Cork floor covering

Cork is a natural material, biological tissue of cork oak and some other trees, which consists of closely located dead cells. Cork provides the plant with additional moisture and thermal insulation. These properties of cork have long been used in everyday life, including in the manufacture of wall and floor coverings.

Cork floor covering (cork laminate, cork flooring) is made from the upper layer of the bark of cork oak. Typically, such a coating consists of several layers, the total thickness of which is 3-12 mm. The bottom layer is a panel made of several layers of a pressed cork. A decorative layer is a veneer of cork or valuable species of wood. For additional protection, a layer of varnish or a special vinyl layer may be applied, but it may not be.

Cork floor covering is laid down in different ways. There are coatings that are simply glued tobasis. And there are cork coverings, which consist of separate elements, connected with each other by means of grooves and ridges. The result is a floating floor, which is not attached to the base.

Adhesive floor looks more intact, from the plates of equal thickness it is possible to make unique unusual drawings. But floating floor, fixing on the principle of laminate, if desiredYou can disassemble and rearrange in another room, and the adhesive is permanently attached. So you need to choose a specific type of cork cover, depending on your needs.

Cork flooring has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with advantages, perhaps. Cork is a light, natural material with good heat, vibration and sound insulation, which is especially important for our homes with"Cardboard" walls and ceilings. The cork also damages when walking, reducing the load on the joints and spine. It is a soft and warm material, so it's nice to walk barefoot on the cork floors.

The cork is resistant to deformation, can boast of sufficientdurability and durability (especially if the cork floor is additionally protected by a vinyl coating), although the tile or parquet in this respect loses. This natural material is easy to clean, because the plug practically does not absorb dirt. The dust does not accumulate on the cork floor, because the cork does not get electrified.

This environmentally friendly material is safe for health, since it does not release toxic substances (toexample, formaldehyde, the allocation of which "sin" some cheap finishing materials). The plug does not rot and is immune to mildew and pests, has high fire resistance and chemical inertness (not susceptible to most chemicals except alkalis).

But nothing in this world is perfect, so the cork flooring has its drawbacks. The first of these is, of course, a high price. Natural finishing materials always cost more than artificial ones - for quality and environmental friendliness it is necessary to pay extra.

Despite its durability and resistance to deformation, the cork coating has low tensile strength. That is, if you just walk around the cork floor on his heels, nothing will happen to him, but if you accidentally walk over it with a heel-stud, you can break it inadvertently.

Also the cork absorbs moisture well and from this it swells and warps. therefore Do not put cork on the floor in rooms with high humidity, for example, in the bathroom.

Natural cork - rough to the touch material, this is not liked by everyone. The way out can be a varnish or vinyl coating, but then the cork floor becomes more slippery. So in this case you will have to choose what is the lesser of two evils for you.

If you decide to choose a cork flooring, keep in mind that it should approach the decor of the room. Cork is a durable, eco-friendly material with excellent characteristics, but it also has its drawbacks, which must be taken into account when choosing this type of flooring.