Cork Underlayment

Pros of a cork underlayment

Ease. The large amount of air contained inside the cork (about 89.7%) and the relative lightness of its walls determine its specific weight: from 0.12 to 0.25 g / cm3.

Flexibility. The cork owes this quality to its cell walls, which are impermeable to liquids and gases, and the presence of tiny channels in it that connect the cells and allow the cork to withstand high pressure and not break. The cork sample was subjected to a load of more than 1000 kg / cm3, withstood not half and immediately regained 90% of its original height. At the same time, no changes in its length and width were recorded.

Compression. The cork shrinks without spreading to the sides. This unique property determines the widespread use of cork as seals.

Impermeability. This is achieved due to the basic chemical composition, the presence of a large amount of cork and waxy substances, as well as the cellular structure in the form of a 14-sided polygon, creating a closed space without capillaries.

Thermal insulation. Due to the huge number of cells: from 30 to 40 million per cm3, filled with a gas very similar in composition to air, which cannot renew and move, cork, with a low ability to absorb moisture, is an unsurpassed thermal insulator.

Noise reduction. Cork is the best acoustic absorber, which means it perfectly absorbs noise generated inside the room.

Burn delay. Although cork is not a non-flammable material, it is a kind of barrier against the spread of fire. In general, cork products fall into the flammable, flame-retardant category. There are methods of treating both the surface and the entire mass that allow it to be considered the maximum for materials of this type. Cork is a very fire-resistant material due to its natural carbonization surface and high insulating properties. The cork will withstand the flame for 40 minutes. When the ignition device goes out, the flame does not spread. Under the influence of flames, the cork does not break into pieces, the burning parts do not fall off and no toxic gases are released

Superscript

Cork underlay - what can you expect from its use?

Unique cork for insulation

Cork is a material with unique properties. 100% natural, made of cork oak bark. Plantations of these trees are concentrated in Portugal and other Mediterranean countries. The bark is removed by hand, while the tree itself does not suffer, it is still alive, overgrowing with bark again.

1. Provides high-quality floor laying:

Reduces the load on the locking system;
Protects the coating against existing defects on the substrate;
It prevents the formation of cracks thanks to its anti-slip properties

2. Protects the lining throughout its lifetime:

Protects against local damage thanks to excellent shock absorption and supportive action;
Saves from deformation under the influence of long-term loads;
Provides a protective barrier between the base and the floor covering.

Supet

Laying a cork underlay on an old parquet or linoleum floor

Many who refurbish try to save money by laying a new floor over the old one. Of course it is possible! Indeed, laying a floor is a very laborious, tedious, long and inexpensive work, so in order to eliminate all these costs, most often people find a simpler solution by putting a new coating on top of the old one.

Cork has many advantages, but not when laying over old parquet or linoleum. The idea is that the cork backing is made of cork granules, stuck securely together, but when used on an uneven floor, the granules come apart from each other. Also, the old parquet can be uneven, a large gap has formed somewhere between the parquet floors, and somewhere one parquet protrudes 2-3 mm higher than the other, all this will lead to the rapid destruction of the cork flooring into granules. It won't be cheap.

But often sellers, not knowing all the consequences of a cork underlay, impose it in the store, ensuring the durability, quality and reliability of this lining. Indeed, cork has many advantages, but not for laying on an old parquet or linoleum floor. The idea is that the cork backing is made of cork granules, stuck securely together, but when used on an uneven floor, the granules come apart from each other. Also, the old parquet can be uneven, a large gap has formed somewhere between the parquet floors, and somewhere one parquet protrudes 2-3 mm higher than the other, all this will lead to the rapid destruction of the cork flooring into granules.

A cork underlay can not be laid not only on the old parquet, but also on linoleum. If your linoleum has not hardened in years and is still soft, the cork between the linoleum and floating parquet will collapse even faster than on the old parquet. Using a substrate along with linoleum will also harm your floor, locks will begin to part, cracks and creaks will appear. Cork underlay and linoleum are equivalent to using a thick underlay, which cannot be done with floating floors.