🃏 👐🏻 ◀️ Cork flooring: reviews, features, features and benefits 👩🏿‍🎓 👨🏼‍🍳 👩🏾‍🎤

There are many options for decorative flooring. Most homeowners prefer a practical and economical laminate flooring, moisture resistant tiles or presentable and durable parquet. But cork floors deserve no less attention. Reviews characterize them on the positive side. Moreover, practical Europeans have long appreciated this method of decoration and apply it quite often.

Let's get to know this material more closely, having considered all its characteristics and features.

What is a cork floor

The main raw material for the manufacture of cork coatings is cork bark. It has long been used in various areas of our life, now the turn has reached the finishing materials.

The shell of the aforementioned wood is crushed and pressed under high pressure. Thus, the manufacturer receives a base - a chipboard and air bubbles. Several of these plates are bonded with binders and coated with protective compounds.

With the help of the products obtained, cork floors are also equipped. Reviews of their use may intrigue even skeptical consumers. After all, the material really has a lot of positive qualities.

On sale, cork flooring can be presented in the form of a thin rolled product or more massive plates. The second varieties are often complemented by special locks. With their help, the elements of the flooring are securely fastened together, and the installation process is significantly accelerated.

The main properties of coatings

Owner reviews of cork floors speak of their excellent soundproofing capabilities. This information is also confirmed by the manufacturer. This property is ensured by the special cellular structure of the material. For this reason, it is appropriate to use them in children's rooms: no matter how much your children frolic, neither you (being in the next room) nor your neighbors will feel any discomfort.

In addition, wood chip coatings are very pleasant to the touch. If you compare them with other finishing materials, then the cork definitely wins.

It's no secret that walking barefoot on ceramic tiles gives little pleasure. Parquet and laminate at the same time cause a neutral feeling. And only cork coating is able to give off the accumulated heat. This property confirms the high rate of its thermal conductivity - more than 85%.

Varieties of material

Cork flooring (reviews of which we will consider below) is divided into two main groups:

adhesive products;
technical materials (agglomerate).

The first variety includes completely natural products. They are presented in the form of plates of standard parameters (30x30 cm; 45x15 cm; 45x45 cm; 60x30 cm). The width of the sheets can vary from three to six mm.

All products of this group have a two-layer structure: the lower layer is made of pressed chips and the front cover is made of high-quality veneer.

Impregnation of plates with special protective compounds gives them good resistance to moisture and temperature extremes. Glue cork floor reviews has the most. Panels are very popular among designers, as they have many patterns and are characterized by a variety of colors.

You can choose a finish with one of the following decorative layers:

thin veneer;
protective layer of varnish;
vinyl coating;
wood finish.

Most often, veneered products are found. They have the most affordable price and beautiful view. For added protection, veneers can be varnished. Varieties with increased moisture resistance are protected with a special film. A wood finish allows you to create very presentable and most effective coatings.

The second variety is technical cork floors. Customer reviews characterize these materials as a good natural insulation. Indeed, when creating technical materials, manufacturers do not imply their use as a finish.

Such products are made from the remains of cork production. On sale they can be found in the form of plates and large rolls. They are used as a layer between the base of the floor and the front trim. Their use allows you to warm the surface and make movement on it as quiet as possible.

Now consider the pros and cons of cork floors. Feedback from owners and masters will help to make a complete picture of them.

What are the main advantages of coatings?

In addition to the advantages already mentioned, cork materials have additional advantages. The main one is environmental friendliness.

As the fashion for using extremely safe materials for health is growing more and more, this property of wood shavings is very relevant. Cork tree bark is a harmless raw material. It is not able to emit harmful substances and an unpleasant odor.

The advantages of cork floors (according to the reviews of the owners) are in the following properties of the products:

High resistance to mechanical stress and deformation. Cork boards cannot be accidentally scratched. Moving heavy furniture also does not leave a negative imprint on the decorative coating.
Easy to care. The material does not require respect and is easy to clean. It perfectly tolerates contact with water, which means that floors can be without the slightest fear. This allows us to talk about their absolute hygiene.
Hypoallergenicity. Plates are not electrified, are not able to accumulate dust and cause allergic reactions.
Resistant to mold and mildew. Despite the fact that all wood products are very afraid of moisture and mold, cork materials are an exception. This feature allows you to use cork flooring in the kitchen. Owner reviews indicate its long-term use, even in bathrooms.

With all the positive qualities, such coatings have an impressive service life. The minimum period of operation guaranteed by the manufacturer is 10 years. Manufacturers claim that during this time, the materials completely retain their structure and original appearance.

Negative quality cork materials

To say that cork floors have only advantages will be dishonest. Like any material, they have certain negative properties.

Manufacturers warn about the possibility of bloating if moisture gets under the protective coating. It follows from this that shedding water on such surfaces is not recommended. If moisture seeps through the seam (gets inside the product), its damage is inevitable.

Reviews about the cork floor (referring to the finish of the floor) speak of other shortcomings. For example, that after the warranty period, the protective film and varnish have the property to wear. And this not only spoils the appearance of the coating, but also makes it possible for moisture to penetrate into the structure of the material.

Some consumers note the high cost of floor slabs. However, the price tag of cork coatings cannot be called stable. If you want to use the most spectacular options, then you have to decently spend money. For ordinary interiors, you can purchase more affordable varieties. At the same time, they will look pretty decent.

Relative disadvantage can be called exactingness to the surface on which the material will be laid. It should not have tubercles, depressions and sag. The peeling of the screed and the presence of small pebbles on it are also unacceptable. All of these defects will be felt through the finish. This can somewhat spoil the impression of cork flooring.

Features of using cork chip coatings

Despite the above high performance characteristics, experts recommend adhering to some rules in the use of cork floors. Customer reviews confirm the relevance of the following recommendations:

If you decide to lay cork boards on the floor, pay attention to the microclimate in this room. An ideal indicator of humidity is considered to be a mark of 65%. If measuring instruments indicate a higher level, then the service life of the coating can be reduced.
Do not lay natural materials in unheated (seasonal) rooms. The protective coating is not able to ensure the stability of the entire structure of the plate, so it is better if the apartment (or house) has a constant air temperature in the range from 22 to 26 degrees.
To avoid drying of the plates, it is recommended to use devices that humidify the air during the heat season.
To prevent dents on the floor surface from narrow furniture legs, it is recommended to install felt or cork overlays on dangerous elements.

As mentioned earlier, the benefits of cork flooring include ease of care. However, this concept is relative. Indeed, cork coverings can be swept, cleaned with a vacuum cleaner and washed, but in the latter case, it is better to squeeze the rag carefully.

Please note that the use of abrasive detergents can damage the backing of the boards. It is better to refuse their use.

The cost of cork

At this stage, many are most likely interested in the prices of cork flooring. Customer reviews in this matter are divided into two groups. Some consider the price tag too high, while others claim that it is quite acceptable.

In order not to rely solely on the opinions of others, consider how much such material can cost.

So, the most economical adhesive fixing tiles have a price tag of about 900 rubles per square meter. Depending on the region of sale and the manufacturer, the price may vary slightly.

cork floor with a decorative front layer

The cost of the most popular coatings (veneered) varies from 1000 to 2500 rubles per square. At the same time, products from Germany are characterized by the highest price tag.

Products of the elite class will cost an order of magnitude more expensive. If the whole bark of Portuguese oak or elite types of wood were used for the production of plates, then the cost of coatings will start from 7000-8000 rubles.

To equip the soundproofing of the floor with a cork agglomerate (reviews prove the popularity of these works), you will have to spend about 160-200 rubles per linear meter. Roll height - 1 meter. The price is for a thin substrate (3 mm). Thicker options will cost a little more.

Features of mounting adhesive blocks

Considering the cork floor, the pros and cons of decorative coating and sound insulation, it is worth paying attention to the technology of their installation. After all, the more complicated the installation, the more expensive the work of the masters. If you decide to make your own flooring, then this question is even more relevant.

Castle and adhesive boards strongly emphasize all the flaws of the base. Therefore, it must be put in order. In the case of castle types of cork, the work is very similar to installing a laminate:

Plates begin to be laid along the wall. In this case, the gap between the material and the wall should be observed within 1.5-2 cm.
The first row is laid out with the whole element. All tiles should fit together well.
The second row is laid with half the slab. This will avoid the formation of continuous seams throughout the coating. The third row starts again with a whole plate, and the fourth - with half. So lay the entire cover.
Plates of the last row are cut to the required size. The gaps on the wall are filled with silicone sealant (around the perimeter of the room).

At the end of the work, skirting boards are installed.

How are adhesive tiles laid?

A feature of mounting adhesive products is that they are placed from the center of the room. That is, in the very middle of it lies the first element, and around it all the rest.

In the process of work only special adhesives are used (for cork products). They are applied in a thin layer to the tile, after which it is firmly pressed to the floor. It is very important that all joints match during installation!

At the end of the work, the flooring must be left for a couple of days. After the glue has completely dried, the coating can be treated with a protective varnish.

As you can see, the benefits of cork flooring are not exaggerated. It really fits quite easily.