We choose a cork floor, focusing on operating conditions, which cork floor is better, how to choose the right one. Cork floor - choose the material for the floor Which cork floor is better to choose

Until recently, cork was used only to seal bottles, but the unique properties of this natural material have greatly expanded its scope. Today cork oak bark is used in the production of sporting goods, furniture, shoes, and even in space industry. Not so long ago, they began to make flooring from it, which is still perceived ambiguously: some are really delighted with it, others are more skeptical. Shops and manufacturers, when promoting products, sometimes mislead the buyer, so before making any decision, you need to know well what the material is. We deal with all aspects of choosing a cork floor: the pros and cons of the material, its types, installation options and the main manufacturers.

No. 1. Cork floor production

For production cork They use cork oak wood, which grows mainly in the Mediterranean. large areas covered in Portugal, so most of the cork flooring comes to our stores from there. The cork is dead parts of the bark of a tree, which are removed from time to time (no more than once every 9 years), making longitudinal cuts. After removing the bark, its new growth begins, and with each cut the quality improves.

It is not always possible to remove whole layers of cork, so flooring is often made from crumbs called agglomerate. Cork is a unique material that consists of a mass of small hermetic chambers filled with oxygen and nitrogen, which gives special properties to coatings and objects made from it. The cork contains approx. 30% lignins, which are responsible for the density, about 40% suberina, which is responsible for elasticity and sticky properties, as well as about 10% of oligosaccharides, due to which unique relief and structure. In addition, cork contains tannins, which determine the color of the material, and some ceroids, which are responsible for water resistance.

Short The scheme for the production of cork flooring can be described as follows:

• production of veneer from natural, stabilized or pressed bark;
• drying and sorting of cork chips (granulate). Granulate with increased density is used to make the base, with a lower one - for finishing;
• production of blocks from granulate, which will serve as the basis for gluing veneer. Binders are added to the crumb, the finished mass is placed in molds and exposed to temperature and high pressure. After cooling and stabilization, cutting and grinding takes place;
• gluing the base and veneer. At this stage, varnishing and gluing the resulting tiles to HDF boards can take place if the cork floor is intended for laying by means of an interlock;
• varnishing, lock cutting, packing.

The structure of the coating is slightly different depending on the intended laying method: it is only a granulate base and veneer, if it is adhesive material, or more complex structure with an HDF board and an additional cork underlay if we are talking about an interlocking cork field.

No. 2. Cork flooring: the pros

Cork flooring today is credited with a set of unique properties. We understand What are the real benefits of cork flooring?, and which are somewhat exaggerated:

• thermal insulation properties. The thermal conductivity of the cork is slightly higher than the corresponding indicator for air, which makes it possible to do without the use of an additional heat insulator when arranging the floor. The surface of the material is pleasant to the touch and warm, you can walk on it barefoot, so the material has gained popularity in the arrangement and. The thicker the floor, the higher its thermal insulation properties, but the higher the price. Adhesive floors have a thickness of 2-6 mm, castle - 9-12 mm;
  
• soundproofing properties. Due to its porous structure, cork is capable, but the coating will cope well with this task if the thickness of the cork layer is more than 3 mm;
• environmental friendliness. The level of naturalness largely depends on the characteristics of production. If we are talking about solid veneer, then its naturalness is the highest level. If cork agglomerate was used for manufacturing, then environmental friendliness is somewhat reduced, because natural material compressed with adhesives and plasticizers. Responsible manufacturers, which will be discussed below, use non-toxic and absolutely safe additives, so there is no question of harm to health. Since a layer of natural cork veneer is used on top, the material retains hypoallergenicity and a unique pattern. Such a coating can be put on the same level with. The castle cork floor based on HDF board is inferior to the first two coating options in terms of environmental friendliness, but still retains naturalness and safety for health;
  
• walk on cork floor good for your health(in particular for the spine and joints) due to the elasticity, elasticity and ability of the material to spring a little. This is confirmed by relevant studies carried out by the Biomechanical Institute of Valencia in 2005;
. The fall of a heavy, non-sharp object and prolonged exposure to massive objects cannot damage the coating. After a heavy bed, for example, is moved from its original place, the hollows from the legs will soon disappear. At least, that's what cork flooring manufacturers say, drawing an analogy with a cork in a bottle, which instantly acquires its original shape. In principle, the way it is, but if the impact was strong and prolonged, then residual deformation may be present, however, its depth will be no more than 0.2 mm;

• moisture resistance. The coating is not as afraid of moisture as, for example, but the resistance to it is different for different variations of the cork floor. A solid veneer coating is absolutely impervious to water, and if there is an HDF panel in the structure, then use the floor in rooms with high humidity Not recommended;
• resistance to most detergents, but with abrasive cleaners and those compounds where the level of alkali is elevated, you must be extremely careful - they can damage the surface.

The surface of the cork floor is rough, but thanks to modern processing and applying several can achieve absolute smoothness.

No. 3. Cork floor: cons

The advantages and cork floor are enough, but universal coating it is difficult to name it for any room in the apartment, since it has some disadvantages:

As for durability, then a lot depends on the structure of the coating, the varnish used and the responsibility of the manufacturer. Glue cork floors withstand about 10 years of operation.

No. 4. Types of cork floor

The following types of flooring are made from cork:

• solid veneer- the most expensive, high-quality and environmentally friendly material. Floorboards for one collection and batch are selected by color manually;
• roll coating not used as decorative finishes- it plays the role of a heat and sound insulating substrate;
• - these are interconnected cork agglomerate and veneer;
• made on the basis of HDF or MDF boards.

The last two types of coverage are the most widespread.

No. 5. Adhesive cork floor

Adhesive cork is sometimes referred to as cork parquet. Is it rectangular or square slabs made of pressed cork 2-6 mm thick and veneer 1 mm thick. The dimensions of such tiles are usually 30 * 30, 45 * 45, 45 * 15 cm, but most often found 60 * 30 cm. A 3 mm thick tile is considered the most wear-resistant and can be used even in offices, and in a residential apartment it is better a 6 mm thick coating behaves itself: it is both softer and protects better from the cold, especially when it comes to the first floor.

It is difficult to say unequivocally which cork floor is better, adhesive or castle. Everyone will make a conclusion for himself, depending on the purpose of use and means, but for now let's focus on advantages of the adhesive option:

Minuses:

Before laying the material is allowed to rest indoors for several days. The floor surface is carefully leveled beforehand. It is recommended to start laying from the center of the room and run it parallel to the wall. Glue is applied both to the floor and to the material. After the glue has completely dried, you can apply the first layer of varnish, it dries for about 5 hours. Before applying the last layer, perform intermediate grinding. The first 8 days it is better not to subject the floor to serious stress.

No. 6. Castle cork floor

A cork floor with a lock joint is actually the same adhesive version, only mounted on an HDF or MDF board. The structure of the castle cork floor is as follows: bottom layer - cork backing 1-2 mm thick for sound insulation, then comes HDF-board with a density of 380-880 kg / m3 (the higher the density, the better), then - cork agglomerate 3 mm thick with cork veneer and a three-layer varnish coating. Often the advantages of a castle cork floor include the presence of a protective layer of varnish, which does not have to be applied manually, but sometimes there is a coating with a complete absence of varnish on sale. As for the plate underlying it, it is made of sawdust pressing method: HDF boards have a higher pressing density than MDF boards. Upper layer can be made not from cork veneer, but from wood.

Elements usually have the size 90 * 18.5 and 90 * 30 cm, are connected due to the presence of a locking connection at the ends, their thickness is 9-12 mm. Mounting such a finish is quite simple., and this material compares favorably with the adhesive analogue. To others benefits It is worth mentioning the affordable price and the speed of the work performed. Among shortcomings the inability to perform artistic styling of the material and sensitivity to moisture. The material is great for bedrooms and even when combined with other finishing materials.

Castle floor can mount even on the existing old finish, having previously laid it out of cork or polyurethane. The elements are laid from left to right, from window to door, inserting one into the other at an angle of 30 degrees and fixing the lock, if necessary, use a rubber hammer. When installing a cork floor (both types), a gap of about 1 cm is left near the walls for expansion under the influence of changes in temperature and humidity. This gap can be hidden behind. When the element of the interlocking cork floor is deformed, you will have to disassemble the entire floor covering from the wall to damaged area.

No. 7. Cork floor in rolls

Rolled cork is used exclusively as a substrate when laying parquet and cork flooring. The material is made from pressed chips, so it retains all the exclusive heat and sound insulation characteristics of cork. It is produced with a thickness of 1.5 to 10 mm, the roll width is usually 1 m, the length varies from 5 to 12.5 m. rubber-cork roll coatings , which are distinguished by record soundproofing and shock-absorbing qualities.

No. 8. What else to consider when choosing a cork floor?

When buying cork, you should check the quality of the material in the package:

Sometimes the cork coating is almost the same in appearance or with the same operational qualities, but different veneer, prices vary greatly. The total cost depends, first of all, on the veneer used, its type (natural is the most expensive, stabilization is cheaper, pressed is the cheapest), the method of its application to the base, as well as the type of MDF board: the higher its density, the more expensive the material.

Attention should also be paid to choice of varnish, because the durability of the coating largely depends on its quality. If you choose the right varnish and update the coating in a timely manner, then the service life of the cork floor can be significantly increased. At the moment, we can recommend such brands of varnishes as Natural Shield, Hotcoating, PU-Varnish, WRT, Lobadur 2K Supra Cork.

No. 9. The best cork floor manufacturers

The leader in the production of cork flooring is Portugal, because the most suitable cork oak for this purpose grows here. Its bark has high density, and it contains a lot of suberin, the very substance that is responsible for elasticity and stickiness. Due to this, a minimum must be added during the production of glue, and this reduces the cost of production and makes the finished product more environmentally friendly. Chinese companies use the bark of the local cork tree, which is inferior in density and composition to the Mediterranean, so you have to add a lot of glue. In order to make a product cheaper than competitors, it is not uncommon to use low quality glue.

The following manufacturers of cork floors have proven themselves best: Corkstyle is a Swiss brand that has been around since 1998. In the domestic space, products appeared in 2006 and today are considered the most popular among competitors. The company cooperates only with the best manufacturers of raw materials and equipment: it buys cork from Portugal and Sardinia, lacquers from Kleiberit and Loba, HDF base from Kronospan. The range of adhesive and castle floors is huge, there are cork floors with photo printing(the picture can be absolutely anything). Cost from $24 to $80 per sq. m.;

is a Portuguese company whose products are always of the highest quality. The manufacturer cooperates with the best suppliers equipment and constituent elements of products, it amazes with a huge assortment and the availability of options that are quite affordable. There is a cork floor and for $20 per sq. m. (without varnish), and for $ 60 per sq. m. (with a unique pattern and increased thickness);

MJO- Portuguese manufacturer, presented in all price categories. The range of coatings is wide, there are always several collections on sale, the cheapest of them use HDF boards with a low density of 400 kg / cm3, prices start at $ 25 per sq. m.;

Cork floor care simple. You can keep it clean with a vacuum cleaner and wet cleaning, most detergents can be used, with the exception of strongly alkaline and abrasive ones. It is also better not to use metal brushes. To prevent scratches, it is better to attach pieces of felt or felt to the legs of the furniture. Choosing the right cork floor and taking care of it properly is a guarantee that it will last for years to come.

Properly selected flooring is a guarantee of its durability and aesthetics. Natural, in particular, cork, is especially valued today. floor finish. It differs as technical specifications, and the form of release, and therefore every buyer who has made a choice in favor of a cork needs to know how to choose a cork floor so as not to be disappointed later.

Properties and features of the coating

Question right choice as relevant as ever, as the construction market offers a wide variety modern materials in which you can literally get confused.

Any manufacturer strives to present his product as best as possible, describing its advantages in colors, and sometimes exaggerating them. The cork floor, of course, has advantages, but they appear only when you can talk about real quality.

Cork flooring belongs to the category natural materials, recognized as the most preferable for use in residential premises. Used for production natural wood, or rather sorted and crushed cork oak bark.

Sawdust is glued together due to suberin, a natural adhesive substance, the release of which occurs during the passage of the heating and pressure stage.

To give the workpieces the desired strength, special attention is paid to pretreatment before applying the decorative layer. As a rule, to improve the strength properties, a layer is applied wood dust and resin.

The top coat can be a cork itself, a PVC layer (most often this

Oak bark floor slabs are positioned as a practical, original and functional flooring. Their production is carried out by both well-known factories and local organizations. Let's see if the cork floor is as good as they say about it.

The bark of the cork oak, which grows in Portugal, Spain and other Mediterranean countries, is used to produce many household items and some production processes products: wine bottle corks, bags, shoes and much more. But the most interesting product is the flooring.

For the production of cork flooring is used:

• solid veneer - a thin slice of bark, the most expensive option;
• granulated (finely ground) bark mixed with polymer binders and special additives - agglomerate. This is the most accessible and widely used in the production of finishing and decorative material.

The structure of the cork tree - photo.

The peculiarity of cork is in its structure. The structure is well represented in the photo below. It can be seen that the product consists of honeycombs filled with air. This is what provides the material with its famous elasticity under mechanical stress.

Cork flooring is available in several types:

Rectangular or square tiles

It is made from agglomerated chips up to 8 mm thick. Some designs may add a V- or U-chamfer. The shades of the finished floor are very diverse - from natural to extravagant. The latter is achieved through the introduction of pigments into the composition or the use of surface photo printing technology: a high-resolution photograph is applied to the finished coating, depicting a board or artistic parquet, marble or grass, leather, etc.

The product is mounted adhesive method. Wherein back side can be clean or with a layer of glue already applied to it, covered protective film. The result is a durable, reliable and beautiful cork floor. There are, of course, downsides to this setup. Firstly, after work on the surface, it is necessary to apply a layer of varnish, wax or oil. Secondly, the replacement of the damaged area is difficult and time-consuming.

Photo of cork laminate.

This is an HDF board veneered with pressed cork or solid cork. Paper impregnated with polymer resins is glued from below or a cork substrate is integrated. Such a coating is very convenient in laying, as it is mounted in a glueless, "floating" way.

Cork flooring for wet areas

Cork laminate on a composite hydrobase.

The same laminate, only instead standard plate HDF uses a composite sheet made from a mixture of PVC, quartz filler and some other components. The product is called hydrobase. Its texture is visible in the photo below. It is not cheap, but practical and durable. A kind of LVT-cork floor is formed. Its advantages are undeniable - absolute water resistance, provided that a protective polyurethane or acrylic varnish is applied to the surface after laying.

Care finished coating from cork is simple. Manufacturers recommend protecting the canvas from abrasion loads by:

• flooring of anti-splash rugs;
• sticking tread pads made of felt or plastic on furniture legs;
• laying silicone protective mats under the rollers.

Advice! Any rubber products are left on the cork stubborn stains, therefore, do not purchase carpets or carpets based on polymeric gum elastic.

Cleaning can be done with a vacuum cleaner or a well-wrung soft tissue. Abrasive detergents, brushes with hard bristles, and solvents are contraindicated in cork. And to remove stains or heavy dirt, it is better to use special cleaners from the Loba, Forbo, etc. series.

Pros and cons of cork flooring

The unusual structure of the flooring and the lack complete information spawned a lot of speculation and rumors about the traffic jam. First, let's list the advantages of the material. Among them:

Now we list the disadvantages of cork as a floor material:

Regardless of which cork floor is chosen, its pros and cons can be turned to your advantage in any case. If the product is of high quality, from a trusted manufacturer, then it has:

• certificate of compliance with Russian quality standards or production rules;
• sanitary and epidemiological conclusion. That is, the products have been tested for compliance with the standards for the release of toxic substances (formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and others), have low PDN values ​​and are allowed for use in residential premises;
• fire safety certificate.

Choose quality coatings and strictly follow the installation instructions. Then the cork floor will be the best purchase for you.

Advice! If you need repairmen, there is a very convenient service for their selection. Just send in the form below detailed description work that needs to be done and offers with prices from construction teams and firms will come to your mail. You can see reviews of each of them and photos with examples of work. It's FREE and there's no obligation.

And in this article we will consider all, all aspects, we will analyze cork floors into chips, identify the pros and cons, and also show you a photo of such a coating in the interior and announce an approximate price.

What is a cork floor and what kind of coating can it be compared with

Cork floor can be compared to OSB board, only thinner and more flexible. This coating is made of cork chips, and she is still a tree, albeit a rather unusual one.

It is impossible to compare it with laminate and linoleum.

But also with a tree, because a tree is actually natural coating, but the cork floor is just pressed wood chips, on glue. And the base of the cork floor is the same as that of the laminate.

Therefore, dreaming that he "breathes" is not worth it. And what's the difference, exactly? Before laying any coating, now cover the screed with two layers of primer. And even though the fabric of the bed, the floor will still no longer breathe. Yes, and he does not need to breathe, there are windows for this ...

What are the benefits of cork flooring in the kitchen?

So, where do we start our debriefing? Perhaps - with the advantages of this coating. We draw your attention to the fact that we will focus on how the cork floor "behaves" in the kitchen.

1st plus - Waterproof

Many mistakenly believe that the cork floor is terribly afraid of water, as it is porous. But, it's quite the opposite. Water is not particularly terrible for a cork floor, since the tree itself, from which the coating is made, absorbs only 20% of 100% spilled water. Remember the same wine corks: are they soaked through with liquid? And this despite the fact that in a humid environment they were very long time.

That is, if you pour a cup of hot tea on the cork floor, the puddle will remain on the surface for a very long time. It will not be absorbed anywhere, but rather simply disappear if it is not wiped.

Water tightness of the floor in the kitchen - great advantage . For example, the same tree is afraid of moisture, which means that you can’t wash it too often, forget about spilled cups of tea, too. But tea is nothing compared to the flood from above...

The cork floor, in this regard, "behaves" just fine. Yes, it may swell for a moment, but a month passes, it completely dries up and regains its original shape. As you can see, these facts go against the popular belief that cork is best suited for dry rooms in an apartment.

2nd plus - Warmth and softness

Even according to wooden floor not as pleasant to walk as on cork. In this regard, nothing can compare with him: he is like velvet, you can’t say otherwise. And, if you like to walk around the house barefoot - this is what you need.

In addition, it is warm to the touch. Even on cold days, cork flooring is warm, even warmer than wood. And this means that if you have small children who crawl on the floor, then the cork flooring for them is the best thing you can think of.

3rd plus - Noise-isolating properties

The cork floor perfectly muffles the sound. If you have a herd of restless children running around your house, then lay such a floor and the neighbors will be very happy. Yes, and you too. It is absolutely not audible in the house of trampling, roaring... Beauty.

But keep in mind that it dampens the shock noise. If you want to use the floor to protect yourself from the neighbor's screaming tape recorder from below, then leave this idea. Music is vibration and your cork floor will vibrate beautifully with the wall.

4th plus - Resistance to fungal attack

Managers who describe the benefits and wonders of cork flooring always mention fungus resistance. Perhaps this is actually an undeniable plus. But in our memory, there is not a single floor covering that suffered from fungus.

Perhaps you know of such cases? Write in the comments, we are interested in your opinion ...

And, in general, how much water should be poured in order for a fungus to form on the floor? And, if it is already formed (for example, from micro-leaks in pipes), then it will hit not the floor covering, but the entire screed! Both concrete and plaster...

You understand that in this case, the cork floor will not save you. So what if it stays? Tearing it off and re-laying it is almost impossible, contrary to the assurances of the sellers. They say that it can be rebuilt five times, nothing will happen to the locks. It will even become, it has been checked more than once.

5th plus - Saving dishes

If you often drop cups on the floor, buy a cork floor! This is the absolute truth, dishes practically do not break on it. And given the current prices for plates and other glass utensils, this is a big plus and savings in the future.

Of course, the thinnest glass goblet will burst. But an ordinary plate and a cup will survive.

6th plus - Low static

They say that dust practically does not stick to the cork floor. And it is true. It is non-static, therefore, there is almost no dust on it. Is it a plus? We don't know. After all, if there is no dust on the floor, then it is on other interior items. And, frankly, it's much easier to wipe the dust off the floor with a light movement of the mop than to wipe it with lighting fixtures, decorative elements...

And you can’t see dust on the cork floor, it’s motley! But, we could not help adding this item to the pros. If managers say plus, it means plus.

7th plus - Dust and crumbs are almost invisible on it

This is the continuation of the previous paragraph. Cork flooring is a lazybones dream. If the same laminate instantly betrays your laziness, then the cork one does not.

Crumbs and other small debris are not visible on it. Also, it is much easier to wash than other coatings: there are no streaks on it, which means that you don’t have to spend money on Mr. Proper and wipe it dry with a microfiber cloth (like glossy ceramic tiles, for example, or laminate).

8th plus - It does not slip

This point is rather controversial. Cork stopper strife. Or rather, cork flooring. Some floors are non-slip, and some are very slippery, because they are exposed with three layers of slippery varnish. That is why the reviews on the Internet are different.

By the way, about non-slip. This medal has a reverse side. If the floor really does not slip at all, then this is fraught with worn socks, torn nylon pantyhose and burns on the children's knees when they slow down on it with a running start ... They are such children, yes. They manage to bleed their elbows even on carpet, not like on cork.

And what are the disadvantages of a cork floor in the kitchen?

And now let's move on to the most important point - the cons. If they are not taken into account, it will be very annoying ...

1st minus - Doubtful appearance

Yes, the cork floor does not look very good, to put it mildly. Although, maybe you have a different taste and you do not agree with us. But we still believe that this floor looks extremely poor and gray.

There is absolutely no beauty in it. There is no special naturalness and aura in it either.

Although, things are much better with the design of cork floors now than some five years ago. You can find colors "under the tree", and something else more interesting than "no" cork crumb.

2nd minus - Price

Cork flooring costs twice as much as laminate flooring. Perhaps this is not a minus, of course. After all, the cork better laminate and, therefore, it is quite fair that it is more expensive.

But on the other hand, cork is quite a bit cheaper than a good deck board, which is just better than cork. Therefore, think about whether the game is worth the candle.

3rd minus - The need to perfectly level the base of the floor

If there are drops on the floor, your cork floors will come to an end very soon. They will be sold, torn and crumbled. The screed should be not just perfect, but super-ideal.

You yourself are unlikely to build such a thing and you will need to hire craftsmen. On the other hand, there is no big difference in price between the quality of the screeds, and the ideal one is needed not only for cork, but also for linoleum, laminate ...

4th minus - Burnout

This is a significant minus. If your kitchen is sunny side, then the cork floor will burn out very quickly. And the difference between the window area and the rest of the room will be simply colossal.

Make sure that no direct Sun rays- unnecessary fuss, which you will soon forget. And as soon as you forget, the floor will slowly and surely burn out.

5th minus - Difficulty in care

The cork floor is porous, which means that it will not be so easy to wash it from something colored. For example, if you spilled cherry juice, then you have to kneel down and carefully rub the stain, while, on ceramic tiles, you can run a mop and voila ...

Also, over time, these micro-slots become clogged with dirt. And the cork floor, periodically, must be thoroughly washed with a brush, hands, otherwise it will look stale and gray.

6th minus - Vulnerability to punching and scratches

This aspect is also controversial and it all depends on the quality of the floor. Some floors are not afraid of punching and do not leave dents on them even from heavy furniture. And other floors are more delicate (read - cheap) and you will have to put pads on the legs of the table and chairs.

Of course, there can be no question of any walking in heels in the kitchen. But on the other hand, there is nothing to spank in shoes around the house. Learn to take off your shoes in the hallway.

7 minus - the inability to wash the paint

Some interesting things happen with the paint that got on the cork floor. We, for example, cannot explain this miracle, but it exists.

If hair dye gets on the cork floor, then it is not immediately wiped off with anything.

Well, just nothing, it is absorbed tightly. But a month, two, three passes, and the stain begins to gradually disappear and, as a result, it simply neutralizes. But on the other hand, for two or three months you admire dark spot from which it is impossible to get rid of.

Also, you will not be able to wash drops of brilliant green, iodine, paint for Easter eggs, inscriptions with a marker ...

8th minus - Inability to get rid of greasy stains

But the fat cork floor does not self-destruct, unlike paint. If the fat is not wiped off often, it will be absorbed, and you will never get rid of it.

Of course, you can sand the cork and open it with a new varnish. But this is dreary and long, and the veneer that covers the floor is quite thin and such manipulations have a limit.

About the environmental friendliness of the cork floor

Many people opt for cork flooring because of this benefit. It seems that it is so environmentally friendly and safe that it's just a nightmare. But in reality, this is nonsense.

Cork flooring is no better than laminate or linoleum. But a poor-quality cork floor is even worse, since the glue with which it is pressed can release harmful substances into the air for a very long time.

Then, the cork floor, without fail varnished. Is varnish environmentally friendly? And what does the cork have to do with it, if you don’t come into contact with it in any way? You breathe in the fumes of varnish and glue.

Furthermore, cork floor base- or the same vinyl or PVC. Cork layer - 2-6 mm (which is very rare, usually 2-3).

Judge for yourselves, why are there so many forests in the Mediterranean to provide the whole world with floors made of pure cork? This is just unreal. On the veneer are millimeters of this coating, millimeters. And the rest is the most ordinary materials.

Therefore, if your goal is environmental friendliness and complete hypoallergenicity, then laminate is better. It certainly doesn't vaporize anything.

It is also worth mentioning here cushioning properties about which sellers sing. It seems like walking on a cork floor is so good for the spine, as you walk almost on rubber, cushioning, cushioning ... This is not true.

Cork flooring is as hard as laminate flooring.

And it doesn't matter which manufacturer produces this product: there is no cork floor from one cork.

Is it possible to lay a cork floor on a "warm" floor

There is a rumor on the net that there is no reason to put electric heating under the cork floor, since the cork simply will not let it through. This is nonsense.

Try putting a piece of cork floor on the battery and you will understand everything. It conducts heat very well. Another question is that there is not much point in heating it, since it is quite warm in itself. Unless, if you removed the batteries and instead decided to equip floor heating then you can do this.

What kind of cork floor is best for the kitchen?

Cork flooring is of two types:

• Rolled (adhesive), which is spread out like linoleum and glued directly onto the screed;
• Tiled (castle), which is laid like a laminate on locks.

For the kitchen, it is better to take the first option, since it is without gaps.

The cracks swell with moisture over time, get clogged with debris ... This is not very practical for such a room, as you understand. In general, types of cork floor coverings- more, but now it makes no sense to disassemble them, we are talking about design there.

Differences cork flooring from other popular flooring

Our review would be incomplete without a comparison with other types of flooring. It is in this way that it is easiest to understand whether there is a reason to buy a cork floor. Let's go.

Which is better: cork or ceramic tiles

Durability : ceramic tile lasts a long time, if you do not drop a cast-iron goose on it ... But you can drop anything on a cork, even knives. No scratches are particularly visible and holes from punctures with something thin - too.

As for which coating wears out faster - cork, of course. But it erases protective varnish which can be easily updated. But the cork tends to crumble from impacts and from punching.

In a word, nothing concrete can be said. If you don't start dropping the caterpillars, tiles are more reliable. And even more reliable - roll up the kitchen with asphalt, this will definitely be for centuries.

Ease of maintenance: it is much easier to take care of tiles, this is not even discussed.

Simplicity of flooring: under the "cork" you need to perfectly equalize the base. But the tile - you need to perfectly water it. If you leave air gaps in glue or lay the tile unevenly, then it will begin to lag behind and crack in those places where the "backlash" has formed. Both leveling and laying are expensive. Therefore, here the score is 1:1.

Warmth: Well, here you understand everything yourself. Of course - a cork.

Which is better: cork floor or linoleum

Durability: cork is much more durable in operation, whatever one may say. Although, if you take linoleum for industrial purposes, then it will outlive you. But the colors of such linoleum are creepy, therefore, we are talking about household version. And it is soft, torn, worn out, and after 10 years it looks like the devil.

Cork floors after ten years can be opened with fresh varnish and they will still serve. Due to the fact that they are so pockmarked, damage is not particularly visible on them.

Ease of maintenance: Linoleum is easier to care for as it is completely smooth. And the cork is porous and it is necessary to thoroughly wash out the dirt that clogs into microcracks.

Simplicity of flooring: Both coatings require Smooth surface. If linoleum is spread on an uneven floor, it will quickly wear off and look disgusting. Under the linoleum, every crumb and hole is visible.

Warmth: Both coatings are warm, but walking on the last one is 10 times more pleasant. Linoleum is like oilcloth to the touch, and cork is like wood.

Which is better: cork flooring or laminate

Durability: Laminate and cork last about the same. But the laminate tends to swell at the joints, which is why it appearance spoils. Cork, especially glue, looks much better.

Ease of maintenance: Laminate is easier to clean, as there are no pores on it, into which dirt clogs. But it has to be wiped dry after washing, as stains are too visible.

Simplicity of flooring: both are easy to lay. The main thing is to prepare the surface well, and laying is already the tenth thing.

Warmth: Both of these finishes are warm, but laminate is not as pleasant to the touch. In addition, he is very noisy.

Which is better: wood flooring or cork?

Durability: wood is much more durable, especially if it is not about parquet, but about deck boards. Yes, and it is easier to restore a wooden floor than a cork veneered one.

Ease of maintenance: it is easier to care for a tree, despite the fact that it needs to be periodically rubbed with mastic.

Simplicity of flooring: under the tree you do not need to equalize the floor and this is a plus. But it needs to be perfectly evenly laid on the logs, and this is a minus: professionals are needed here.

Warmth: it's the same warm covers. But judging by the reviews of the owners, the feeling of the cork floor is warmer.

Conclusion: We told you everything and even more about cork floors, their pros and cons, showed a photo and indicated an approximate price for 1 square meter. Now think for yourself, decide for yourself what is better to choose when you make repairs.