Cork floor installation: step by step instruction

For decades, in Europe, original materials have been actively used as floor coverings. It is worth noting that new materials are not always expensive. It's not uncommon in building stores to find far from the most ordinary products, which looks attractive, and is inexpensive.

It makes sense to say that in a lot of countries cork floors have become a real hit. Not only is this a comfortable cover, it's also very inexpensive. Immediately need to say that this is only a small part of the positive aspects of the material. To date, manufacturers of such building resources use all possible resources to ensure that the coverage received as many positive aspects as possible. This applies not only to the strength and durability of the material, but also to its appearance.

Features of the use of cork materials

Cork covers are considered universal. However, on sale you can find a variety of its variations. Often cork coatings are characterized by density. Many people are accustomed to the fact that this material is not very strong, however, cork blanks of great thickness and highest strength are used in construction. At home, this makes it possible to use the material without any problems for dozens of years.

As a coating, the cork material can be found in the form of tiles, which without special problems are laid on the surface. You can also find cork parquet, which has much in common with the original coating. Of course, the second option is much more expensive than the first, but the use of one or another option depends on the specific conditions.

Parquet often fits in the central rooms of the dwelling, where it is necessary to create a rich and cozy atmosphere. Also, cork laying is limited to very simple actions, since often the material has already undergone the necessary surface treatment. The cheaper versions of cork parquet do not have the necessary original finish.

Most experts recommend buying parquet without finishing. After the material has been laid on the floor surface, it is possible to carry out a full treatment, and we can be sure that we will get a positive result.

You can also be sure that the untreated parquet surface will not be damaged during transportation and long-term storage.

If we are talking about the factory processing of the material, then we should also focus on the price of the products. Most often it will be cheaper to process the parquet surface itself using the simplest tools.

Laying the cork floor

Most cork materials, which are currently available for purchase in construction stores, fit very simply. Companies that produce similar products, do everything possible to simplify any manipulation of floor coverings.

If it is a question of laying ordinary cork tiles, which are almost the same as ceramic material, then their installation takes place through the use of glue. Parts of the material are simply glued to the floor, which must first be cleaned and washed.

A contact adhesive is used for these activities, which glues the material securely on both sides. First glue is applied to the back of the cork material, and then to the floor surface itself. The layer of binder material should be relatively thin, and each laid tile is placed on one level.

After applying glue on the tile, you need to wait 20-30 minutes before pressing it to the floor. The application of glue is by means of a brush or roller. Of course, one should not allow the presence of omissions on the back of the material, everything must be done qualitatively.

It's also worth mentioning that often there are situations when it becomes necessary to replace this or that part of the cork cover. Of course, this is possible, but it is necessary to carry out this measure qualitatively, without damaging neighboring cork elements.

There is a tip that can significantly simplify the repair work. People who lay cork slabs pre-create a markup that allows you to immediately understand where the material will be located and where you need to cut off some of the purchased products.

Features of laying the cork parquet

Despite the fact that the cork parquet is almost the same as the classic parquet, the original material has some special features that you need to know about. Cork parquet consists of three layers: the first is a fibrous base, the second is cork, and the third layer is compensating, which copes well with all loads on the surface.

Unlike cork slabs, which are also very popular, parquet has a large thickness( up to 11 mm).Accordingly, this creates some problems when repairing the surface.

The main advantage of cork parquet is the absence of the need for additional insulation layers. Thus, it is on the basis of the "floating" method that the cork material is laid.

The installation process is quite simple, but it consists in the gradual laying of rows of parquet. After placing the first strip of material, it is necessary to apply with a certain inclination the next cork element, which must ideally fit into the groove. If everything went well, then during this process you can hear a characteristic "click".Next, you need to pile the strip of material along the fastener with a small kiyanki.

Other features of the cork material

It should be understood that cork is far from universal. It should be emphasized that it is desirable not to use it in rooms with high humidity. At the same time in building stores, cork coatings impregnated with moisture-resistant substances can be found, so that at moderate humidity this material can be used in not the most favorable conditions.