Cork floor: how to put it yourself?

Are you looking for interesting solutions for apartment renovation?How do you like the option of laying a floor with cork flooring? Don't know what it is, what are the benefits for you and how to do it? Everything is very simple. Let's consider what a cork floor is and how to lay it correctly.Cork flooring installation diagram.The material for making cork is the bark of the cork oak. The bark is removed from trees aged 25-30 years, but it is not used in construction. Then, over the course of 6-9 years, the bark is restored and removed again (if the technology is followed, no damage is caused to the tree). And this material is then used to make various products. According to the technology, cork can be divided into types:

• Veneer is the most expensive type of cork covering;
• agglomerate - the cheapest option (made by pressing crumbs at high temperatures with the addition of various resins);
• combined - both pieces of veneer and chips are used for production.

Finished panels can be treated with various compounds that affect the properties of cork and give it greater strength and moisture resistance.

Pros and cons of the material

Advantages of cork floors:Table of characteristics of cork flooring.

• excellent heat and sound insulation;
• cork - the material is elastic and resilient, does not creak, does not slip, it is pleasant to walk on;
• the plug is not rotting and fireproof;
• The material is hypoallergenic, does not attract dust and does not accumulate static electricity;
• cork floors are capable of withstanding high pressures, including spot.

Flaws:

• like any natural material, the cost of cork panels is higher than the usual laminate or parquet board;
• The base for the cork coating should be perfectly even;
• If there are cats or dogs in the house, traces of claws may remain on the cork cover;
• Over time, the protective layer is erased and the tracks remain in places of heavy traffic.

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Types and variants of the cork floor

Floating type (you can find the name cork parquet). Produced in the form of panels with locks and is a layer of cork, pasted on the panel of MDF.

Adhesive type is produced in the form of tiles of square or rectangular shape. Dimensions can be different. A protective layer can be applied from above.

The process plug is sold as rolls or plates and is used as a substrate.

Widely used for final finishingthe first 2 types, it all depends on your choice. It is necessary to take into account that if you plan to lay cork flooring in a bathroom or toilet, then you need to give preference to the adhesive type. This is due to the fact that it is treated with a special composition that prevents swelling of the floor.Two methods of laying cork flooring.Floating cork flooring is best used in rooms with low humidity: in the bedroom, nursery or hallway. To lay a cork floor yourself, you will need:

Pencil.

Roulette.

Corner for precise cutting of panels at right angles.

A long line.

Chopping cord.

Construction knife. With its help, it is easy to cut cork panels of adhesive type.

Spatula or roller for applying glue on the floor and cork slabs.

Electric drill. Useful if you need to drill holes, for example, under heating pipes.

Hacksaw with small teeth or electric jigsaw. These tools are useful for cutting panels of a floating type.

Rubber hammer for fitting cork slabs in place.

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Cork flooring technology

Surface preparation before layingcork flooring surface should be leveled if necessary. It should be dry, clean and primed. The old flooring does not need to be removed, but the cork flooring can be laid on top. Laying cork flooring on glue:Cork floor installation diagram.

Before laying the 1st row of cork tilesIt is necessary to mark the main line with the help of a construction cord, along which its assembly will begin. It can be diagonal from opposite corners of the room or laying along a straight line along the walls.

Draw a line with a pencil using a ruler along the padded cord.

When working with glue, a respirator, for example RPG-67, should be used. The glue for cork tiles is flammable and has a sharp odor. After work, the room must be thoroughly ventilated.

Apply the adhesive evenly to the substrate with a spatula or roller along the marked line.

On the panel, too, apply glue and allow it to dry for 10-15 minutes.

Then attach the panel to the base and tap the entire surface with a rubber mallet.

In some places it will be necessary to fit the cork panels. To do this, pencil marks are made, with the help of a square or a ruler, marking is done and the excess piece is cut with a construction knife.

After laying the tiles on the floor it is necessary to cover it with 2-3 layers of varnish. For these purposes, a two-component polyurethane lacquer is perfect.

The glue dries within 24 hours. It is advisable at this time not to walk on the laid panels to avoid their displacement.

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Laying a cork floor of a floating type

Before laying cork panels, it is necessary tobase lay the underlay. The underlay for these purposes is unusual. It is also made of cork. If the surface is fairly smooth, you can take a 2 mm underlay, with small irregularities - 4 mm. Assembling the lock panels is not much different from laying the laminate. The 1st row must be laid from the wall along the light falling from the window. So the joints will be less noticeable. The smaller lock should be facing the wall. It is necessary to remember that between the wall and the panel you need to leave a thermal gap of 5-10 mm. Spacer wedges of the appropriate width are perfect for this.Construction of a floating cork covering.The panels are connected using locks. After each panel is snapped into place, they are lightly tapped with a rubber hammer to ensure a secure fit without gaps. After all the panels have been laid, the skirting board is attached, which will hide the gap between the wall and the panels. You can choose any skirting board, but a cork one will look great. So, it will take much less time to lay floating cork panels. They already have a protective layer on top, so no additional treatment is required. When laying, you do not need to wear a respirator, and after that, ventilate the room and wait for the glue to dry. But floating panels have their drawbacks. The main one is that the joints are afraid of moisture, dirt can accumulate in them. Therefore, they require more careful maintenance than adhesive cork boards. Advice: do not plan to lay a cork floor on a heated floor. You will not achieve the desired effect, and cork itself is a warm material. Let's sum it up: it's very easy to lay a cork floor with your own hands, you just need to follow the recommendations given. Glued flooring is more expensive to install, but it's easier to use. And with a floating cork floor, installation work is cheap, but it requires more attention and care during use.

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