Cork under the laminate: pluses and minuses, photo. Which cork substrate under the laminate is better: reviews of specialists

If you started repairing floors, then most likely you will have to use damper cushioning materials. They are laid between the laminate or linoleum and the rough base.

Need to use

If there is a need to level out minor unevennesses, to insulate and insulate the floor, then it is necessary to use a technique that involves the use of a substrate, it can be a bitumen-cork substrate for a laminate. It should be noted that manufacturers do not provide a guarantee for premature wear of the laminate in the event that a shock absorber was not used. Before buying it, you need to ask what sorts of cork exist.

Varieties and properties of the cork substrate

If you use a cork substrate under the laminate, the pros and cons of this material should be considered before the moment of going to the store. The material described is based on compressed pellets, which are made from bark of cork oak. In the market you can find several types of cork substrate. It can be a classical variety, as a connecting element of which natural materials are used. The production does not use synthetic resins. This indicates hypoallergenicity. That's why consumers most often choose this shock absorber for styling in children's rooms. Among other things, this cork substrate under the laminate, pluses and minuses, the photo of which you can consider in the article, is fireproof and antistatic. In the store you can find rubber-cork substrates, as a binder component in which rubber is used. This coating is recommended for use in residential areas in conditions of high humidity. Among other things, experts recommend this material for the first floors of buildings, if the finish coat is laid on top of the screed, which was not dried to the end.

Cork and rubber

Rubber-cork coating provides sound and vibration isolation, these qualities are significantly higher than those that are characteristic of the classical material. If you use a cork substrate for a laminate, it is recommended to consider the pros and cons of this material in advance. In the process of work can be used and bitumen-cork coatings. They are made of kraft paper, which is pre-impregnated with bitumen. In addition to these ingredients, pressed cork is also used in the course of production. This material guarantees excellent waterproofing. However, it should be noted that this shock absorber is not allowed to be used in residential premises. This is due to the fact that the composition contains bitumen, which is characterized by fire hazard. When burning, this ingredient is able to emit acrid smoke.

Positive sides

If you buy a cork under the laminate floor, the pluses and minuses of it should be considered even before the moment of purchase. If we consider the positive side, then we can distinguish the possibility of using the material described as a decoration of ceilings and walls. Consumers note that they like wear and durability. Manufacturers guarantee that the material can last up to 200 years. Even if you face the task of changing the worn laminate, the substrate can be left, as it retains its quality characteristics during the life of the machine. It is very easy to make cuts, in all circumstances the shape is preserved in all directions. Insignificant weight and excellent insulating characteristics are due to porosity.

Negative sides

Whatever the good material, it has drawbacks. Among them, one can not fail to note the deformation during prolonged exposure to a mechanical nature. If on the surface for a long time there were heavy pieces of furniture, then there will be dents. If there is a need to lay under the laminate water warm floors, then the cork substrate in the classical version can not be used in such works. This is due to the insignificant thermal conductivity of the material. To do this, you must additionally cover a special foil coating. When carrying out manipulations in a premise with high humidity, preliminary work on waterproofing will be necessary. Among other things, the cork substrate for the laminate, the pros and cons of which are presented in the article, should have water-repellent characteristics. It is made using cork granulate, which is mixed during the production process with rubber.

Advice on selecting a substrate

In addition to all of the above factors, which are important to pay attention to when buying, you need to consider the cost. In the building materials store you can find the described coating in rolls, the length of which is 10 m, while the thickness is equivalent to 1 meter. If it is convenient, then we can prefer canvases, the dimensions of which are 915 x 610 millimeters. The cost will depend on the thickness. Experts recommend buying material that would fit the thickness, and, of course, it is worth expecting that a thicker will cost more than a thin one. The consumer will have to pay from 70 to 750 rubles per square meter. If you prefer the canvas, their cost varies from 400 to 1100 rubles per square meter.

If you choose a cork substrate for a laminate, which is better, it is important to decide before you go shopping. Professionals recommend choosing the tube, in spite of the fact that it has a higher price than alternative substrates. At this stage of repair it is not recommended to save, as overpayment will soon justify itself. The quality of the coating will be at an altitude, and the material can be operated as long as necessary, without the need to replace it with a new one.

Professional feedback on substrate thickness

The cork substrate under the laminate, which you will read about in this article, has a different thickness. However, when choosing it is necessary to be guided by the recommendations of specialists. In their opinion, if it is a technical plug, which is preferable to use in tandem with a laminate having a thickness of 8 millimeters or more, the last parameter just affects the selection of the interlayer. Thus, for the thickness of the boards mentioned above, it will be sufficient to lay a 2-mm lining. If you have chosen a thicker finish coat, then you should prefer a layer of 3 millimeters. Experts do not advise exceeding the last of these limits, this is true even for the case when heavy-duty commercial laminate is used in repair work. This requirement is due to the fact that a thick substrate is capable of springing. This will cause inconvenience in the operation, in addition, this feature will cause the loosening and further breakage of locks.

Conclusion

Cork pad under the laminate, pluses and minuses, the reviews you could read above, should not only be selected, but also laid correctly. Only in this case it will be possible to achieve a positive result. Home masters say that when working it is important to ensure a minimum number of cutting lines. However, it will be more convenient to work if the substrate you will not immediately cover the entire floor area, but in separate bands. Advantages of the cork substrate under the laminate are obvious, its use can not be excluded. That is why before starting work it is important to consider the varieties, as well as the features of the material described.