After opening a bottle of champagne or winea cork remains in the hand. It would seem, a trifle, which you should not pay attention to. But few people at the same time think that it holds real finishing material, from which cork floors are produced on an industrial scale. They can be used as rough or even finish flooring.
Cork floors are manufactured according to differenttechnologies from the bark of an oak of two kinds which can be found only in the west of the Mediterranean. At the same time, the material of adult trees arrives for processing. The first time the bark is removed from oaks aged 25-30 years. If the removal procedure is performed correctly, no harm is done to the trees. Next time the bark can be obtained only after 6-9 years.
- One-piece veneer. This kind of material is the most expensive.
- Agglomerates. Such a coating is made from cork crumb by pressing at high temperature. The material is the cheapest.
- A combination of veneer and agglomerate. For the production of coatings, small crumbs and large veneers are used.
Kinds of cork coatings
-Technical cork is available in the form of granules, plates or rolls.
-Gluous coatings are available in the form of tiles.The standard dimensions are 300x300, 450x150, 600x300, 450x450 mm. Such coatings may have an upper protective layer. Most often they are painted, which allows you to combine colors and create different drawings of them. In addition, this type of coating is considered to be the most moisture resistant, which predetermined its use in wet rooms.
- Floating cork floors. Under such a loud name lies a cork cover, glued to the MDF panel. The standard size of one panel is 900x185 mm.
Advantages
- High heat and sound insulation.
- Chemical inertness.
- Does not rot.
- Orthopedic functions.
- It is not eaten by microorganisms, beetles and rodents.
disadvantages
- High price.
- Easy deformation of the material.
- Wiping of the protective layer over time.
1. Floating cork floor. The work is carried out in the same way as the usuallaminate flooring. On the cleaned surface of the floor should be placed a substrate, preferably cork. Next, the installation of panels begins. It is recommended to place them parallel to the sun's rays. The collection of the sex is performed in rows, that is, one whole row is collected, then the second one, and then they are joined together. And so on. The side gaps between the coating and the wall should be 1 centimeter. A spacer is installed every three rows.
2. Sticking by gluing. Work is more time-consuming.The first thing to do is to thoroughly clean the floor of dirt and dust, after which the surface must be covered with a primer. This is necessary for better adhesion of materials. When the impregnation dries, you can start installing the tiles. To do this, apply the adhesive with a notched trowel. The tile is laid on the mortar and pressed. Between the coating and the walls should leave a gap. To smooth the already grasped tiles, you can use a kijan. So it is necessary to spread the material throughout the room. The last step is to varnish the glued cork for the floor.
When choosing a material, the majoritypeople takes into account the opinion of those who are familiar with it firsthand and, accordingly, can say about its merits and demerits. All owners are of the same opinion that as a floor covering, cork floors have a number of advantages, among which one can especially note the moisture resistance, thermal insulation and even cushioning. But in the issue of strength, opinions differ. Someone argues that the floors are easily deformed, even from the slightest pressure, and others indicate that even after the furniture is rearranged, the floors look like new ones.
