Laminate or cork floors. Cork laminate: types, pros and cons Cork laminate pros

Cork laminate is a new material in the domestic flooring market. It appeared as an alternative to expensive cork floors and began to rapidly gain popularity. This unique finishing material combines the best qualities of natural and artificial coatings - environmental friendliness, high strength, excellent insulating properties and a presentable appearance.

Design

Cork laminate consists of five layers. The lower one consists of pressed cork chips and performs a stabilizing function. It serves as a shock-absorbing layer between the subfloor and the main slab, and also protects the floorboard from moisture. This is followed by a moisture-resistant sheet of chipboard or MDF. This layer is equipped with a Uniclick lock and serves as the skeleton of the structure. It has impact-resistant qualities and is responsible for the strength of the panel.

Above the main layer is a cork layer, which performs a sound and heat insulating function. She is also responsible for the softness of the coating. This is followed by cork veneer, which is a thin wood sheet that forms the pattern of the coating. The top layer is a protective film, which is formed from vinyl or water-based varnish. It protects the veneered surface from mechanical damage, moisture and ultraviolet radiation. The durability and level of wear resistance of the coating depends on the top layer.

All manufactured products comply with strict European standards and have certificates of conformity. The level of combustibility of the coating corresponds to index B2 and class DIN4102. This means that when in contact with an open flame, the material does not emit toxic substances.

Thanks to these indicators, the laminate can be used in residential, children's and medical institutions.

Features and Benefits

Cork laminate is becoming more and more recognizable and in demand not only in the European, but also in the Russian market of finishing materials. Popularity growth trends are due to the following undeniable advantages of products:

excellent sound and heat insulation properties are provided thanks to the multilayer structure of the panels and the physical properties of the cork tree. This quality makes it possible to use the coating on the first floors of buildings, above unheated basements, as well as as a sound insulator in apartments located above noisy institutions: private kindergartens and entertainment centers. The coating is warm to the touch and, due to its antistatic properties, is not prone to dust accumulation;
softness and good cushioning qualities of the laminate are achieved through the elasticity of the cork layer. This makes it indispensable in a children's bedroom or playroom. Dishes that accidentally fall on the cork floor will not break;

the material is absolutely environmentally friendly and hypoallergenic. The coating does not require special care and is easy to clean with all detergents. The only exception are formulations containing abrasive particles, which, if used frequently, can cause abrasion of the surface. Laminate has high moisture-repellent properties, so it can be used in rooms with high humidity. But a long accumulation of a large amount of water on the surface of the coating should not be allowed.

In the event of its occurrence, you must immediately collect water, and wipe the surface dry with an absorbent cloth;

unique locking system allows you to independently mount and dismantle the coating, without resorting to the services of stackers. The comb-groove system is assembled as a constructor and has high tightness. There are no gaps, gaps and height differences at the joints. Heat losses through the locking mechanism are excluded;

durability. Laminate manufacturers guarantee 10 to 15 years of flawless coating service. It all depends on the operating conditions and model. Due to the elasticity of the material, the dents obtained during operation straighten out after a while. The coating is repairable and lends itself well to spot repairs, without the need to change it entirely.;
presentable appearance It is ensured by the aesthetics of the natural material and the possibility of applying photo printing and drawing on it. This allows you to choose a coating for any interior.

Flaws

Along with a huge number of positive reviews and obvious advantages in operation, cork has some disadvantages:

the cost of products. Although it is significantly lower than the price of a cork floor, if we compare such material with classic coatings, then it is an expensive material;
the impossibility of installing the product on heated floors. The material has high thermal insulation properties, so heat from the heating system will not enter the room;
cork flooring is harder to clean than normal. This is due to the rough surface of the material and the predisposition to the accumulation of dirt in the pores;

poor endurance of the coating at increased point loads. Heavy cabinets standing on thin legs can push through the coating. There is also less wear resistance compared to traditional laminated panels. In places with a large pedestrian load, the varnished surface quickly fades and loses its original appearance. To eliminate scuffs, additional varnish processing of damaged surfaces will be required;
the tear strength of cork laminate is low, so you should try to prevent heavy objects from falling on the floor surface and avoid walking on sharp heels.

Criterias of choice

Before proceeding with the selection of a cork laminate model, it is necessary to determine the foot load, humidity and purpose of the room. For bathrooms, kitchens and corridors, you need to choose moisture-resistant options coated with a special varnish. In public places with high traffic, you need to buy products of the 33rd wear resistance class. When choosing a model for living rooms and bedrooms, you can be guided solely by the decorative properties of the coatings.

Next, you should decide on the style in which the room is decorated. For a rustic and ecological interior, a good option would be a coating of light colors with a distinct structure of the natural pattern. In a classic interior and retro style, a laminate of dark saturated colors with a lacquered surface is well suited. For techno, minimalism and high-tech, you can choose light matte surfaces with chaotic patches and the absence of a clear pattern structure.

An important point in the acquisition of cork laminate is the choice of manufacturer. The leader in production is Portugal. Its products are represented by well-known brands Wicanders, Corkart and Eliter. Russian Maestro also produced in Portuguese factories. German concerns Witex, Proteco, Kronotex, Egger, Aberhof and Parador widely known in the European market. Their products are highly durable and long lasting. In Russia, the Tarkett company is engaged in the manufacture of cork laminate.

Along with European manufacturers, Chinese companies are engaged in the production of cork. Their products are slightly cheaper than their famous counterparts, but given that China does not have its own raw materials, but buys them in Europe, and the cost is lower, then you should not count on high quality products.

When buying a laminate, you need to make sure that the packaging is intact and there are no defects in the product, check the safety of the lock structures and the edge of each panel.

Having found roughness and irregularities, it is necessary to replace the products: such lamellas will not provide sufficient tightness and integrity of the coating.

Care

With proper care and maintenance, The service life of cork laminate can be 20 years.

In order for the coating to last for a long time and not lose its original appearance, wet cleaning must be carried out with a damp cloth or vacuum cleaner.

Excessive moisture is recommended to be avoided even when processing moisture-resistant models. The use of hard metal brushes and caustic chemicals is prohibited. If there is large furniture in the room, then you need to make felt pads and put them under the legs.

In conditions of elevated temperatures, it is necessary to regularly moisten the canvas to prevent it from drying out. In case of heavy soiling, you need to carefully clean the surface with fine sandpaper, and then cover with a special varnish designed for cork floors. If the laminate is not lacquered, but vinyl, it is recommended to rub with mastic at least four times a year.

Today, a huge variety of products is presented on the building materials market, which puts buyers in a difficult position when choosing a floor covering. Of the two most worthy floor coverings: cork and laminated - what to choose? Which is better cork or laminate? Is there any compromise on this issue?

Cork oak, or rather, its bark, has been used for interior decoration for a very long time. The usefulness of this material is difficult to overestimate. Its general use was stopped only by the rather expensive price of this natural cork coating.

Laminate floors have already firmly won their rightful place in the ranking of floor materials. They are practical, durable, easy to install and look great at an affordable price.

When choosing a floor covering, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of each room: its purpose, the amount of load on the floors, the temperature and humidity inside the room. It is also necessary to have information about each of the two selected materials.

Cork floor properties

Cork floor is natural eco friendly a coating that is extremely pleasant in terms of tactile sensations: soft and warm when you walk on it barefoot. This is the quietest floor that can store heat perfectly. This floor is non-slip. Thanks to moisture resistance, it can even be used in the bathroom.

Cork material has a special porous structure, which provides it with unusual, useful properties:

high strength, elasticity - the coating is able to recover after compression from the load;
excellent heat-insulating property and noise absorption;
moisture resistance;
resistance to chemicals;
antistatic - the material does not accumulate static electricity;
bactericidal properties - the material is resistant to the formation of fungi, mold, etc .;
The floor is completely non-slip.

These remarkable properties of the cork floor fully meet the requirements for floor coverings in residential apartments and houses.

Types of cork

Adhesive cork boards.
Cork panels with locking elements (Cork laminate).

Adhesive cork boards usually have dimensions: 300 * 300, 300 * 600, 150 * 450 millimeters and a thickness of 4-6 millimeters. Such a floor is mounted using an adhesive method on a pre-prepared rigid dry base with good adhesion.

The rough base for cork adhesive flooring can be a prepared wooden floor or a cement screed. It is even better to lay sheets of plywood or OSB on a leveled base first, this will greatly speed up and simplify the installation of the cork.

When all the cork boards are glued to the base, they are varnished in several layers and left to dry completely. Such a coating will last 8-10 years, the service life is determined by the quality of the varnish composition and the degree of load on the floors. At the end of its service life, the surface of the cork flooring is updated by removing the remaining varnish and re-coating, in several layers. The floor will be ready for further use.

Cork panels with a locking system (cork laminate) for mounting a "floating" floor, they usually have dimensions: 900 * 185 millimeters and a thickness of 8, 9 and 12 millimeters.

The appearance of cork laminate is due to the high cost of natural cork and the search for ways to reduce this cost. Based on the structure of the laminated panel. Having made certain adjustments: changing the lower stabilizing and decorative layers, we got a combination of cork with a laminated material - a cork laminate. Its structure:

For the installation of a cork-coated laminate, the base of the floor is preliminarily prepared and leveled, cleaned of dust and dirt, then the substrate material is spread on it. This process is similar to laying laminate flooring.

Directly laying cork laminate is carried out completely similar to the installation of a laminated coating.

Do-it-yourself step-by-step instructions for laying cork laminate with your own hands:

Cork laminate: pros and cons

Cork laminate has many remarkable qualities that determine its undeniable advantages over other finishing materials.

Advantages:

low thermal conductivity, which ensures the ability of the cork floor to retain heat for a long time and feel this heat when in contact with the cork coating;
a high level of sound insulation, which allows you to muffle unnecessary sounds and ensures silent movement on the floor of cork laminate;
high wear resistance of cork panels, due to which the duration of the service life reaches 30 years;
moisture resistance of the material makes it possible to use the cork floor in rooms with high humidity;
as a natural material, the cork floor is environmentally friendly, which ensures its hypoallergenic properties;
resistance to chemicals, high resistance to the appearance and development of mold microorganisms and fungi;
ease of installation of the cork floor;
ease of maintenance of the coating, the ability to clean the surface of the plates from severe contamination;
the possibility of performing repairs, dismantling the floor from cork panels with locking systems.

Along with the many great properties of cork flooring, there are some limitations:

it makes no sense to combine it with a floor heating system due to the high thermal insulation of cork material;
the use of protective caps for furniture legs in order to avoid the consequences after heavy furniture - irreversible deformation of the decorative surface of the cork laminate;
in places of greatest patency, it will be necessary to restore the varnish layer;
the material is quite expensive - this is perhaps its main drawback.

Having decorated the floors in the room with natural cork or cork-based laminate, you will be convinced that this is a wonderful material that can bring comfort and warmth to both a city apartment and a country house.

The best cork manufacturers

Corporations from Portugal are the leaders among manufacturers of cork coatings. And this is understandable, since cork oak, from the bark of which cork is made, for the most part grows in this country. Cork coatings are produced by companies in Belgium, Switzerland, Serbia, Germany, Russia.

Brand Wicanders - belongs to the Portuguese company AMORIM GROUP, a leading manufacturer of cork flooring. Employees of the company constantly improve technologies, develop new types of products.

Several collections of cork coverings of this company are known. There are cork coatings designed to look like stone, metal, ceramic tiles, leather, wood, but retaining all the qualities of cork.

The Wicanders Vinylcomfort collection contains materials for high traffic areas. Plates have a special protective layer.

The Wicanders Linocomfort collection contains materials with a variety of designs and unusual colors.

Company corkart- from Portugal. It is famous for modern innovative developments.

Advantages of cork laminate coatings Corkart (Portugal):

high degree of elasticity;
high-strength products;
unique design;
high rate of sound insulation;
excellent combination of technical indicators.

Aberhof- a company from Germany, engaged in the production of various types of floor materials: laminated, cork wall and floor coverings. The main principle of the company is quality.

Benefits of Aberhof cork flooring:

CORKLOC locks, very strong, developed in-house. Provide protection of panel joints from moisture;
the use of environmentally friendly WRT lacquer with ceramic particles that provide excellent protection of the cork from any damage.

cork style is a Swiss company. Cork slabs and Corkstyle laminate are of excellent quality and the range is varied.

The company has many different collections of coatings, even with photo printing.

Features of cork flooring Corkstyle:

locks UNICLIK - heavy-duty;
high wear resistance. Two types of varnishes are used: Hot Coating and X-Protect, providing a high level of wear resistance;
the level of moisture resistance is increased - the floor will withstand the presence of water on its surface without harm during the day;
high environmental friendliness of products, class E1. This means that the formaldehyde content in the product is the lowest.

Maestro Club- the brand unites companies from different countries.

The collections have excellent performance characteristics, environmental friendliness.

The Rondo collection includes environmentally friendly cork floors that have antistatic properties, do not rot, do not burn.

In the Fado collection, all materials have a high wear resistance. A high-strength Hot Coating lacquer is used with effective cork protection.

Egger - products are manufactured in Austria and Germany. Cork laminate Egger (Egger) of this company has established itself as a high-quality coating with a surface of increased wear resistance. Guaranteed service life of products for up to 25 years. Products have many significant European awards.

A wide variety of imitations of natural wood.

All leading manufacturers of cork materials produce high-quality products with excellent technical and performance characteristics.

Laminate floor

Pros and cons of laminate flooring

The structure of a laminated panel can be compared to a multi-layer cake of several layers:

Before laying the laminate flooring, preliminary preparation and leveling of the subfloor, cleaning it from dust and dirt is required. Then, a substrate material, pre-selected and purchased, is laid on the base.

The choice of underlay and installation of laminate flooring is described here:

Laminate flooring is a "floating" floor, the panels are connected to each other, but are not attached to the floor base in any way. To enable the laminated floor to "walk" in size within small limits with fluctuations in temperature and humidity, it is necessary to leave a technological gap near each wall.

The size of the gap is usually from 10 to 15 mm, it can be larger, but keep in mind that it must be completely closed by the plinth without leaving a gap. To maintain the same size of gaps at each wall, special spacer wedges or pieces of panels are used. After installation, they are removed.

It is easier when laying to first assemble the entire row of panels, and then attach it to the previous row. Do not forget that the floors are mounted according to the type of brickwork: with offset joints of the panels of adjacent rows.

Now, as a rule, laminated panels of commercial classes are used: 32-33. In residential apartments, such a floor will last a long time, at least 15 or 20 years.

Laminate floors come in a wide variety of colors and textures. There are a lot of decors with reliable imitations of natural materials: wood, natural stone, ceramic tiles, and even the skin of exotic animals. You can choose laminated panels for any interior and for every taste.

Advantages:

affordable price with good quality;
variety of sizes and decor;
strength and wear resistance at a high level;
resistance to slight fluctuations in room temperature;
moisture resistance within certain limits;
harmlessness;
ease of installation, the possibility of dismantling and re-laying if necessary;
the possibility of repairing selective panels;
ease of maintenance.

Flaws:

Decide for you what is still better: laminate or cork, someone else cannot, it's your choice, your preferences and your capabilities. Let's say one thing, that no matter how you answer the question, which is better: cork floor or laminate, you will not lose, because both materials are worthy of your choice, they are wonderful in their own way.

Many of us are familiar with cork flooring and traditional laminate flooring. Thanks to modern technologies, a coating has appeared that combines the advantages of the first two materials. It's cork laminate. There are several varieties of such flooring, each of which has its own area of \u200b\u200buse. If the laying of cork panels was carried out in compliance with the technology, and the surface care during operation was correct, then the cork floor will serve you for many years.

What is cork laminate?

Cork laminate consists of the following layers:

First layer on the back- This is a coating of cork chips, which is mixed with glue and pressed. Its thickness is 1 mm.
As the basis of the panel fibreboard is exposed. The degree of its density is HDF, which means very high. At the ends of this plate, a tongue-and-groove joint is cut. Thanks to the tongue-and-groove locking system, laying is easy and quick without the use of additional fasteners.
Next comes the layer 1 mm thick from pressed cork. It is needed to improve the thermal insulation qualities of the material.
Top face layer- This is wood veneer. Usually cork oak veneer is used, but other types of wood are sometimes used.
Lacquer or vinyl is used as a protective coating.

Characteristics, pros and cons of the material

Cork laminate flooring is laid floating (without gluing to the subfloor). The floorboards are combined into a single durable coating due to the lock connection. At the same time, they are not fixed on the basis in any way. This installation method is very simple, does not require skills and the use of additional fasteners.

The advantages of cork laminate are as follows:

It is an environmentally friendly and safe material for people. It is allowed to be used in children's rooms and homes where allergy sufferers live.
The flooring absorbs noise well and at the same time retains heat well, as it reliably protects against cold concrete base.
The material does not absorb dust, dirt and odors, so it is easy to care for the floor. Even after prolonged use, it will retain all its aesthetic characteristics.
The possibility of accumulation of static electricity by the surface is excluded.
Since the cork has springy properties, the coating is resistant to mechanical stress. After rearranging the furniture, the dents from the legs will disappear over time.
The coating fits well into the interior of any room. Such a floor looks especially good if the design of the room is made in an eco-style.
It is pleasant to walk barefoot on the floor.
Another plus of cork flooring is its resistance to rot and fungus damage.
Additional advantages of cork: fire safety, low moisture absorption.
It is also worth noting the maintainability of the floor due to the lock connection and glue-free installation and ease of installation.

Cork laminate has its drawbacks:

Such coatings cannot be installed in underfloor heating systems, since their efficiency will be only 20% due to the high thermal insulation properties of the cork.
Cork floors do not like point impact. This means that it is impossible to walk on stilettos on such a surface.
An additional minus is the price of cork coatings. Their cost ranges from 27-54 $ / m².
Lacquer and vinyl coated panels need periodic updating of the protective layer.

Application area

The scope of use of cork-based laminate depends on its class:

Coatings 31 class suitable for residential areas with low traffic. Usually this is a bedroom, an office. They will last 10-15 years.
Products of 32 class they are distinguished by an average degree of wear resistance, therefore they are suitable for rooms with medium traffic (children's room, corridor). They will last up to 15 years.
Cork floor 33 class suitable for installation in rooms with high traffic - living rooms, hallways, kitchens and even office spaces. If you need durable cork laminate, Grade 33 will last up to 20 years.
Coatings 34 class have the highest degree of wear resistance. They are suitable for laying in places with heavy traffic, including public places.

Types of cork-based laminate

Cork laminate under a tree is available in several varieties:

Solid veneer boards cost the most. Usually these are large-sized coatings with an area of one product up to 6 squares.
Agglomerated cork with the inclusion of veneer belongs to the middle price segment.
Products from pure agglomerate the cheapest. They are made from small cork chips by pressing.

Important! It is difficult to distinguish between elements from pure agglomerate and a mixture of veneer and agglomerate. First of all, focus on price.

Cork laminate flooring

building level;
ruler;
jigsaw;
rubber mallet;
tape measure, pencil;
substrate (not always needed);
plinth, thresholds and other accessories for the floor.

Important! After purchasing laminate flooring, let it mature in the room where it will be laid for two days. So he can adapt to the humidity and temperature of the room.

Foundation preparation

There are no such strict requirements for the base under the cork laminate as for the base under the adhesive cork. But it is still desirable to prepare a solid, even, dry base. To do this, do the following:

The old coating (if any) is dismantled.
Eliminate all defects and irregularities of the base. If required, the protrusions are knocked down, and the cracks and cracks are puttied. If the base has become unusable, it is knocked down and the floor is leveled with self-leveling mixtures.
The surface is thoroughly cleaned of dust and small debris.
Be sure to check the moisture content of the substrate. It should not exceed 10%.

Substrate laying

It is not necessary to lay a substrate under the cork laminate. It is needed only if there is reason to believe that the base of the floor will accumulate moisture in itself. Usually a substrate is needed:

when laying cork in the bathroom;
on the ground floor of the room, under which there is a cold, damp basement.

Attention! Due to the effect of moisture on the cork laminate, the coating is deformed. As a result, gaps will appear between the panels.

As a substrate for a laminate, ordinary polyethylene is used. It is spread on the base with an overlap of strips of 15 cm and led to the walls to a height of 4 cm. All joints of the material are glued with adhesive tape. A polypropylene substrate or a technical cork is laid on top of the polyethylene layer. They are needed to level minor defects in the base or as additional heat and sound insulation.

Panel mounting

Step by step instructions for laying cork laminate:

The panels are laid with the longitudinal side perpendicular to the window in the room. So the joints will be almost invisible. First, the plates are laid against the far wall in a row. In this case, the spike of the element should be directed towards the wall. If necessary, the last panel in the row is cut to the desired size.
A gap of 10 mm is left between the cork and the wall of the room to compensate for material deformations. We leave the same gaps around the heating risers and near the thresholds.
The end joint of the plates of the next row is shifted by a third of the element of the previous row.
Each subsequent product is inserted at an angle into the groove of the previous row and lowered. As a result, the lock is latched.
Then we apply a bar to the end of the laid element and hit it with a mallet to seal the end joints.
The floorboards in the last row are cut lengthwise to the desired width and laid.
After that, we cut off the excess film around the perimeter of the room and install the plinth.

Cork laminate care

Caring for cork laminate flooring is quite simple.

Ordinary laminate or linoleum is often used for arranging the floor not only in commercial, but also in residential premises. Today, the situation has changed a little, cork-coated laminate is gaining more and more popularity, which is a modern type of flooring, consisting of interlayers. At the bottom is the adhesive composition and pressed natural chips, then high-strength fibreboard, then again a mixture of glue and natural chips. A thin layer of vinyl is applied on top.

All elements of the cork laminate are connected into a monolithic canvas by a special "floating" method. After assembly, a stable, durable floor covering is obtained.

Features of using cork laminate:

durability - the decorative coating can last more than thirty years without major repairs;
environmental friendliness - natural material is absolutely harmless, safe for humans;
external attractiveness - the texture of the laminate allows you to imitate valuable tree species;
thermal conductivity - the cork floor is quite warm and pleasant to the touch;
flexibility - the finishing material is a little springy, so even glass objects will not break when dropped;
elasticity - due to the unique property of natural material, dents formed on the surface straighten out over time;
sound and noise insulation - fine flooring can slightly reduce the noise level in a residential area;
ease of assembly - a cork-coated laminate is mounted using the same technology as a classic laminate;
moisture resistance - moisture resistant coating can be used in indoor areas with a high level of humidity.
ease of care - natural laminate can be cleaned with any cleaning agent, in addition, dust or dirt is practically not noticeable on a rough surface.

Disadvantages of cork coating:

insufficient reliability - with a high point load, the surface can receive various kinds of damage;
increased abrasion - during operation in the most passable places, ugly traces, gaps become visible;
high cost - a beautiful natural coating has a higher price compared to similar types of decorative finishes.

Which manufacturer is better

Manufacturers provide a wide range of eco-friendly finishes. The main differences between the products are in the texture of the top layer. The surface may resemble small grains like marble or plates. To implement various design projects, you can use light brown, golden sand or soft ocher shades.

To give the horizontal surface of the floor a special uniqueness and originality, a successful combination of various types of cork flooring, which differ not only in color, but also in texture, will help. The design technique allows you to divide the living space into several functional areas, to make the entire interior stylish and spectacular.

To create unusual interiors, you can purchase Egger cork laminate (manufacturing country - Germany). The basis of the coating is a special type of oak, its bark has excellent antistatic characteristics. Due to this feature, dust practically does not accumulate in the rooms. The covering has the laminated layer providing high moisture resistance. The original floor, it is possible to lay in rooms with a high degree of humidity. It can be baths, showers or baths. The laminate imitates the texture of natural African oak.
Egger

In the production of cork floors, one of the leading places is occupied by Portugal. Its products are distinguished by a wide range, excellent quality and durability. Corkart Lite produces high-quality laminate coated with a special composition. The varnish reliably protects the floor covering, does not affect tactile sensations. The beautiful texture of the cork shows through the clear lacquer.

Cork laminate assembly process

The purchased building material must be unpacked and left indoors for several days so that the cork is fully acclimatized. Like any wood material, cork laminate will quickly pick up the temperature regime, the degree of humidity of the room in which it is located.

Surface preparation

Before you start the process of decorating the floors, you need to dismantle the old flooring, remove the plinth, determine the presence or absence of depressions, cracks. Cork flooring should only be laid on as straight a base as possible. The existing shortcomings must be eliminated.

If the height differences exceed 2-3 mm per 1 meter of the length of the room, then it is better to make a screed on the concrete floor. The wooden floor in the presence of visible defects is covered with plywood sheets.

After the floor screed has completely dried out, you can spread the substrate using the butt-to-butt method. Separate segments are fastened with adhesive tape or sickle. The technology does not require mandatory laying of the substrate, however, an additional layer is required in bathrooms, kitchens, and apartments located on the lower floors. The substrate is laid out in such a way that it covers the inner area of the room with a slight approach to the vertical surface of the wall.
Removing the old skirting board
Fitting the door frame under the laminate
Self-levelling screed
Surface cleaning
Substrate laying

Installation of cork panels

The whole process of assembling cork or standard panels has a certain similarity. You need to start installation from the corner as far as possible from the front door. Laminate panels are stacked in a checkerboard pattern: the seams of the previous, subsequent rows are shifted by half or one third of the panel. As a result, in two adjoining rows, transverse joints should not be in close proximity.

For reliable fixation of the interlocks, each element to be laid is tapped with a special soft hammer. You can use an ordinary hammer, but in this case, in order not to damage the coating, you need to put a piece of board or timber.

So that after assembly all joints are not very noticeable, installation must be carried out from a balcony or window. After creating a solid flooring, skirting boards should be installed. They allow you to hide all the irregularities that have turned out at the junction of the floor sheet and the wall. Cork skirting boards are attached with glue, and plastic or wood products are mounted using nails or self-tapping screws.
Set of tools
laminate slats
Docking of cork laminate lamellas
Laying cork laminate
Tap the panels with a hammer for a tight fit.

Care rules

Cork laminate does not require any special operating conditions. However, like any decorative finish, cork needs to follow the rules to increase its service life and maintain an attractive appearance for a long time.

Daily cleaning of the laminate is done with a vacuum cleaner or a slightly damp cloth. When cleaning floor surfaces from dust and dirt, do not use hard metal brushes, strong chemicals.

The floor can suffer from a strong point impact produced by large furniture with thin legs. To avoid repairing the coating, it is better to purchase furniture with wide legs. Under them you need to put a small layer of soft material such as felt or felt.

To prevent the appearance of defects and dark scratches on the cork, it is not recommended to walk in thin heels or rubber shoes. During the heating season, manufacturers recommend moistening the cork floor to prevent it from drying out. If cuts or scratches appear on the surface of the cork chip laminate, the floor can be easily repaired without resorting to the complete dismantling of the coating.

Strong contamination can be cleaned with fine-grained sandpaper, after which the treated surface is covered with a layer of varnish. Vinyl-coated laminate flooring is recommended to be rubbed with mastic several times a year.

Laminate flooring has a rough surface where dust particles can accumulate, but despite this, dirt can be easily removed during normal wet cleaning using gentle cleaning products. A small amount of water will not cause serious damage to the cork, but large amounts can ruin the natural material.

Such a laminate is gaining more and more fans every year in all corners of our country. This is primarily due to the fact that natural coating is the best, environmentally friendly way of finishing. Natural material allows decorators to create home coziness and comfort in any living space, and a unique floor covering will not only be an excellent floor decoration, but also a bright accent of the entire interior.

Video

The video shows the technology of laying cork laminate.

Photo of cork laminate

In the photo you can see what the cork-coated laminate looks like in the interior.

Linoleum, or traditional laminate, was quite common on residential and commercial floors. Today, the situation has changed somewhat; laminate, which has a cork coating, is gaining more popularity.

Cork laminate composition

This material is a modern interlayer floor covering. At the bottom there is an adhesive layer, as well as natural chips, which are fused under the influence of temperature and pressure. The next layer is a high-strength fibreboard, followed by an adhesive layer again, as well as natural chips. The surface is thin vinyl.

Varieties of cork laminate

Cork laminate is presented for sale in several varieties, among them it is worth highlighting:

technical stopper;
glue plug;
cork parquet.

The first variety is a building material that is made from cork chips and is quite often used instead of a substrate for laminate or wooden parquet. Such a cork is able to soundproof and hide small surface flaws.

Adhesive cork floor is a modern cork, it looks like square tiles of different sizes. The structure is assembled using glue and laid joint-to-joint. After the installation is completed, it is possible to form an even canvas that does not have any gaps in the slots. The seams are highly sealed, so they are moisture resistant, which allows the use of the coating in high humidity conditions - in the bathroom or in the kitchen. You can buy such a laminate (cork) at an affordable cost, it is the affordable price that distinguishes this coating.

Cork parquet is a material that is laid using the floating method. It is created on the basis of MDF and allows you to get a monolithic surface. For installation, there is no need to use additional devices. In the process, the panels are sawn to size and tightly fitted to each other. The material is suitable for finishing children's and bedrooms.

Benefits of cork laminate

Cork laminate is usually laid on the floor using floating technology. After the assembly is completed, it is possible to obtain a durable, deformation-resistant coating. The floor will be able to last more than 30 years without the need for major repairs. Environmental friendliness can also be considered an additional plus - the material is safe for human health and completely harmless. Its external attractiveness makes consumers choose this material more and more often.

After laying the floor will imitate valuable wood species. Such a coating has such a quality as thermal conductivity, so the surface will remain warm and pleasant to the touch. Laminate is slightly springy, which indicates its flexibility, so even glass objects will not break when dropped. Cork laminate is characterized by elasticity. It has the unique characteristics of a natural material: if dents form on the surface of furniture, they will straighten out over time.

Features of cork laminate

If you use cork-based laminate as a finish, you can get soundproof and soundproof floors that will reduce the noise level in the premises. It is quite simple to assemble such a structure; installation will be carried out using the same technology that is used when laying a classic laminate.

The material is moisture resistant, so it can be used in rooms with a high level of humidity. After installation, caring for the coating is quite simple, you can use any cleaning products for this. On a rough surface, dirt and dust will remain almost invisible.

Main disadvantages

Which company's products are better to buy? Which manufacturer has a good cork laminate? Leroy Merlin offers the consumer a wide range of flooring. However, before making a purchase, you should also pay attention to the shortcomings of the material. Among others, it should be noted:

insufficiently high reliability;
increased abrasion;
high cost.

If the point load is high enough, then the cork-based laminate can suffer various damages. During operation, it is characterized by abrasion, gaps and unsightly marks remain in the most passable places. The coating is natural and has many other positive features, but it has a high cost, which cannot be called an advantage. That is why consumers quite often choose other decorative materials for flooring.

Cork laminate reviews

If you decide to choose a cork laminate, it is recommended to read reviews about it in advance. Consumers say that cork-based floors will be a great solution for rustic interiors. Quite often, cork laminate is used for interior design in eco-style. As the main advantage of this natural material, consumers call the unique texture and unique appearance. Cork looks natural and natural.

Considering the cork laminate, the cons must be taken into account. Among others, consumers distinguish not always high-quality goods that can be found on the market. That is why when choosing, you should pay attention to the edges. If you notice burrs and irregularities in this area, then buyers are advised to refuse to purchase such a coating.

Laminated boards of one batch must have one size. If it is different, then the installation process will be complicated. Cork laminate, whose advantages will allow you to make the right choice, can be designed for laying in commercial offices. This coating has the highest wear resistance class. This material can be recognized by the designation 33. It is important to pay attention to the bottom layer of the board, which must be dense and free of foreign inclusions. Otherwise, the soundproofing properties will lose their positive qualities.

The cork substrate under the Leroy Merlin laminate (as well as under the products of any other company) must be used during installation. In addition, in the process of carrying out these works, consumers are advised to pay attention to joints that should not stand out. Otherwise, moisture will penetrate into the cracks, which in the end will negatively affect the quality of the material, which will become unusable. Cork is not a particularly reliable material, which is why the finish must have intact packaging. Consumers are advised to pay attention to the manufacturer so as not to purchase low-quality goods.

cork laminate cost

Cork laminate, the price of which is 2000 rubles. per square meter, are realized with different textures, imitations and shades, in addition, the material may have different features. For example, Fado NATURA 03 has the following dimensions: 10.5x295x905 mm. The connection is locking, the products have no chamfer. The surface imitates satin. But Artcomfort Stone has a smooth glossy surface, the design is made in the form of a wild stone. On the base there are different shades of brown with green accents. The dimensions of this material are 10.5x445x645 mm. A square meter costs 3200 rubles.

On sale you can also find cork laminate, the price of which will be equal to 2400 rubles. In this case, we are talking about Corkcomfort Glue-Down products, which are supplied without chamfers. This cork laminate has a gray tint and a matte lacquer on the surface that acts as a protection. The elements are connected by glue, the dimensions are 6x300x600 mm. On sale there is also a 3 mm cork underlayment for laminate. For 10 m 2 you will need to pay 780 rubles.