How to lay a cork floor with your own hands. Laying cork coverings

Laying a cork floor with your own hands is a feasible task. Thanks to our detailed instructions, photo and video materials, you can easily cope with the installation of the cork yourself.

In this article, we will consider all the stages of work, from the preparation of the floor surface, and its insulation, to the installation procedure itself.

The most important condition for laying a cork floor is its cleanliness and perfect evenness. This is due to the peculiarity of the cork coating, which can change shape over time under physical influence. Therefore, the sub floor must be perfectly flat and clean so that various "flaws" do not show themselves in the future.

So how to level the floor with your own hands? There are two main options here: screed or plywood leveling.

If the subfloor is concrete, then the so-called floor screed will be needed. It is carried out quite simply: we buy a dry mix for floor screed in a hardware store. According to the instructions on the bag, mix it with water in the required proportions, achieving the formation of a thick "liquid sour cream". Then evenly distribute the mixture over the floor of the room. The screed can dry up to several days, so you just have to wait.

If the room already has an old wooden floor, or it is supposed to be flooring, plywood or OSB sheets are ideal here. It is an excellent floor leveling material that is reliable and durable. All you need to do is use wood screws to twist the OSB sheets to the old floor or to the logs. In the end, you will have a smooth wooden subfloor that you can work with already.

Issue cost

Of course, we could not get around the question of the cost of cork flooring. The simplest option here would be the so-called cork laminate.

The price of one package of a castle cork floor is about 1600 rubles. In terms of area, this is about 2 square meters of surface.

Not the most affordable price for flooring, but there are plenty of advantages of such a floor.

Do I need to insulate a cork floor?

Indeed, cork is one of the most effective insulation materials that can be found in the construction markets. But during the repair, the question arises - is it necessary to insulate the floor if the cork is the final coating?

If the cork floor is laid in an apartment or in an already equipped house, then additional insulation is not needed. Additional insulation with your own hands should be laid if the floor itself is cold and the extra thermal insulation will not hurt here.

How to insulate is a matter of taste and wallet, you can use both the most budgetary option in the form of polypropylene films, and the same cork backing.

Laying a cork floor

In most cases, cork flooring is sold as a laminate, i.e. wooden planks of standard sizes, which are connected to each other using a special "lock". The difference from a simple laminate is only in the top coating.

So, the first panel of your cork floor is usually placed in the far corner from the entrance, with the end lock "towards you". Between the cork panels and the walls, you need to leave about 1 centimeter of distance, the easiest way to do this is by placing wooden blocks of the required size between them. The next panel is attached to the joint - with a little effort it is necessary to "insert" it into a special cut of the first panel at the same angle. The most obvious way is to see how this is done in the video, at the bottom of the article.

When the first row of the cork floor is laid, proceed to the next. Here we have to face the so-called "castle". It is easy to fit the second row with your own hands - at a slight angle (see photo and video), the panel is inserted into the end of the first row and is fixed with a slight downward movement.

Important! there should be no gaps between the panels.

After that, we do this with each subsequent bar and row. In the abutments to the walls, you will most likely need to cut some panels; for this you can use a hacksaw for metal or an ordinary hacksaw with fine teeth.

It is very important to lay the cork floor in a ragged manner, i.e. the joints should not coincide with the previous row. How to do it right with your own hands can be seen in the photo.

Now, we bring to your attention a video instruction on how to lay the cork on the floor with your own hands:

After the entire floor is laid, you need to let it settle and take shape within 24 hours. Then you can fix the skirting boards and use the room.

The floor inevitably comes into our field of vision, forming the image of the room as a whole. It should be comfortable and beautiful, because every day you have to come into contact with its surface. The main requirements include insulating characteristics, environmental friendliness, durability, and representative appearance. The choice of surface material should also include the specifics of the room, so the level of humidity, the number of visits in the bathroom, hallway and nursery is different. Among the many options, of course, preference should be given to wood. It is it that is always in fashion and suits any style and color. This material is capricious and unacceptable in rooms where the level of humidity is high, condensation and steam often appear. Thus, it is worth excluding the bathroom, toilet, kitchen. A wooden floor includes solid boards, MDF, laminate, and combined coatings. There is another way to arrange a floor in living rooms - to do the laying of a cork floor with your own hands. This procedure will take the whole family, becoming a vivid shared memory. The material is pliable and pleasant to the touch, and its fixation and distribution does not require special skills.

The origin of the material, its types

Cork is a relatively new material. It was only in the 17th century that it began to be used for corking wines, guided by the properties of a material that does not affect the taste of wine. Cork is now used in construction and decoration. This is the layer of cork bark that has been peeled off the tree since its 25th anniversary. It is during this period that the bark easily moves away from the branches and does not harm it. The material then goes through several stages of processing, which currently work quite effectively with large volumes of cork.

Cork floors are divided into types, the installation differs depending on this, therefore the video instructions differ from each other, taking into account the type of material used. The most expensive material is solid cork veneer. This is a slice that can be of various thicknesses. The form can be either solid - in the form of a board, or flexible - in the form of rolls. Surface color - yellow-brown, with a large natural pattern of dark saturated color. The material can be cut into tiles, as a solid piece is difficult to decompose, and the surface under it is ideally prepared. The underside can be covered with a foil for better adhesion of the adhesive to the surface.

Laying a cork floor from panels is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. In this case, a special technology is used for each board. The MDF base is covered with a layer of pressed cork chips, and then a cut of cork veneer is glued to the front side. This type of floor can use cuttings and waste that is collected in the manufacture of solid cork, therefore, it is cheaper. In addition, for those who are going to carry out the work on laying the cork floor on their own, it will be easier to work with this material. A separate category is cork laminate, which is already prepared for fastening and can be installed after a preliminary calculation of the footage.

There are also proposals from hardware stores, where knowledge of the technology of laying a cork floor will help create a masterpiece. We are talking about cork tiles, which are made from crumb. Under the influence of high temperature, it is pressed, the result is a yellowish basic tone, speckled with small grains of a darker color. Material properties, such as elasticity, thermal insulation, environmental friendliness, are preserved in this case. The size of the tiles traditionally repeats the parameters of ceramic tiles - these are squares and rectangles with a facet of 30, 60 cm. There are also smaller tiles, they rather resemble parts of a stained-glass window, due to their fancy shape and small size. Only an experienced craftsman will be able to assemble efficiently.

Installation work

Any construction and repair work requires concentration, uncommon desire and strength. In order for everything to succeed and the result not to disappoint, you need to choose the right materials in the store, calculate their required volume, find out where it is best to start work and how to deal with the premises after it is over. The work of laying a cork floor is not easy, as it requires accuracy, a good eye and patience, but from a technological point of view, even a child can handle it.

The basis is a rough floor. It must be flat, clean and dry. If your base is made of concrete, clean it from dirt and dust, examine the surface for cracks and chips. If there are any, they need to be sealed with putty, and if the floor is covered with irregularities, it is better to apply a layer of screed. Remember that the liquid layer must dry completely, and this can take a week. The wooden floor can be additionally covered with a layer of plywood.

Next, you need to buy glue, depending on the type of coating you choose. The parameters of this product are usually indicated on the packaging, so it is worth focusing on the instructions and advice of the sellers. Do not use ordinary water-based glue, it will not dry completely and transfer dampness to the cork, which quickly swells and begins to peel off and rise in bumps.

In the case of cork flooring, it is more about panels of different sizes, and it is very important to arrange them correctly. We start not from the walls, but from the center of the room. It can be determined by pulling the ropes from the corner to the thrust and fixing their middle. It is from this point that the layout will go. It is important to maintain symmetry so that the stripes of the laid panels or tiles are parallel to the line of the walls.

Cork laminate and solid panels

There are two ways to install a cork floor - glue and dry. One-piece cork, laminate, veneered MDF panels can be installed by attaching them to each other with special grooves. Such a floor is called “floating” or castle floor. On one side of the tile, there is a narrow hole along its entire length, and on the other, there is a ridge. One panel is placed under the other and snapped into place. This method is pleasant, since there is no need to fiddle with glue, scrub it off and breathe it in vapors. This method requires a specially prepared layer on the subfloor for better insulation. It can be a plastic wrap fastened at the joints with tape or a furniture stapler, or it can be a layer of wood. Laminate or solid cork floors can also be installed on carpet as long as it is clean and level.

Cork flooring starts from the wall. The second one is applied to the first panel, slightly at an angle, then it is lowered, and the lock itself snaps into place. After laying the first row, you can move on to the second, and so on. It is better if the tiles are staggered, for this, through the row, you need to start with half of the board. Laying such a cork floor does not even require a training video, everything is intuitive. It got its name both thanks to the gaps between the planks, which must be left (about 7 mm), and due to the lack of fastening against the wall - the plinth only hangs above the floor, not attaching to it in any way.

Tile - the weapon of the master

Cork tiles are a cheap coating, but they do not regulate the installation pattern, giving room for imagination. It is very important here to work with glue correctly. It is better to buy an expensive sample so that the work does not go down the drain. The first step is distributing the tiles. To do this, we determine the center of the room, from which we begin to lay out the tiles dry. First, we define the main points by laying out the largest tiles. Having covered the space of the room, we lay out small tiles in the crevices. Once you like the result, start gluing. It is made according to the same principle - starting from the center, with the largest tile. Remember they must be adjacent to each other.

The glue is applied both to the tile and to the base; the cork impregnation time is indicated on the package. The cork flooring technology involves applying the tiles with pressure so that the glue adheres better. The excess must be wiped off immediately so that there are no stains, for this you can use a sponge. After the large tiles are glued, you can fill in the space between them with smaller pieces. If you do not have a suitable size, the tiles can be cut with a knife into several smaller ones.

Cork flooring can take anywhere from one day to several, depending on the rough surface. If you filled the floor with a screed, it is better to wait an extra day so that everything is completely dry, if you laid a cork base, then the period may be shorter. When choosing a cork floor, take care of matching skirting boards. Knowing how to lay tiles, you can put together a whole composition using different shades of cork or even tint it, but such panels are more suitable for walls.

A series of warnings

The cork also has a number of disadvantages. It swells and expands from moisture and shrinks from dryness and heat. These are common properties of wood and cannot be eliminated. Plus, it absorbs odors. Such a floor is unacceptable in the country, which you leave closed and unheated for a long time, in the bathroom, where the humidity is constantly high, in the kitchen, where the smells of food will permeate the material.

Despite all the advantages of natural material - softness, shock absorption when walking, a feeling of natural texture, there is also a downside to the issue - cork is not an antiseptic. In this case, you can see under the breakaway tile or other area that germs are likely to have grown under the coating. It is a plaque, a dubious liquid that looks like glue.

Of course, if the surface is glued to the correct glue, the humidity will always be normal, and you will regularly clean, the likelihood of getting to know the microbes face to face is minimal.

Care

The cork will serve you for a long time with careful handling. For regular cleaning, clean water or soapy water is enough, but you should not use chemicals, there is a risk of damaging the natural surface. If you have a lot of furniture that also moves, it is better to secure pieces of cork on the legs, this trick will avoid scratches. Do not use rubber or latex mats, such as those sold for yoga, as they leave stains on the cork that cannot be removed.

The cork floor is warmth for your feet, the ability to lie and sit on the floor for your children. It will prevent fall injuries such as a concrete base, it will shock absorb as you walk, creating an effect of contact with nature. Choose a quality floor, follow the instructions and your apartment will have an unrivaled look and feel.

How to lay a cork floor? Laying a chateau cork floor is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Installation videos of floating cork floors and expert advice will help you get the job done.

Floating cork floor. What is it?

Cork chateau floors are often referred to as "floating". The panels are connected to each other in a manner reminiscent of laminate flooring. A comb-and-groove system is used.

They are not firmly attached to the base. If necessary, the cover can be disassembled. The joints are glued with special glue for cork, which is not afraid of moisture.

For the arrangement of the castle floor, cork panels are used, multi-layer... A veneer made of fine wood or cork is glued on top. The uniqueness of the design of each panel makes the interior unique.

How to properly lay a castle (floating) cork floor

Useful tips for DIY cork flooring:

• Purchase tools and materials before installing the cork floor. Don't forget the plastic wrap and cork backing for the insulating layer;
• After the purchase, the coating must be placed for a day or two in the room where the installation will be carried out, for its acclimatization;
• Do not perform work if the room is cold: below + 17C - + 18C;
• Prepare the base. If the old one is linoleum or carpet, it is important to check that it is perfectly flat. Deviations from the norm are unacceptable - there will be distortions of the cork slabs;
• The concrete surface must be dry, clean and level. Consequences of level violation - poor-quality docking, distortions, etc.
• Use a fine-toothed hacksaw or jigsaw to cut the slabs. It is convenient to mark perpendicular corners with a square.

Video on how to lay a cork floor.

Laying technology

• Work begins with laying a plastic film and a substrate, if the base is a cement screed;
• If the basis is carpet or PVC coating (linoleum), it is enough to clean it;
• The first panels are fixed in the front right corner., always perpendicular to the window. The joints are so invisible;
• In the first row, the end parts of the panels are connected. To do this, the end of each panel, following the already laid one, is applied at an angle of 30 degrees to the previous one;
• The panel is gently lowered to the floor and the lock secures the connection. Tap lightly with a rubber mallet on the short right side through a small piece of the panel inserted into the lock on the short side;
• Be sure to leave a 5-10mm expansion gap;
• The second row begins to be laid by trimming the panel located last in the first row. Size - at least 20 cm;
• Experts recommend laying cork panels staggered so that the beginning of every second row is a panel cut, not a whole piece;
• If there are heating pipes on the way, you need to cut a gap in the covering to expand the material. The size is the same as near the walls;
• A profile called a sill will help anchor the cork panels where the doorways are located. It is attached directly to the floor at the junction between the panels;
• The pegs or spacer wedges are removed immediately after the installation of the floating floor from the cork is completed;
• The skirting board is attached only to the wall, leaving a gap that will allow the covering to move.

Video instruction for laying the cork on the floor.

Underlay for cork flooring

When laying the interlocking cork floor, a backing is used. It is made from the crushed and pressed bark of a special cork oak.

Substrate- an important layer that is needed for heat, sound and waterproofing. Natural, environmentally friendly, non-flammable, durable cork backing is several times superior in its characteristics to other insulating materials.

Laying the underlay

• A day before the start of work, the technical plug in rolls is brought into the room where work will be carried out to arrange the interlocking floor from the cork;
• The first step is to lay a PVC film to protect the surface from moisture;
• Access to the walls - not less than 5cm;
• Pieces of film are laid with an overlap, the stock reaches 20 cm. The parts are fastened together with special tape;
• A roll cork coating is placed on top of the film layer;
• The distance between the wall and the substrate, as well as between adjacent pieces of technical cork, is 15mm.

Castle cork floor prices

The cost of cork flooring varies depending on the reputation of the manufacturer, brand, collection, the presence of a moisture-resistant coating, the thickness of the material.

How much does a chateau floor from renowned companies cost?

Average price for 1 square meter:

• - 1033 rubles;
• CORKART - 2083 RUB;
• Ipocork - 1103 rubles;
• Go4cork - 1321 rubles;
• Granorte - $ 12
• KWG 349 - 1027 rubles.

Installation prices

If you are not confident in your abilities or do not have the necessary amount of free time for self-laying of cork floors of the castle type, contact the specialists. A team of experienced craftsmen will quickly and efficiently carry out all the preparatory work, installation of the cork floor and give recommendations on its operation.

The complex team, which carries out the installation of the "turnkey" floating cork floor, takes for its services, on average, 130 rubles. for 1 sq. meter... In different regions, prices may vary slightly depending on the demand for the service.

Be sure to conclude a contract that will insure you against unscrupulous performers.

How to care for a cork floor, how to clean

Natural cork floor care pretty simple:

• Wipe the floors with a damp cloth;
• Vacuum them;
• Use detergents, but without aggressive ingredients such as solvents or particulate matter;
• Cork flooring companies offer special care products for their products. Among them: Wicanders Power emulsion (removes dirt and grease), V-Care (adds shine and protects the surface), KorkCare (creates a protective layer to shine and repel dirt);
• To protect the room from street dust and dirt, put a mat near the doors. The base on the inside must not be rubber or latex;
• Stick special felt pads or cork circles on the legs of your furniture so that objects do not scratch the floor or leave dents. Rubber - does not fit!
• If your cork floor is covered with vinyl, rub it with a special mastic once every three years in residential areas and annually in public areas.

Every cork manufacturer strives to simplify installation with state-of-the-art technology and design. In addition, detailed instructions are attached to the products, however, during installation, non-standard situations inevitably arise, which only a professional can handle.

Cork floors, especially those of the adhesive type, require perfect preparation of the subfloor. The sub-floor must be level, dry, solid, stable and clean. Any imperfections will immediately be reflected in the finishing flooring. That's why preparation for installation - a key stage in the installation of cork cover.

Cork laying services

We offer a full range of services for the installation of decorative and technical cork coverings:

• Cork laminate.
• Adhesive floor plug.
• Cork wall panels.
• Cork wallpaper.
• Floor cork skirting board.
• Cork underlay for laminate, parquet board.
• Substrate preparation, dismantling of old coatings.

The cost of laying cork floor and walls

Prices for plug installation services are formed after the departure of the measurer. The final cost is influenced by the quality of the base floor, the area of ​​the room, and the type of cork to be laid. The table shows the actual prices for Moscow and the Moscow region, excluding the cost of the traffic jam.

Work order

• Application... You can place an order for the installation of a plug by phone, online on the website or in one of our salons.
• Departure of a specialist for measurements... After agreeing on the details, our specialist leaves at the approved time, who takes measurements and makes notes on the object.
• Financial miscalculation... Based on the information received, a financial estimate is drawn up, the deadlines for the completion of work are established.
• Preparatory work... Work begins with the preparation of the base and the dismantling of the old coating, if necessary.
• Cork laying... A cork floor is laid on the prepared base. Depending on the volume and location of the object, the work takes 1-2 days.
• Delivery of the object... After the completion of the installation, cleaning and removal of construction waste is carried out - if necessary.

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Connoisseurs of natural materials choose cork flooring. There are two ways of laying it: glue and thorn-groove.

The glue method is used when using natural cork, produced in the form of thick sheets. A thorn-groove is used when installing a cork laminate, in which a cork acts as the top layer, and an NDF board serves as a base, similar to a laminate.

Preparation before installation work

Have you decided how to install a cork floor? In fact, at the stage of preparation - it does not matter, the preparation of the foundation is carried out in the same way. The base must be perfectly flat and smooth. The better the floor is prepared, the longer the service life of the cork coating will be. The leveling of the floor is carried out along the beacons. The base is leveled with self-leveling compounds. This process should be approached responsibly.

Note! The varnished cork floor will further reveal the slightest irregularities.

The leveling compound must dry completely. Otherwise, mold will develop under the flooring. Based on this, it is worth starting preparatory work in advance, about 3 weeks before the start of laying the cork.

Adhesive installation method

You will need the following tools to glue the cork flooring:

• roulette;
• ruler-square;
• pencil;
• notched trowel;
• rubber mallet;
• roller and container for varnishing.

Stages of work

1. Dust and prime the floor.
2. After waiting for the primer layer to dry, apply the markings.
3. Draw one line in the middle parallel to the wall and mark the center on it.
4. Start from a wall with no furniture along it. In this case, a gap of 5-10 mm should remain between the cork and the wall.
5. A couple of days before the installation work, it is necessary to remove the packing from the cork and leave it in the room in which the installation is planned for acclimatization.

Stacking cork

1. Move the slabs halfway to simulate brickwork.
2. Start laying the material from the wall and at the end inserting a piece of board, and start the next row with the remaining piece. In this case, the amount of waste is minimized.

Glue laying of tiles

Apply the adhesive to the substrate evenly and apply the first tile, pressing firmly against it. The area of ​​the applied glue should exceed the size of one tile, so when laying the next one, you will not stain the already laid one. Then apply glue to the next section and secure the second tile.

In the absence of a chamfer at the edges, difficulties may arise at the joints. To fix this, take a rubber mallet and hammer in the protruding edge. The entire surface is covered in the same way.

Final row

Note! When laying the last row, you will most likely need to trim the material with a sharp knife and ruler. Do not break the material, but run the knife several times.

The laying technique may differ depending on the selected adhesive. For example, polymer-based adhesive is applied directly to the material, not the floor. To avoid unexpected situations, carefully study the instructions before use.

Final stage

Once the cork is dry, a varnish coat is applied to it.

Note! Especially good in combination with cork is a water-based acrylic lacquer that is odorless and harmless.

Before work, the floor is dedusted, and all window and door openings are hung. Every speck will be very noticeable under the varnish coat. If you have an unvarnished cork from the manufacturer, you will need to apply at least three coats of varnish.

Video

Mounting by the thorn-and-groove method

This method is much easier and you need tools for it:

1. Electric jigsaw.
2. Roulette.
3. Square ruler.
4. Pencil.
5. Liner cutter.

Laminate cork is installed in the same way as a regular laminate. The base is cleaned of dust, then a cork backing is laid, the joints of which are processed with tape, and the installation process begins.

Laying rules

The first row is made of whole planks. The missing part is cut off with a jigsaw. When laying, it is necessary to leave a distance of 1 cm between the material and the wall.

The second row starts by trimming what is left over from the first. The row is collected separately, and then moves to the previously laid. The spike is inserted into the groove at an angle, and then the row is lowered and compacted with a tap of the hand. With a large room length, it is advisable to carry out this work with a partner.

Note! Installation of cork laminate is carried out in the direction of sunlight.

The final row is trimmed one by one, you will need to measure them separately. The entire undercut row is also bundled and snapped into place. Cork laminate does not require a protective varnish layer, as provided by the manufacturer.

This completes the work and you can enjoy your new, environmentally friendly flooring.

Video