Cork flooring has recently come into usepopularity. Modern manufacturers produce full-fledged budget substitutes for cork veneer, which are available to everyone. Even a person who does not have the relevant work experience can produce it.
Cork flooring, due to its inherent properties,characteristics such as good sound absorption and safety, it is recommended to lay in a children's room or, for example, a study. However, you need to know that cork materials cannot be laid in all rooms. To get a high-quality floor covering in your apartment or private house, first of all, you need to familiarize yourself with the existing types of cork floors. Today, there are the following types of such covering:
Where is it possible to install a cork floor?
Cork panel diagram.Cork flooring will not last long in rooms with variable temperature conditions. This is due to the fact that cork begins to crumble due to temperature changes. In the kitchen, loggia and hallway, only cork laminate, which has a protective coating, can be laid. This type of flooring cannot be laid in the toilet and bathroom. It should be known that cork does not have protective properties. There are types of rooms where it is recommended to lay cork flooring:
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How to lay cork floor by yourself?
There are several methods for laying cork flooring:
The installation scheme for cork flooring is the same as for laminate and board flooring.
Options for installing floating cork flooringand adhesive have significant differences, but the preparatory work will be the same in both cases. It is best to lay the cork covering in the warm period of time, so that the temperature in the warehouse and in the room does not differ by more than 6-7 ° C. Humidity in the room should not exceed 60%. Return to the table of contents</a>
Elements that will be required for laying flooring
In order to lay a cork floor, you will need to purchase the following items:
The procedure for gluing cork tiles in corners.The cork laminate boards for the floating flooring will need to be adjusted and leveled periodically. The spacer wedges will need to be made from scraps, as wooden wedges can crumble the cork. The cork board scraps will need to be supported against the adjustable rail and adjusted with a rubber mallet. In this case, a hook clamp is not allowed. An important device is a vegetable can with a tightly closed lid. You will need to place a rag soaked in solvent in it. Any adhesive mixture drips can be wiped off with a rag. The rag will dry out quickly outside the closed container, and if it gets wet, the flooring may be damaged. Return to contents</a>
Preparatory work
Cork flooring can be laidexclusively on a flat, smooth and dry base. Concrete screed will not suffice, as it is rough. Cork is a soft material, so it will quickly wear out even on a layer of adhesive mixture. Cork flooring cannot be installed on a damp underlying base. In this case, the adhesive joint will be weak, and the cork will swell. Therefore, before installing this type of flooring, the surface will need to be leveled and dried. Before laying the flooring on a concrete base, you will need to determine the humidity of the latter. To do this, the room must be covered with plastic film for 24 hours. If after 24 hours there is no moisture on this material, then you can perform final leveling. If there is moisture, the surface will need to be dried further. You should know that sometimes moisture comes from a neighboring apartment. Therefore, you will need to carefully inspect the floor, and then seal all the gaps, if necessary. Most often, gaps are found near heating risers. The base floor is leveled with a liquid leveling mixture. Dry leveler should not be used, as the furniture leg may cause the coating to crack. It is best to cover the base with marmoleum. The mechanical properties of cork and marmoleum are the same, so there will be no swelling. In addition, marmoleum has antiseptic properties. If plywood sheets were laid on the base, it is recommended to lay cork on top. Return to contents</a>
Floating floor installation method
Floating floor covering can be prefabricated,veneer or large parts of it, as well as laminate. The first two types of flooring can only be installed by two people with experience. You should know that independent attempts in this case can end in the breakage of expensive material. can be done as follows:
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Method for installing the cork floor on the adhesive
In this case, it is recommended to usehigh-quality adhesive mixture. It is worth noting that it is not allowed to lay cork flooring on PVA glue, since this adhesive mixture is made on the basis of water, which is contraindicated for this material. In order for the water to evaporate, you will need to dry the PVA until it comes off the stick. In this case, each tile will need to be laid exactly in its place. It will not be possible to move the tile, since it immediately sets. The correct way to lay cork flooring is as follows:
It should be known that the cost of the cork and the methodinstallation of the material will depend solely on the decorative properties of the floor. Such a covering can be both useful and harmful. Everything will depend on whether the floor is laid in a suitable room. Laying a cork floor is not difficult if you know all the nuances.
