOBADUR 2K SUPRA CORK, Germany	Transparent matte varnish with a weak odor suitable for use in the actively used rooms. Moisture-resistant and frost-resistant. Consumption - 100 grams per square meter.	About 2 200 rubles for packaging in 1 liter
Bona Traffic, Sweden	A two-component water-based lacquer, especially resistant to abrasion, is perfectly adhered to the plug, without changing during operation. Consumption - 120 grams per square meter.	About 12 000 rubles for packaging in 5 liters
Berger Aqua-Seal 2K-PU, Germany	One of the most durable and durable varnishes presented in the market. It is environmentally friendly, quickly dries, does not have a strong pronounced smell, there was a fire testing. Consumption - 100 grams per square meter.	About 4,700 rubles per pack of 1.6 liters
Lobadur WS Easyfinish, Germany	Water universal single-component varnish, additionally emphasizing drawing of the cork bark. There is no smell, wear-resistant. Consumption - 100 grams per square meter.	About 15,000 rubles for packaging in 10 liters

Video - laying of cork floor on glue

We put the castle coating

Before laying such a plug, the entire floor must be made with a special substrate from the foam material, exactly what is put under the laminate. In addition to the traffic jam and the substrate you will need:

1. Roulette or ruler.
2. Electric or manual file to cut off the excess of the canvas.
3. Hand protecting gloves.

Step one

Installation of the locking cork starts from the wall. Along her, the first row of tiles or boards are placed, which are attached to each other by connecting end grooves. If the floor is mounted in a room with high humidity, the grooves are additionally labeled with a special suture sealant before connecting.

Step two

Then the second row is stacked - the plug is connected to the first side of the side grooves. Thus, everything is set to the cloth, up to the next wall. Pay attention to the details that trigger will require - it is better to arrange them in a less noticeable part of the room or where the furniture will be.

Step Third

After the plug is laid on the floor, you need to fasten the plinth. Accordingly, there may be a gap between the wall and extreme tiles to one centimeter - this joint will hide the fleece.

Video - Castle Type Cork Installation

How to care for cork floors?

The floor of the cork canvas is beautiful and practical, especially in terms of care. But, its rules and recommendations are in terms of the operation and content of such a cleaning. First, you need to follow the humidity in the room so that the floor is not concerned. As we mentioned, cork oak grows in a climate with high humidity, therefore in rooms where this figure is below 50%, you need to use special air sinks or humidifiers.

Caring for the floor from the tube is simple: the material coated or soaked material can be wiped with a wet, but not a wet rag, vacuuming, use household chemicals for wooden bases (without an abrasive and solvent). However, if there is a liquid from the tube from the tube, you need to immediately wipe the puddle so that the area where the moisture hit is not swept away. It is forbidden to use hard, iron lips or aggressive brushes to care for traffic, do not need to clean such a surface with scrapers.

Another important point in caring for a plug is its periodic update. Since the cork floor over the years begins to lose aesthetics, and the lacquer dumps, it is necessary to bring it again. With the help of grinding or sandpaper paper from the floor, the remains of the old varnish coating are removed, carefully collect dust with a broom and a vacuum cleaner, they clean the plug and then lacquer it again. A day later, the floor will dry, and again will play with its unique texture and a pattern of natural oak bark!

Summarizing

The cork floor, as it becomes clear from the foregoing, is an excellent option for any residential premises, having a lot of advantages. If you feel about people who value the naturalness of materials, ease of installation and commemorativeness in care, then we recommend that you consider the coating from the cortex of cork oak!

The plug as an outdoor coating began to be used relatively recently, so many questions arise regarding the nuances of laying this material, its merits and weaknesses. A fairly high price of new items is another reason that most people planning repairs are preferred by traditional, well familiar flooring. So is it worth doing cork floors, and what pleasant and unpleasant surprises can wait for those who made the choice in favor of this material?

Cork bark has long been used in winemaking to clog bottles, as well as in the production of shoes, fishing gear, in medicine, automotive industry. Recently, the scope of application of this material has expanded, the plug is used as a substrate under the flooring and finishing coating, as well as the facing material for the walls and the ceiling.

The bark has a porous structure, which is obliged to light weight and elasticity, elasticity. Her pores are sealed, so, in contrast to most materials with a porous structure, the cork does not absorb moisture and is not a favorable medium for breeding pathogenic microorganisms. Air filled pores cause a low thermal conductivity coefficient, 0.03-0.04, it is slightly higher than that of the air. The sound absorption coefficient of 0.85 makes the plug by the ideal material for the premises, to which increased requirements are presented to sound insulation.

Advantages of cork coating

Cork floor is an elite coating that has many advantages:

• ecology. The coating itself is natural, safe for health, and its manufacture does not harm nature. The technology of the harvesting of the cortex does not require cutting down trees, and the life expectancy of cork oaks reaches 200 years
• maximum health safety is due to a number of factors - the traffic jam does not accumulate the static charge and does not attract dust, which makes it an ideal material for the people's suffering allergies. It is not exposed to mold, fungus, does not contribute to the reproduction of microorganisms, does not attract insects and rodents, does not distinguish toxic substances when heated
• excellent indicators of heat and sound insulation;
• elasticity, determining resistance to deformation on compression;
• the comfort of operation, orthopedic properties associated with the same elasticity. Soft, springing cork floor is very pleasant and useful to walk barefoot. Due to the shock absorption capacity of the plug, the load on the musculoskeletal system is reduced. In addition, gender is also warm to the touch, like natural wood, and due to the high friction ratio, not at all slippery, injuries safe;
• durability, resistance to abrasion. The warranty service life of high-quality cork floors is 10 years, and actual significantly more;
• attractive appearance, rich color gamut, variety of drawings

Sometimes the advantages of corks include simplicity of laying, but this concerns the main coatings of the castle type, the so-called cork laminate. The technology of laying adhesive coating is quite complex.

Cons of cork coating

Of course, there is cork coverage and cons, and the main one is a high price. So that the crust layer is sufficient for industrial thickness purposes, it takes 10 years, this is explained by the high cost of the material. Budget flooring (Asian origin or technical, made on the basis of agglomerate) are inferior to the quality more expensive. We will tell about the varieties of cork coverage, their pluses, minuses and features of the application below.
Other shortcomings of traffic jams:

• insufficient tensile strength and resistance to point exposure. Cork flooring should be protected from heels-studs, legs of furniture, not closed with protective linings, drops of sharp items
• relative worship of operation and care. Cork floor can be washed with a damp cloth with the addition of neutral or weakly-aggressive means, but the use of alkali eating, abrasive compositions is unacceptable. Floors need to be regularly cleaned from garbage - fine garbage and grain grain can be inserted into the surface. Traces left by the soles of rubber shoes, remove from the plug surface almost unreal
• usually, the protective coating is applied on top of the cork floor, and problems may arise. If, as a result, the friction coefficient increases, the floors become excessively rough, they are unpleasant to walk barefoot, and shoes and socks are rapidly wear out. If the friction coefficient decreases, the floors may be slippery, and this is dangerous

The statements that the cork is afraid of water is greatly exaggerated. As already mentioned, her pores are sealed and not communicated to each other. If, even in the process of treatment, part of the pore is open, the moisture will not penetrate further the outer layer, and the processing of protective composition provides complete water resistance. In the bathroom, the cork sex is not made not recommended because the plug itself will be rotten, but because through the fine slits at the moisture junctions can be seen under it, but it will not evaporate - the material is not hygroscopic.

What are cork floors

Do not everyone know that the quality of cork has a significant impact of the growing of cork oak. His homeland is the countries of the Mediterranean with a warm, humid climate.

• the best is traditionally considered a traffic jam from Portugal, it is here that the largest plantations of cork trees are located and well-known raw processing concerns work. Not inferior to the quality of Portuguese Tube Spanish
• growing cork oaks are growing not only in Europe, on the west coast of the Mediterranean Sea, but also on its North African coast, it is also quite high-quality products.
• recently, the plantation appeared in China, but the climate here for cork oak is not perfect, which affects the quality of the traffic jam

IMPORTANT: Cork floors of Chinese production at a price much more affordable classic European and characterized by an attractive texture. But the plug itself is more loose, and the volumetric additives of glue to increase the density deprive the material of elasticity, which is one of its main advantages.

In addition to the origin of raw materials, the technology of its processing and the form of "semi-finished products" is important, of which the floor covering is further manufactured:

• the most expensive type of cork cover - veneer, this is a solid sheet material, is practically not used in pure form
• agglomerate is the fiscal variety, manufactured from production waste - cork crumb - by pressing at high temperature
• combined variant - layer of veneer and a layer of pressed agglomerate, connected in factory conditions

Of these, these types of construction and finishing materials are produced:

• the technical coating based on the agglomerate is produced in the form of rolls, plates or granules, can be used as a substrate, dry screed
• the castle (floating) is an analogue of a laminate, consists of a combined plug and MDF, has the shape of the boards with dimensions of 90x18.5 cm
• adhesive, produced in the form of rectangular or square plates of different sizes, is a combination of agglomerate and veneer

Technical cork - auxiliary material that cannot serve as an finishing coating, but the lock and adhesive coatings are intended for these purposes. Cork laminate (parquet) has a thickness of up to 12 mm and a multi-layered structure:

• the basis of MDF (HDF), in which locks are made to connect boards
• a layer of pressed agglomerate
• the layer of veneer, and in more budget versions, it may not be cork, but made from different varieties of wood. In elite coatings there is a decorative layer of pressed skin
• protective coating (vinyl, acrylic, polyurethane) is often applied to several layers.

The adhesive plug is thinner, its total thickness is 4-6 mm, a layer of extruded cork top is covered with a thin layer of cork veneer. Sometimes the veneer is simply grinning, sometimes immediately covered with various protective compositions:

• prepare (1 layer of varnish, on top of which some more can be applied, but already after laying)
• polyurethane lacquer
• keramolak
• vinyl film

Important: When choosing a cork cover, you need to pay attention to the composition of the protective layer. Ceramolak is good for premises with high patency and load on the floor, but it makes the material tougher, unpleasant to the touch, so for the bedroom, children's preferred options.

Pros and cons of different types of cork coatings

Both varieties of finish flooring from traffic jams have strong and weaknesses.
Castle floor:

• more expensive adhesive
• easier in laying, less whimsical to the preparation of the base can be dismantled
• requires the use of the substrate (some manufacturers produce laminate with an integrated substrate)
• not suitable for wet premises due to the hygroscopicity of the wood base
• due to the inhomogeneous structure over time, the deformation, the appearance of slots on the joints (at traffic jam and MDF, a different linear extension coefficient)

Glue:

• somewhat cheaper, but requires the use of expensive high-quality water-soluble glue, it is impossible to save on it
• requires mastery from stacker, styling with their own hands is problematic
• elastic, comfortable in strip, ideal for premises of complex geometry, curvilinear surfaces
• it is extremely whims for the preparation of the base, not cleaned grains and small pebbles will force the owner to feel like a princess on the pea
• forms a monolithic coating, resistant to moisture and not exposed to temperature deformations
• fully natural material
• some collections are designed for artistic laying, the creation of panels, mosaic floors, but this is already the highest pilot, and such work is very highly appreciated.

Outcome

Potions at the cork floors a lot, and the main minus is high cost. When choosing a material, it is necessary to take into account the features of the room, where it will be laid, pay special attention to the protective layer. And remember that the elite coating requires a delicate passage.

Hello everyone!

The cork floor appeared in the children's room of my daughter 2.5 years ago and it has an unusual design. Who reads my feedback, has already paid attention to him. And I want to tell you about the advantages of the plug, as well as the lack of cork flooring with the photo printing, with whom I encountered during operation.

Name of product:

Corkstyle Cork Popper with Photo printing for children's room, Collection Hello Kitty Teddy Friends

The price at the moment is about 3,500 rubles per square meter.

It cost us about 36 thousand rubles (2950 rubles per sq.m.), Children's Square - 12 sq.m.

Cork floors are two types: glue and castle. Which is better?

• Adhesive are cheaper. They fit on a special contact glueand then covered varnish (Additional investments). Styling process in this case complicatedFloors should be as smooth as possible.
• The castle cost more about the price, they are also called "cork laminate". Additional costs do not need, the stacking process is easier.

After reading a lot of articles on the Internet, I concluded that the quality of adhesive floors is better than the castle, only need to be put on them, and this time-consuming process.

Corkstyle Hello Kitty Teddy Friends Cork Paul with Corkstyle Hello Kitty Teddy & Snoopy) is found in adhesive and in the castle. I ordered glue, but it was not available. And managers with my husband were convinced to acquire the castle.

The order had to wait about a week (delivery from Moscow to Peter). We brought several cardboard boxes with filling. The photo is only so scary during repairs.

Our outdoor castle Corkstyle plug consisted of equal parts with dimensions: 91.5 cm * 30.5 cm.

On some there was a large image of Chobs Hello Kitty two types: with a teddy bear behind her back or with a teddy bear in front, and on others there was an inscription Hello Kitty carrot.

As a background, they all had an image of Chobs Hello Kitty in a less damned with a pink variant. The floor itself has a color light pink.

By laying outdoor castle The cork resembles a laminate, there are special grooves. Repairs in the new building we did on their own. And to lay the cork seemed harder than the laminate, it is very difficult to disassemble it back, the grooves will break.

The image (photo printing) is applied immediately to the cork layer. There are still cork floors of the plug color, they are more natural, the garbage is less visible on them, but I don't like the design itself.

When laying, some pieces of cork floor were not very tight, gaps were formed. Husband says it is his fault, he did something wrong, but to disassemble problematic.

And on the site of the joints during operation, photo printing began to break out, and scratches were formed from the movement of heavy furniture.

Pink plinth could not be found in retail stores, only white. He looks good together with pale pink floors and bright pink wallpaper, we have white furniture in the nursery.

The rest of the apartment laminate laminated.

The connection of the laminate and cork floor looks like this:

Photo in the interior:

The floor turned out exclusive, no one else has met such a variation. And we have children now in the style of Hello Kitty, I will buy appropriate accessories as needed.

And now pro main characteristics and advantages With my comments.

1) Naturalness. It is believed that the cork does not contain harmful impurities, does not harm the health. For the most part, this refers to an outdoor coating having a natural cork color, but I hope that the cork with the photo printing is environmentally friendly, the child's health has not suffered.

2) Hippalergenicity.My child is allergic, for me this question is relevant, I think that we have no allergies to the cork floor. In other rooms, another coating.

3) Heat insulation! One of the important items.The cork floor is much warmer than laminate or tile, the legs on it go nice. But when the daughter was small, sat on the floor, I still put a rug. If you compare the cork floor and the puzzle rugs, then the plug is colder to feel. The floor is not slippery in comparison with the laminate and soft, falling comfortable on it.

4) Noise insulation. We do not hear the neighbors from the bottom and the claims do not prevent us, since no one lives in that apartment. But if you compare the laminate and the cork, noise insulation at the cork above. The sound of an abandoned ball muted, the laminate is more ringing, there is no sense about the tile, there is no sense of meaning (it has a weak noise insulation).

5) Pollution resistance. In my case, Corkstyle Hello Kitty Teddy Friends Corkstyle Hello Kitty Teddy Friends photo printing is very packaged, since light pink. Each crumb and Volosina is visible on it. Cleaning in the nursery has to be produced more often than in other rooms.

The daughter often painted with pencils and felt-faucers cork floors - "Raskarashka". And now there is a dirt paint. I don't feel problems with rubbing, everything is well repulsed with a liquid for removing varnish, it does not affect the photo printing.

6) Durability.

This item causes questions, since during operation remain dents on the floor from heavy furniture. Some dents leave the time, the floor straightens, the plug takes the initial position. With careful consideration, he found a dent on the cork floor from the stepladder, it has long been there and did not leave.

Previously, in the nursery, we had a sofa, which unfolded by the type of clamshell. And during decay on the floor, dents remained, put the cards.

Now there is a bed at this place, dents from the sofa legs remained, but not so noticeable as immediately after the transfer of furniture.

Traces from the legs of a baby cot, the chairs on the floor remains.

Bring RESULTS Whole written above with Corkstyle castle corkstyle with photo printing for children's room, Collection Hello Kitty Teddy Friends.

Advantages:

1) unusual design;

2) warm;

3) Natural and Hippallergen (I hope for it);

4) good noise insulation;

5) not slippery;

6) Soft.

Disadvantages:

1) very dirty, as light pink;

2) remain dents from heavy furniture and not all go;

3) scratches can be formed;

4) High cost per square meter.

Output. The second time the Corkstyle Cork Pole floor, the Hello Kitty Teddy Friends collection, would not have become acquired for the nursery, but would risk order it in the same design in the adhesive version. Therefore, it is your castle cork floor Hello Kitty Teddy Friends I do not recommend.

I think that you will be the interests of my other reviews rack from our children's Rooms (Tyk), Children sliding bed(Pump) or see photo of children's cuisinedo it yourself (tyk).

The floor is an actively operated inner part of the room. Requirements for it - Hard and numerous.
Choosing floors for home, apartments, office or any other object, a person, first of all, is waiting for the acquired material only positive qualities. These include: wear resistance, low thermal conductivity, fire resistance, waterproofability, environmental friendliness, hygienic and attractiveness. True, not all floor coverings correspond to this list.

More well in this plan look. They, of course, exotic in the sphere of repair, therefore used inactive, however, most likely it is behind them the future.
Small fame and fear of people in front of all new constrain the spread of cork floors and, probably, in vain. After all, the qualities with which they possess will defeat in rivalry with the qualities of today's sales leaders.

What are cork floors?

Cork floor - It is an outdoor coating that is made from cortex cork oak. The main part of the plantations of cork oaks is concentrated in Portugal. The top layer of cork floor is a cork veneer that determines the external attractiveness of the coating. It can have a different drawing, be in a natural shade or painted in different colors, and even thanks to the technology of widescreen photo printing, any image is applied to the cork veneer. The floor can mimic natural wood, stone, ceramic tiles, have a children's or any other picture. All this gives a huge variety of decors. Cork floors by the installation method are classified on glue floors and cork laminate.

Clay glue floor - These are a sheet of 4 or 6 mm thick, the base of which is made of a compressed agglomerated tube. They are stacked using special types of glue. The main advantage is water resistance. Only glue cork floors are suitable for the bathroom, kitchen and other wet rooms. Also adhesive cork covers are the most eco-friendly.

Cork laminate - This is an outdoor coating, the base of which is made of HDF slab with a castle system sliced \u200b\u200bon it. Located by a floating method as ordinary laminate. Easy styling is the main advantage of castle cork floors.

Pros and cons of cork floors

The cork floor is not in vain becomes a favorite floor covering of those who once chose it. After all, he has a lot of advantages.

Exclusive and bright design for unusual interior

Advantages of cork floor

• Naturalness of the type and composition. External natural beauty and environmental friendliness create a special interior and indoor microclimate. For designers, the natural cork material is creative space. For residents - rehabilitation. In cork floors there are no phthalates, formaldehyde, heavy metals, polyvinyl chloride and other unsafe substances.

• Hypoallergenicity. Increasingly, more people in Russia show allergic reactions. Allergies can manifest itself at any age, so allergic - be it an adult or child - not only allergenic products, household chemicals, but also materials in their home should be avoided. Cork floors are absolutely hypoallergenic and natural.

• Waterproof. Adhesive cork floors are completely not afraid of water, wet cleaning, spilled water and even flooding. Cork laminate can be washed, but the HDF plate is able to swell when moisture hits, therefore the joints of such floors are shirled by sealant, they avoid their use in rooms with high humidity.

Fire resistance. The cork is a reflare material, and when the open fire is disappeared immediately fades. Does not highlight toxic gases during burning.

Simple installation. With the laying of cork laminate, a beginner will easily cope. All that will be needed is to align and clear the base from garbage. The adhesive floor will require compliance with the instructions for working with glue, as well as varnish floor coatings immediately after installation. However, with this option, you can cope with yourself.

• Resistance to mechanical deformations. Traces from squeezing after heavy items (furniture) do not remain. Promotes this cellular structure with sturdy partitions that have more elasticity. The floors restore the shape like a bottle plug.

• Softness and warmth of the surface. Spring structure and low thermal conductivity of the floor is very pleasant to walk through a barefoot. For children's rooms, where climate and security, cork floors are important - a faithful and thoughtful solution. A child at his frequent drops will not even be born on such a floor. The dishes when falling most often remains the whole.

• The ability to "absorb" sound. In terms of sound permeability, cork coverings are suitable for use in recording studios. Claws of animals do not cast about a soft plug, and the incident items will not dismiss sleeping.

Hygienic surface. It has antistatic properties that do not allow dust to accumulate. There are no restrictions in cleaning. Cork floors can be washed as ordinary water and detergent.

High indicator on service life. The surface does not fade from the effects of ultraviolet, does not be engaged due to the porous structure. Manufacturers indicate for a period of 10 years, however, it is significantly understated. Practical use proves much longer time - more than 15-20 years.

The plug contributes to the optimal microclimate, normal indicators of humidity and temperature. The floors provide natural air circulation, are not subject to roset fungus, mold.

Luxurious and exclusive appearance. The structure of the floors does not have repetitions and therefore the room will be individual.

"Sand bottom" from the plug - pleasant and warm to the touch

Naturalness and diversity make a highlight to the interior. Want floors under the tree - cork floors with photo printing are indistinguishable on the view from the wood and give even more benefits. Interior requires a stone floor? Warm floors under stone, porcelain stoneware, ceramic tiles will be found in the assortment of cork floors. There are children's drawings - perfect floors for the child's room.

Disadvantages of cork floors

On the Internet, we found articles that call many shortcomings of cork floors. We work with this material for more than 20 years and we know everything about him. Of course, low-quality Chinese floors come across - in them a low density cork, PVC and a large amount of glue are added to the composition. But cork floors of well-known manufacturers of Portugal, Switzerland, Germany are distinguished by a long service life and the highest quality. Our first clients have adhesive cork floor for more than 15 years, after updating the lacquer coating, the flooring looks like a new one.

Cork floor with wood design

Therefore, because real mines of cork We can allocate only three:

• On the cork floor, the price is sufficiently high compared to artificial coatings - linoleum, vinyl tiles. For many, such originality of the floors, it turns out to be financially in charge. You can save, except on modifications. There are cork floors in economy class.
• Instability to the point exposure to acute items. In operation they should be avoided.
• Poorly alliate with warm floors. The thermal insulation of the material makes the heated simply meaningless. However, it is worth remembering that cork floors are always warm to the touch.

Myths about cork floors

All delusions about cork floors that are trying to impose consumers, we will try to dispel. We collected quotes from the articles of the so-called experts, which caused a negative response in the comments and full of false information. We also provide feedback on cork floors that do not correspond to reality. Discover these statements lead to the table.

Table - the whole truth about cork floors

Delusion	As in fact
"Cork floor is a pressed tree crumb on glue"	The shredded cork oak bark is used, which sinters under pressure and high temperature and gluits the natural substance released - suberin
"Meful selection of color cork color designs"	As already noted, the assortment of cork floors is very wide. Cork vens in natural or tinted color are beautiful and diverse, and the floors with the photo printing are produced for every taste.
"With an uneven screed, they sell, they will break and reveal"	Cork floors of known brands are durable and wear-resistant, but as well as any floor covering require an even base to serve for a long time.
"Paul porous and launder it from stains is not easy"	The floors are covered with lacquer from which stains are removed using detergents.
"The base of the floors is vinyl"	PVC-based cork floors are cheap analogs. The real adhesive cork floor contains only a cork crumb, and the cork laminate is based on the HDF fibreboard.
"Where so many cork oaks come from to provide the world with cork floors, if they grow mainly in the Mediterranean"	For the production of agglomerated traffic jam, only cork oak bark is used, it is removed from the tree once every 9-10 years, after which it raises again. The trees do not suffer from this. Therefore, the plug is a renewable resource, although limited.
"Perfectly conducts heat"	The tube structure contains millions of microscopic air pores, which ensures high degree of thermal insulation.
"It happens a rolled glue floor that glue on the screed, spreading like linoleum"	No, only a technical cork or a cork substrate under laminate, etc. is available in rolls. Cork floors The same lock and glue are rigid plates.
"CORKSRIBAS CHERSHOLES FLOORS, A glass breaks about them" (review)	Currently, Corksribas (Portugal) cork floors are supplied under acrylic varnish, so the floors remain soft and comfortable, the only negative is not too high wear resistance.

How to care for cork floors?

Find out what care requires cork floors and compare these requirements with other floor coatings.

In operation you should avoid walking on the tube on the studs, it is advisable to make soft linings on the legs of a heavy furniture. Then it will be avoided damage. The same gentle approach requires a laminate that is easy enough to scratch.

Cork laminate can not be poured with water, as well as the usual laminated coating. Spilled fluid is important to wipe immediately. And so that the water does not penetrate into the joints, after laying them are treated with a sealant.

If we compare glue cork floors with laminate and parquet board, then the plug wins on water resistance. The adhesive floor can be laid even in the bathroom, the flooding is not terrible to him.

Clear floor care rules

Care is fairly simple and comparable with most flooring. Only here, if the laminate faded, extermines, then you will not do anything with it, and the cork coating can be updated.

Next rules:

1. Wet cleaning with detergents without abrasives. Can be vacuuming.

2. With the wear of the lacquer coating in a few years of operation: the floor is polished for better clutch of the layers of varnish, and then covered with varnish. Luck is better to choose high-quality and wear-resistant.

Photo Feedback on the cork floor of the production of Portugal

The photo below shows how plug floors look like after 11 years of intensive operation in the kitchen. Family of four, guests are very often. Photography on the left - before the renewal of the lacquer coating, on the right - after.

Always original, moderately reliable, warm even in winter, protecting from injuries and beating fallen dishes - that's the qualities that mostly exhibits.

Uniqueness from nature bribes. That is why the material is more and more supporters despite the fact that cork floors to buy more expensive than linoleum or vinyl tile. Maybe you should touch the cork sex at least once to love this coverage forever?