Cork underlay for laminate : characteristics , properties , installation

Recently, among the popular flooring for residential premises leading laminate.This material is characterized by ease of installation, because it does not need to purchase additional hardware and invite artists from all the work you can handle yourself.Only a special coating and the substrate required for laying laminate.For what it is and what kind of support to buy, let's find out more.

Why do you need a substrate?

This finishing material important task - to smooth out slight curvature of the sexes.If floors are uneven and the differences are too large, then before proceeding with the laying of the laminate, it is necessary to fill in the surface self-leveling mixture.Once the screed is completely dry, you can begin the fun process - laying laminate flooring.But first you need to put the substrate, it is a kind of depreciation that the board does not come in contact with a solid surface and not spoiled.

If uneven concrete floors is on the order of a few millimeters, then allowed to blow the cork substrate for laminate.Regardless of the quality of the material, its main function - a cushioning surface as a result of operation to laminate on the floor were not formed and there was no objective load on the hard coating.If you ignore the rule and to lay laminate unsupported, then stepping on such coverage, you will always hear a strong creaking or crackling.Here's another answer to the question why we need the support - to improve soundproofing premises and keep the house warm.

substrate Types

If you have decided on their own to put laminate flooring in a room, then you need to figure out all the nuances in detail, but you need to start with the selection of the coating and substrate.

for sale you will find several options of finishing material:

• polyethylene foam backing - retains heat well, repels moisture and is resistant to damage by insects and rodents, the cost is low.From this material shortcomings should be noted a rapid wear.After a few years of operation in the field of high permeability substrate quickly sags;
• foil substrate with the coating is a foam coated on one side of the metal foil.Used in cold areas to enhance thermal insulation.Suitable for the "warm floor" system equipment.The material is expensive, so use a substrate without connecting underfloor heating is inappropriate;
• substrate "Tupleks" is an original design, a kind of layered cake consisting of cork, on both sides dressed in sheets of polystyrene beads.Such a substrate has a high degree of wear resistance, retains heat in the room, a moisture repellent;
• cork underlay for laminate.Product price is kept at a high level, but if you study all the features of this building material, then regret the purchase is not necessary.Briefly describe the process of manufacturing cork backing.The main raw material - this is cork, the material is crushed, and then falls into the press machine, where the pressure of natural fiber material and connected to a homogenous sheet.The manufacturing process does not apply additives used only natural materials, cork and bonding occurs due to the fact that has its own adhesive cork tree - suberin.Under the influence of high temperature it softens and sticks together.The material is absolutely safe, non-toxic.Buy cork substrate for laminate construction can be in any supermarket.

Note sizes.Substrate preferably sold in rolls of 5 or 10 m. The material thickness may also vary from 2 to 4 mm.

thickness of the substrate matter?

Most beginners think that curves floors can be easily remedied, if you buy a thick substrate.But the thickness of the substrate under a laminate cork will not solve the underlying problem.If the differences are large, it is necessary to make a coupler.If you decide to avoid such a troublesome task, the small curvature of the floor, you can try to fix by means of a cork backing for laminate thickness of 4 mm.But here it is necessary to take into account one important factor, if you pick up the thickness of the material properly, the result is the maximum load on the floor (areas of high permeability), a few months later formed recess, and this will entail rapid wear of the tool joint flooring.Therefore, when choosing the base for thickness of the laminate flooring should be considered a small curvature - cork underlay under the laminate must be 3 mm thick.If the surface is almost flat, you can buy a cork backing for laminate thickness of 2 mm.

Advantages and disadvantages of finishing material

main advantage of cork backing - in versatility.This building material can be used for walls and even ceilings.Cork backing will last a long time and do not wear out even after 5-7 years of operation.By the way, the manufacturer gives a guarantee on cork substrate for 200 years!Imagine how many floors can last, and with them and the substrate!It is understood that the laminate will not sustain a long-term operation and in 10 years will need to replace old paint with the new.But cork base can be left, because it is well preserved.This is a good savings.

Pros cork backing:

• environmental material does not emit harmful substances and toxins;
• can be used in any room, even in the nursery;
• material is not deformed;
• retains heat and has soundproofing properties.This high cost -

the minuses only a single flaw can be identified.

Based on the foregoing, we can draw the following conclusion: if you're not going to change the laminate in 5-7 years, and prefer the quality and durability of the coating, then you can put a cork under the laminate substrate.

acquainted with the technical characteristics of the material:

• product density can range from 220 to 260 kg / 1m3;
• cork humidity of 7%;
• high thermal conductivity - to 1m3043 W;
• high resistance to fire.Despite the fact that the cork of natural origin, the material does not burn, and if illuminated when the combustion is not allocated toxins;
• high strength material (2 kg / 1m2).

How to lay cork substrate for laminate

From the correctness of your actions and a clear sequence directly affects the quality of work and the final result.

How to lay cork substrate for laminate

1. must first prepare the entire area.That is, if the floor is uneven, then using self-leveling mixture or liquid filler to align the entire surface.
2. After the curvature of the sexes will be corrected, it is necessary to walk on the surface of the skin on the trowel to smooth out and flatten all the small bumps and cracks.
3. Treat the floor primer (it is better to buy a liquid with a protection against mold and mildew).
4. After priming is necessary to wait 24 hours (or slightly less, study the instructions).
5. Remove the packaging from the support and place it on the floor.Leave for a day, that the material "met" with the room climate.
6. Getting started: first you need to put a layer of waterproofing.This can be a special material or a dense polyethylene.Cut it into strips plus a margin of several centimeters, and laid on the floor with a small gap to the edge of the film "climbed" on the wall (up to 1-1.5 cm is sufficient).
7. fastened together polyethylene With the construction of the tape.Note, in any case, do not use for bonding metal staples or nails of the film, as the through holes can leak moisture, and it is - your time and money on materials.
8. spread the substrate so that the distance from the wall was about 1 cm. Puts each sheet tightly to one another without overlapping, joint to joint.
9. cork sheets are joined using an adhesive tape construction.
10. If you want to further protect the coating against moisture, it can be treated with a special cork backing means, to repel water and any liquid.
11. all, you can start laying the laminate.

little secrets that will help you to quickly cope with the task, and extend the life of the floor covering:

• any substrate need only be laid across the laminate to avoid coverage bias in the operation.You need to pre-determine the direction of laying the flooring;
• not too lazy to thoroughly clean the concrete floor from dirt.If there are cracks, they must fill out a solution and smooth out all the bumps;
• concrete floor to be treated antifungal mixture and wait until it is completely absorbed;
• Slice a cork backing, so that you feel comfortable to work and put the sheets on a base width of the foundations can be different;
• remember that lay cork substrate in several layers is prohibited;
• substrate cork is best used for the living rooms and corridors.For rooms with high humidity (kitchen, toilet, bathroom) buy tile, or if you decide to put laminate flooring in these rooms, then it is best to use for cork substrate with an additional layer, which protects the coating against moisture.Pay attention to the bitumen base for laminate flooring in combination with a cork tree.The basis of this material is pressed cardboard, which on the one hand a thin layer of bitumen - durable material.The second side - the cork.This coating protects the substrate from moisture and even pushes her out.Laying the composite material is necessary to put a stopper to the concrete base.The joints are fixed with adhesive paper;
• should look for when buying of the substrate for laminate on rolls of cork in combination with synthetic rubber.The material is cheaper, the quality remains high, high wear resistance.

cork underlay for laminate.Video: