Repair is incomplete without a beautiful and practical floor, the flooring of which requires patience and some knowledge. For example, let's talk about a suitable lining. Among the wide variety of materials, cork substrate stands out. It is rolls or sheets of crushed bark that are laid under the floor covering. There may be rubberized inclusions on the base.
The porous and airy material dampens the sound vibrations that occur when walking. For a rubber-cork substrate, a mass of crushed cork and synthetic rubber is pressed. Rubber gives the material increased cushioning and soundproofing properties.
Bitumen-cork underlay for the floor is made of kraft paper impregnated with bitumen. In the production process, crushed crumbs are poured onto paper, it is glued to the base. Under the floor covering, such a canvas is placed with the paper up. The bottom cork layer will protect the flooring from moisture andventilate it.
Features
- Sustainable - no synthetic ingredients are used in the production process, because the cork contains a binder called suberin.
- Heat Insulation – Cork underlayment has low thermal conductivity to help keep your home warm.
- Soundproofing - cork absorbs sounds well.
- Anti-mould and condensation prevention - the flooring will be durable.
- Hypoallergenic and anti-static - natural material does not harm he alth and does not cause allergies.
- Smoothing minor unevenness and surface roughness - additional leveling of the floor may not be required.
Usually a 3 mm thick cork backing is used, although manufacturers produce rolls up to 6 mm thick. The canvas comes in sheets of 2-4 mm.
Laying
Before laying, the rolls are left for a day for acclimatization. You also need to level and dry the base. A waterproofing film is laid on it with an overlap, with an entry to the wall (5 cm). Attach with adhesive tape. The material is laid without gaps. Then the parts are fastened with a self-adhesive film. The substrate can be laid immediately on wooden boards, but then it should be covered with a layer of chipboard. It is not recommended to fasten the cork with nails.
Bitumen-cork sheet does not require laying a waterproofing film.
If the cork substrate has a thickness of 6 mm, then the base can not be leveled, you need tofill depressions, voids and cracks with epoxy grout and sand the surface. When working, you should monitor the humidity level, which should not exceed 5%, and temperature (up to 20 degrees).
A 3-4 mm thick underlay will have shock-absorbing properties that will increase the operational life of the floor covering (laminate, ceramic tile, parquet). The cork substrate does not fit under the linoleum, as it is poorly bonded to this material. As a result, a displacement or deformation of the surface will appear.
With a cork underlay, your flooring will be beautiful and durable. This is the best option for both a city apartment and a country house.
