How to properly install cork flooring. How to lay a cork board yourself

Every cork manufacturer strives to simplify installation with modern technologies and developments. In addition, the product comes with detailed instructions, however, when laying inevitably arise non-standard situations that only a professional can handle.

Cork flooring, especially the adhesive type, requires perfect preparation grounds. The subfloor must be level, dry, durable, stable and clean. Any flaws will immediately be reflected in the finish flooring. That is why preparation for laying - a key stage of installation cork .

Cork laying services

We offer a full range of services for the installation of decorative and technical cork coatings:

Cork laminate.
Adhesive floor plug.
Cork wall panels.
Cork wallpaper.
Floor cork plinth.
Underlay made of cork for laminate, parquet board.
Preparation of the base, dismantling of old coatings.

The cost of laying the cork floor and walls

Prices for cork installation services are formed after the departure of the measurer. The final cost is affected by the quality of the base floor, the area of \u200b\u200bthe room, the type of cork being laid. The table shows actual prices for Moscow and the Moscow region without taking into account the cost of cork.

Name of service	Unit measurements	Price, rubles
Laying decorative cork on the wall
Laying decorative cork flooring on the ceiling
Diagonal installation of cork on the wall
Easy styling floor adhesive plug (4 mm pre-lacquered in 2 layers) on the prepared base
Diagonal laying of the floor cork with adhesive (4 mm pre-varnished in 2 layers) on the prepared substrate
Installation of a floor adhesive cork coating (6 mm pre-varnished in 2 layers) on a prepared base
Diagonal laying of floor adhesive cork (6 mm with 2 coats of pre-lacquer) on the prepared substrate
Laying floor adhesive plinth (without varnishing)	m.p.
Laying floor adhesive plinth (lacquered)	m.p.
Laying technical cork on the walls
Laying technical cork on the ceiling
One-sided cut of cork (approach close to fixed parts)	m.p.
Double-sided cork cutting (junction of two cork materials)	m.p.
Applying one coat of varnish to the floor
Finishing preparation of the base before laying floor coverings (grinding, processing with strength fillers, primer)
Installation of the lock plug on the floor
Installation of a lock cork floor diagonally
Filling self-leveling floors to a height of up to 10 mm
Filling self-leveling floors to a height of up to 20 mm
Filling self-leveling floors to a height of more than 20 mm
Production of a prefabricated floor base from two layers of GVLV according to the leveling andsound and heat insulating layer of dry backfill according to the technologyTigiKnauf(with a backfill height of not more than 60 mm)
Priming the surface before laying cork wall coverings
Departure of the master in Moscow (for measurement)
Departure of the master outside the Moscow Ring Road (for measurement)		1000
Day of work of the brigade outside the Moscow Ring Road		1000
Minimum order value (team working day)		3000

Work order

Application. You can place an order for cork installation by phone, online on the website or in one of our salons.
Departure of a specialist for measurements. After agreeing on the details, our specialist leaves at the approved time, who takes measurements and makes notes on the object.
financial miscalculation. Based on the information received, a financial estimate is compiled, and deadlines for the completion of work are set.
Preparatory work. Work begins with the preparation of the base and the dismantling of the old coating, if necessary.
Cork laying. A cork floor is laid on the prepared base. Depending on the volume and location of the object, the work takes 1-2 days.
Delivery of the object. After the installation is completed, cleaning and removal is carried out construction debris- if necessary.

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Fame and wide recognition among consumers, the cork floor deserved immediately. Relatively inexpensive and affordable prices, and the ability to lay the coating on your own without the involvement of specialists, make the cork floor an even more popular and sought-after product.

Manufacturers offer the buyer a wide choice and the opportunity to purchase high-quality and affordable analogues and substitutes for real cork veneer.

You need to know and understand that there are small nuances and recommendations about cork flooring. In particular, this applies to the choice of all types of premises without exception. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully prepare before going to the store or to construction market for the choice, and then the purchase of cork flooring.

One should try to explore how all cork flooring works. Otherwise, you risk not only wasted purchased material, that is, wasted your money, but also work done in vain, due to your inattention.

Cork flooring categories:

The most expensive flooring can be safely called - cork board, which is made from real cork oak bark, its second and most popular name, cork veneer. The veneer is made from absolutely environmentally friendly and harmless, natural and natural material. It is produced in huge sheets, the sheet size reaches 6 square meters, and its thickness reaches from 4 to 6 mm. All sheets are rolled into large rolls. It is also known about the production of cork natural tiles. On the reverse side of the sheet, a coating of durable vinyl film is created, which facilitates the laying of sheets in the process of work on the surface and on the concrete floor. Despite the serious advantages of natural cork veneer, it also includes many different disadvantages.
Of course, in second place, both in price and, accordingly, in quality, are MDF cork panels(Fibreboard, medium density). They are often unreasonably confused with a cork board, but if you look, then there are significant and considerable differences here. First of all, MDF panels are called cork laminate. Consider an approximate technology for its manufacture: a real cork crumb is applied to the MDF base, using dry hot pressing. Then another layer is applied, consisting of cork veneer, approximately 2 to 4 mm. From above, everything is varnished or a good vinyl film. In terms of quality, cork laminate is in no way inferior to natural veneer, and is not so demanding on the surface and the quality of its coating.
All manufacturers produce cork laminate on standard sizes, which is the same, without exception, for all types of laminate. This refers to the ratio of the length and width of the panels.
The next material will be pressed cork chips. Quality crumbs are made from crumbs. cork tiles, which for its price is significantly not expensive. The appearance of the tile is difficult to confuse with anything, the structure is made of fine grain, any tile resembles a cork from a wine bottle. Aged in their unique and colorful sand-coffee palette, with unique patterns, they certainly attract the eye of the buyer in the store. And in terms of quality, a floor made of cork tiles is practically not inferior to a floor covered with natural cork veneer. And if you compare in terms of costs, then a tile floor will be much cheaper than a whole floor. cork laminate. Manufacturers offer us tiles to choose from, sizes - 30 by 30 mm, 60 by 60 mm, 60 by 90 mm. Often in stores you can find waste from natural veneer and trimming it to look like tiles. You can safely buy and collect good coverage from them, it all depends on your taste and the flight of your imagination.

The floor, made of any cork coating, does not slip at all and does not spring at all. Copes with a significant and weighty load directed at him. The cork floor has excellent sound and heat insulation. Its main advantage is that it is completely harmless to health and 100% environmentally friendly. Throughout the history of cork flooring, there has never been a detrimental effect on human health.

With all the virtues and positive qualities corks, unfortunately, it also has disadvantages. First of all, this is too high a price, but one cannot fail to note the complex and responsible process of its installation. A rather fragile cork does not tolerate inept and frivolous handling. Without proper experience, it is better not to approach the cork flooring on your own.

Cork has an overestimated threshold of sensitivity to temperature differences. From this entirely depends its internal component and appearance. It can swell from water containing dissolved in it organic matter. In addition, cork perfectly absorbs all odors, and for a long time contains them. If you have a cork from a wine bottle at home, try restoring it to its former glory, or try to get rid of the smell of the part of the cork that was in the bottle. Nothing will work.

Accordingly, based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that the cork floor will not be able to serve for a long time in rooms where there are temperature fluctuations. From any thermal changes, after a short period of time, the cork will crumble and become unusable. Therefore, it is not advisable to make a cork floor in the hallway, in the kitchen and on the balcony. You can try to put a cork laminate with protective coating, although this is also not advisable.

Most inappropriate places for cork flooring, toilet and bathroom. Absolutely impossible! Too much high humidity and temperature changes have a negative effect on the cork, over time, microcracks will appear in it, and moisture will flow through them into the very core of the cork, and swelling will soon occur, which will lead to delamination. This happens invisibly, in places that are inaccessible to our eyes, under baseboards, or under the bathroom.

The cork does not have antiseptic properties, and if we take and open the place of swelling, the so-called bubble, then an unpleasant and not very attractive picture will appear before our eyes. The inner core of the cork will turn into mush.
Places for cork floors

We offer a list of rooms for cork flooring:

First, the children's room. Any kind of cork floor is suitable for a child's room. Children will be warm to walk on cork floor barefoot in both winter and summer, when falling on the floor, the child will not be injured. Walking barefoot in a traffic jam has a positive effect not only on the psyche of babies, but also develops a sense of connection with wildlife.
Second, the bedroom. The reasons for choosing are the same and similar to those for children.
On the third place, . To the reasons described above, you can add good sound insulation.
In fourth place, the living room. by the most the right choice there will be cork laminate.

Laying technology

There are 3 ways to lay cork flooring.

You can lay cork laminate according to the principle. The only thing is that you need to observe some nuances regarding the tool and technology, about this, see below.
It is possible to lay cork laminate and veneer, freely, without special fastening. So it will be called a floating floor.
You can lay the cork floor on the glue.

Floating cork flooring and adhesive flooring have significantly different laying technologies. Preparing the premises for repairs remains the same, but the tool is different for each floor.

An important and probably the most determining factor is that the cork floor must be laid in warm time of the year. It is necessary to prevent a temperature drop of more than 5 degrees when delivered from the supplier to the house where the floor will be laid. Be sure to check the humidity in the room, and make sure that it is not lower than 60%. At an air humidity of 75%, it is strictly forbidden to lay a cork floor.

What you need at work

Rubber hammer, it is called a mallet, for laying and fitting the floor. You can use a jigsaw, with a very small file or a grinder, for cutting boards. hand saw cannot be used (the cork crumbles very much). If the floor is glued, then you will need a metal and heavy roller (skating rink) for good rolling. Definitely need a level.

It will be necessary to make, for a floating floor, spacer wedges. They are made from scraps of cork laminate. By no means wooden, because the wooden ones will crumble the cork. In order to customize and edit the boards, we use the same rule. A clamp - a hook, for pulling up planks, also cannot be used.

You need to buy a skirting board, it is special for cork flooring. Including, you will need sills, glue and a spatula, preferably wide, in order to spread glue on the boards.

Cork mining

Room preparation

The surface for the floor should be as dry and even as possible. Simple concrete screed, cannot serve good coverage because it has a very rough surface. Over time, the cork floor will play on it. Concrete here acts as an abrasive, respectively, the cork will be wiped.

A wet surface is the main enemy of a cork floor. It is necessary to dry the surface properly before work, otherwise the cork will swell and deteriorate. What was written above, in the section on the bathroom and toilet.

In order to check the moisture content of the concrete floor, it is necessary to cover the floor with a greenhouse film for 24 hours. Check, after the allotted time, if there is moisture on the film, leave for another 24 hours. And so on until the desired result is achieved, dryness. A wet surface will inevitably damage the floor. Especially carefully inspect and seal the cracks in the radiators, since moisture can also penetrate from the neighbors below.

Leveling the floor

Only with a liquid leveler, it is necessary to equalize the floor under the cork. Cork is harder than any composite found in all dry levelers. In addition, cork is fragile in its composition. The floor, made on a dry basis, can crack at any moment from pressing on it with the leg of a chair or from a woman's heel.

The solidity, reliability and service life of the cork floor depend on the base. Experts advise laying marmoleum before the cork on the surface. Possibly the cheapest as well. It is possible and substandard.

Marmoleum, in their own way mechanical properties identical with cork, respectively, after laying on it, there will be no failures from the load.
Marmoleum will smoothly fall on the entire uneven surface base and close all its flaws, remaining smooth on top.
Marmoleum has bactericidal qualities, which means that the harmful microflora has no chance, both for its inception and for its development.

In the event that plywood, linoleum or laminate is already laid on the floor, you can simply lay the cork floor on top.

floating cork floor

A floating cork floor can be laid with cork laminate or veneer. Of course, this is a job for specialists, as a rule, all attempts to gain sex on their own lead to various kinds of damage. expensive materials. Accordingly, the price of veneer pieces increases significantly.

Let us consider in detail how the floating flooring is made of cork laminate:

We measure the room, make the purchase of the laminate itself. Already in place, at home, we unpack and leave it open for 24 hours so that the air temperature and humidity balance.
While the cork is acclimatizing, we cover the floor with a greenhouse film. We try to make overlaps of 20 centimeters, do not forget to make overlaps on the walls, 15 centimeters. We firmly seal the joints with adhesive tape.
All boards of the same row, we file in size from the edge of the ridge, we try not to touch the groove. If we lay and shift the seam in half, we cut half of the boards from the edge along the length exactly in the middle.
. From the corner we put transverse rows and shift the seams by a third. We take the next plank and insert it into the groove of the previous one, while trying to keep it at a slight angle. Press, with a little effort and lower. Align and adjust with a rubber mallet prepared in advance. Be sure to keep a distance of about 20 or 30 mm from the walls, align the outer plank with spacer wedges.
Trim off any excess greenhouse film.
We attach the cork plinth to the wall with mounting glue, after placing matches under it. So that it does not come into contact with the floor.
The floating cork floor is ready.

Floor on glue

The quality of a cork floor on glue directly depends on the choice of the glue itself. From the huge selection, I would like to single out Cascoflex, and similar adhesives. Adhesive, based on which there is no volatile aggressive solvent. It is non-toxic and dries in about 10 minutes, a time suitable for fitting boards, tiles. The price of this glue and others like it is quite high. Based on this, the question arose of the possibility of using PVA glue.

Under no circumstances should a cork floor be laid with PVA. PVA glue is made on water based that the cork harms. When the PVA glue dries, the water evaporates from it, that is, if we attach a plank and wait about 25 minutes, it will stick tightly and it will no longer be possible to correct it. In addition, when working with liquid PVA glue in the room, the humidity of the air increases greatly. Conclusion, PVA glue cannot be used.

Let's consider the technology of adhesive cork flooring:

We begin to work without fail from the center of the room, and move in a spiral in any direction. Left or right, it doesn't matter.
Using a spatula prepared in advance, we apply a layer of glue, put a plank and level it.
Immediately roll it with a roller (skating rink).
We use a level to check horizontality and a mallet to correct it. If suddenly one of the sides of the plank is higher or lower than the other.
Any excess glue, carefully wipe with a cloth soaked in solvent. We must remember and know that the glue that dries on the cork cannot be removed. Therefore, it is advisable to throw out the used cloth immediately.
We leave along the walls, around the entire perimeter of the room, a gap, the same as for the floating cork floor.
Be sure to wait 24 hours after the end of the flooring and only then fix the skirting board.
Adhesive cork floor is ready.

What is HDF?

Of all types of cork flooring, HDF (High Density Fibreboard) is the most inexpensive. This is a material topped with pressed cork chips. Simply put, this is an ordinary fiberboard (Wood Strand Board), in its properties and naturally in quality, it is far from a real cork. If you want to create a cheap cork floor illusion then HDF is for you.

Outcome

Reliable and durable, harmful or bad? The cork floor can be anything. Much depends on the choice of the room where it will be placed. And the price and laying technology only affect its decorative features.

Cork flooring is an excellent option for living spaces in an apartment or a private house. It has excellent decorative, heat and sound insulating properties, has a long service life with strict adherence to the installation technology. Cork can also be laid on other surfaces - floors or walls. So original way It is easy to create a stylish room with minimal investment.

cork floor installation cost

Approximate prices for the provision of cork installation services are indicated on the website. For a more accurate cost, please contact us. A technologist visits the facility completely free of charge, takes the necessary measurements and makes an estimate. It includes the cost of labor and materials. If necessary, also free of charge, you can get advice on any issue of interest that relates to the installation of the floor or the features of its further operation.

#	Name of works	Unit rev.	uena
1	Putting cork on the wall	m 2	from 350r.
2	Installing cork on the ceiling	m 2	from 450r.
3	Laying decorative cork on the wall diagonal	m 2	from 450r.
4	Laying a floor adhesive cork coating (3 layers of varnish) on a prepared base is simple	m 2	from 480 rub.
5	Laying the floor adhesive cork coating (3 layers of varnish) on the prepared base diagonally	m 2	from 580 rub.
6	Cut hole for pipeline	PC.	from 350r.
7	Laying cork on the walls - designing the corner joint of the walls	m.p.	from 300 rub.
8	Cork floor/wall lacquering 1 coat of varnish	lm/m2	from 30 r.
9	Installation of floor plinths	m.p.	from 120r.
10	Laying-on glue-technical cork on the floor, walls	m 2	from 280 rub.
11	Laying technical cork on the ceiling	m 2	from 380 rub.
12	One-sided cork cut (close approach to fixed parts)	m.p.	from 300 rub.
13	Two-sided cork cut (junction of two cork materials)	m.p.	from 600 rub.
15	Primer floor, walls	m 2	from 30 r.
16	Installation of a castle floating cork floor. Easy styling	m 2	from 250 rub.
17	Installation of a castle floating cork floor. Diagonal styling	m 2	from 380 rub.
18	Self-leveling floor up to 10mm	m 2	from 250 rub.
19	Self-leveling floor up to 20 mm	m 2	from 300 rub.
20	Self-leveling floor up to 30 mm	m 2	from 350r.
21	Dry screed Knauf up to 6 cm	m 2	from 450r.

Varieties of coatings

Several types of material are used for flooring - solid veneer, crumb-agglomerate, mixed. The highest quality cork is the first type, but it is also the most expensive. This material is also published in different form, which determines how it is laid. Allocate:

technical block. Available in the form of rolls or large plates;
plates that are installed on the glue. They can be rectangular or square;
floating floor. They are MDF panels, which are glued with cork.

Installation using adhesives

Cork flooring adhesive method happens like this:

Substrate preparation - leveling, removing dirt, priming.
Glue is applied both to the cork and to the surface of the base. It should dry for 10-15 minutes, after which you can proceed with the installation.
For better fixation of the panels, you need to knock on them with a rubber mallet.
On the finished surface apply varnish.

Floating installation

The technology of work implies the presence of the following stages:

The prepared base (smooth, cleaned of dirt) is covered with a thin cork substrate in the form of rolls.
The individual strips are connected to each other with adhesive tape.
Cork panels are laid on the entire surface of the floor, which form one whole due to the presence of a locking connection.
To obtain a high-quality coating, after mounting each board, it is tapped with a rubber mallet.

Where to order cork flooring in Moscow?

Our company is engaged in the installation of cork flooring in Moscow. We take orders of any complexity and carry out laying of coatings in the premises different area and functional purpose. Our company employs only professionals in their field, which guarantees high quality. During the execution of the order, a phased control is carried out, which eliminates any defects. Also, the commissioning of the facility will occur within the previously agreed time frame, which will satisfy even the most demanding client.

On the market building materials Cork flooring is becoming more and more popular. This material is produced from crushed cork oak bark by pressing. An ideal floor covering for those who prefer natural materials. Among the advantages of cork: resistance to burning, antistatic, good sound and heat insulation.

With a detailed study of the issue, laying a cork floor with your own hands is not such a complicated process. Availability necessary tool and a responsible approach will make it possible to independently perform the work qualitatively and without the involvement of specialists.

The installation of a cork floor with a locking connection is similar in technique to the installation of a laminate. It is not advisable to lay a cork floor without first laying a waterproof film. Residual moisture from the floor surface can adversely affect the cork board.

The film is cut into strips and laid out with an overlap, as well as with a launch on the walls. The lining is laid out on top.

The first panel is laid in the corner of the room, and then the following tiles are sequentially attached end to end with a lock.

The second and third rows are assembled in the same way. The rows are interconnected by a locking connection. It is very important that when laying the panels there is an expansion joint between the wall and the covering.

Cork tile with interlock

If an incomplete row is obtained at the end, then the panel is cut off. The cut off part is the beginning of the second row.

If in width it turns out that the last row will not be complete, then the panel is cut along.

There are cases when the panel lock is cut off and the panel is glued to the floor with glue. Such cases occur in hard-to-reach places for styling.

Cork tile laying

The essence of laying the castle coating is similar to the floating floor. This installation method is faster and easier. The castle cork floor has only one drawback - it is not resistant to moisture.

Tiling

Exists different ways how to lay cork flooring. Cork tiles can be laid either flat (tiles over tiles) or offset (brickwork). When using cork panels irregular shape it is better to use the second method of flooring. This will help to visually smooth out the unevenness of the vertical lines due to different size cork tiles. The laying method is selected before work begins at the interior design stage.

Laying methods

Laying in technique brickwork begins with laying a series of boards. The second row is laid in such a way that the beginning of the first board is located in the center of the board of the first row. All subsequent rows are also laid. It turns out that each row is shifted relative to the previous row.

Adhesive coatings

Laying the adhesive cork on the floor has one feature - it is laid from the center of the room. Because of this milestone when laying is the correct and precise marking. It depends on how the cork floor will look in the end.

Marking before laying

For marking in the center of the room, a contour is applied, parallel to the wall. Next, another line is applied, departing from the first one by the width of two tiles. At diagonal laying the second line is drawn diagonally across the room.

For getting beautiful pattern the cork board is preliminarily laid out on the floor, after which it can be fixed with glue.

The first tile is glued perfectly exactly according to the markup, because even a small error at the beginning can lead to a significant deviation at the end of the work, and the overall picture of the picture will be spoiled.

Applying adhesive to tiles

Contact adhesive is applied with a spatula to the floor and cork tiles. The glue applied to the tile is aged for half an hour. Then you need to glue the plate to the floor.

When installing the floor, the tiles are overlapped to get a tight connection. At the same time, the edge of the panel must be held. The free part of the tile is pressed, and the resulting wave is smoothed towards the joint. Thus, a tight joint is obtained. Additionally, each joint is tapped with a rubber hammer for a tight connection.

Base Leveling

Before laying any material, you need to prepare the base for laying well. The quality of the preparation of the base on which the cork floor will be laid will determine its service life.

The steps for preparing the base of the floor are as follows:

Cleaning the surface from contaminants;
Base leveling;
Drying the floor surface.

Cleaning the surface from dust and dirt is done with a vacuum cleaner or a dry brush. Next, the process of leveling the surface takes place, depending on the material of the base of the floor.

Vacuum the floor before laying

If the concrete floor acts as the basis, on which there are cracks, pits, imperfections are removed cement mortar. If the concrete floor is curved, there are differences, then it is better to level it with concrete screed. The surfaces are allowed to dry well to reduce the moisture content of the coating. It is recommended to use a polyethylene layer between concrete and cork to protect against possible condensation. Only after the preparatory work an adhesive plug or a lock is being laid.

A wooden floor base needs to be checked for rotten boards. If the floor is uneven, then it is leveled with plywood or chipboard sheets. In this case, the floor will not only have an ideal surface for laying cork, but will also act as additional thermal insulation.

Set of tools

Self-laying cork on the floor requires having a tool in the arsenal that helps to carry out this work efficiently and effectively.

For the flooring of the castle cork coating you need:

Pencil, for marking;
Roulette;
Hacksaw for cutting cork tiles;
Wedges for installation in the gaps between the wall and the panels.

Tiles on a substrate

Adhesive cork flooring requires the same tools as for the castle floor. You only need to add:

Roller or spatula for glue;
rubber hammer;
Dishes for glue.

gluing tiles

The adhesive plug is glued to the glue, which is either water-based or solvent-based. When applying a water-based adhesive, it should be understood that in case of possible flooding, the adhesive panel on such an adhesive may fall off.

Installing a cork floor with solvent adhesive requires the use of protective equipment to prevent harmful substances into the respiratory organs. Work should be carried out with the window open to allow air to enter.

Floating floor installation

The floating floor method implies that there is no tight connection between the floor covering and the building structure, which makes it possible to avoid the effect of shrinkage of the building on the floor. At the same time, the flooring material does not come into contact with the side walls; sound waves are not transmitted from them. The floor installed in this way will be isolated from the noise that is generated when the floor slab is exposed to walking, moving objects, etc.

How to install cork flooring using the floating floor method? The process begins with covering the surface with a film that does not allow moisture to pass through. The film is laid in overlapping pieces, which are connected with adhesive tape. To insulate the floor under the floor covering, laying is possible cork backing. Partial row panels are cut without affecting the groove. The panels are arranged in transverse rows from the extreme left corner, inserting the crest of the next panel into the groove of the previous panel. A gap of 20-30 mm wide is left between the wall and the coating. To do this, a wedge is placed in the gap for expansion. The excess film is cut off. At the finish, a cork plinth is attached to the wall at a distance of 1-2 mm from the floor covering.

The floor inevitably enters our field of vision, forming the image of the room as a whole. It should be comfortable and beautiful, because every day you have to come into contact with its surface. The main requirements include insulation performance, environmental friendliness, wear resistance, representative appearance. The choice of surface material should also include the specifics of the room, so the level of humidity, the number of visits in the bathroom, hallway and nursery are different. Among the many options, of course, preference should be given to the tree. It is always in fashion and goes with any style and color. This material is capricious and unacceptable in rooms where the level of humidity is high, condensate and steam often appear. Thus, it is worth excluding the bathroom, toilet, kitchen. The wooden floor is solid boards, and MDF, and laminate, and combined coatings. There is another way to arrange the floor in living rooms- do the laying of the cork floor with your own hands. This procedure will take the whole family, becoming a vivid joint memory. The material is supple and pleasant to the touch, and its fixation and distribution do not require special skills.

Origin of material, its types

Cork is relatively new material. It was only in the 17th century that it began to be used to clog wines, guided by the properties of the material, which did not affect the taste of the wine. Now corkwood used in construction and decoration. This is a layer of cork oak bark that is removed from the tree starting on its 25th anniversary. It is during this period that the bark easily moves away from the branches and does not harm it. The material then goes through several stages of processing, which are this moment work quite effectively with large volumes of cork.

Cork floors are divided into types, installation differs depending on this, because the video instructions differ from each other, taking into account the type of material used. The most expensive material is solid cork veneer. This is a cut that can be of various thicknesses. The form can be either solid - in the form of a board, or flexible - in the form of rolls. Surface color - yellow-brown, with a large natural pattern of dark rich color. The material can be cut into tiles as whole piece it is difficult to decompose, and the surface under it is ideally prepared. The bottom side can be covered with a film for better adhesion of the adhesive to the surface.

Laying cork flooring with panels is like putting together a puzzle. In this case, a special technology is used for each board. The MDF base is covered with a layer of pressed cork chips, and then a cut of cork veneer is glued to the front side. This type of flooring can use the scraps and scraps that are collected when making a solid cork sheet, so it costs less. In addition, for those who are going to do the work on laying the cork floor on their own, it will be easier to work with this material. A separate category is cork laminate, which is already prepared for fasteners and can be laid after a preliminary calculation of the footage.

There are also offers from hardware stores, where knowledge of cork flooring technology will help create a masterpiece. We are talking about cork tiles, which are made from crumbs. Under influence high temperature it is pressed, resulting in a yellowish base tone, speckled with small grains of a darker color. Material properties, such as elasticity, thermal insulation, environmental friendliness, are preserved in this case. The size of the tiles traditionally repeats the parameters of ceramic tiles - these are squares and rectangles with an edge of 30, 60 cm. small size. Only experienced master can collect quality.

Laying work

Any construction and repair work requires concentration, remarkable desire and strength. In order for everything to succeed and the result not to disappoint, you need to choose the right materials in the store, calculate their required volume, find out where it is better to start work and what to do with the room after it is completed. The work of laying a cork floor is not easy, as it requires accuracy, a good eye and patience, but from a technological point of view, even a child can handle it.

The basis is the draft floor. It must be flat, clean and dry. If your base is made of concrete, clean it of dirt and dust, examine the surface for cracks and chips. If there are any, they need to be repaired with putty, and if the floor is all covered with irregularities, it is better to apply a layer of screed. Do not forget that the liquid layer must dry completely, and this may take up to a week. The wooden floor can be additionally covered with a layer of plywood.

Next, you need to buy glue, depending on the type of coating you choose. The packaging usually indicates the parameters of this product, so you should focus on the instructions and advice from sellers. Do not use ordinary water-based glue, it will not dry completely and will transfer dampness to the cork, which will quickly swell and begin to peel off and rise in bumps.

In case of cork flooring we are talking rather about panels of different sizes, and it is very important to arrange them correctly. We start not from the walls, but from the center of the room. It can be determined by pulling the ropes from the corner to the injection and fixing their middle. It is from this point that the layout will go. It is important to maintain symmetry so that the stripes of the laid panels or tiles are parallel to the lines of the walls.

Cork laminate and solid panels

There are two ways to lay a cork floor - glued and dry. Solid cork, laminate, veneered MDF panels can be laid by attaching them to each other with special grooves. Such a floor is called "floating" or castle. On one side of the tile there is a narrow hole along the entire length, and on the other side there is a comb. One panel is placed under the other and snapped into place. This method is pleasant, since there is no need to fiddle with glue, rub it off and breathe in its vapors. For this method, a specially prepared layer on draft floor for better insulation. It could be polyethylene film, fastened at the joints with adhesive tape or furniture stapler, and maybe a layer of wood. Laminate or solid cork flooring can also be installed over carpet, as long as it is clean and even.

The laying of the cork floor starts from the wall. A second one is applied to the first panel, slightly at an angle, then it is lowered, and the lock itself snaps into place. After laying the first row, you can move on to the second, and so on. It is better if the tiles are placed in a checkerboard pattern; for this, you need to start with a half of the plank in a row. Laying such a cork floor does not even require a training video, everything is intuitive. It got its name both due to the gaps between the boards, which must be left (about 7 mm), and due to the lack of attachment to the wall - the plinth only hangs over the floor, not attached to it in any way.

Tiles - the weapon of the master

Cork tile is a cheap coating, but it does not regulate the laying pattern, giving room for imagination. It is very important to work with glue correctly. It is better to buy an expensive sample so that the work does not go down the drain. The first step is the distribution of tiles. To do this, we determine the center of the room, from which we begin to lay out the tiles dry. To begin with, we determine the main points, laying out the most large tiles. Having covered the space of the room, we lay out small tiles in the crevices. Once you like the result, start gluing. It is made according to the same principle - starting from the center, with the largest tile. Remember that they must be adjacent to each other.

The glue is applied both to the tile and to the base, the cork impregnation time is indicated on the package. The technology of laying the cork floor involves the application of tiles with pressure so that the glue grabs better. Excess must be wiped off immediately so that no stains remain, for this you can use a sponge. After the large tiles are glued, you can fill the space between them with smaller pieces. If you don't have right size, the tile can be cut with a knife into several smaller ones.

Installing a cork floor can take from one to several days, depending on the subsurface. If you filled the floor with a screed, it is better to wait an extra day for everything to dry completely, if you laid a cork base, then the period may be shorter. When choosing a cork floor, take care of matching skirting boards. Knowing how to lay tiles, you can put together a whole composition using different shades of cork or even tinting it, but such panels are more suitable for walls.

A number of warnings

Cork also has a number of disadvantages. It swells and expands from moisture and shrinks from dryness and heat. These are normal properties of wood, so there is no way to get rid of them. Plus, it absorbs odors. Such a floor is unacceptable in the country house, which you leave closed and unheated for a long time, in the bathroom, where you constantly high humidity, in the kitchen, where the smells of food will permeate the material.

Despite all the advantages of natural material - softness, cushioning when walking, a feeling of natural texture, there is back side question - cork is not an antiseptic. In this case, you can see under the chipped tile or in another area that microbes have probably taken root under the coating. It's plaque, a dubious liquid that looks like glue.

Of course, if the surface is glued with the right glue, the humidity is always right, and you clean regularly, the chances of getting to know germs face-to-face are minimal.

Care

Cork will serve you for a long time with careful handling. Enough for regular cleaning pure water or soap solution, but use chemical substances not worth it, there is a risk of damaging the natural surface. If you have a lot of furniture that also moves, it is better to fix pieces of cork on the legs, this trick will avoid scratches. You should not use rubber or latex mats, such as those sold for yoga, as they leave stains on the cork that cannot be removed later.

The cork floor is warm for your feet, the ability to lie and sit on the floor for your children. It will not allow fall injuries such as concrete base, it will cushion as you walk, creating the effect of contact with nature. Choose a high-quality floor, follow the instructions and your apartment will acquire an unsurpassed look and convenience.