Choose and lay cork under the laminate
In order for the laminate to lie evenly, and its locks not to break and the boards to not creak, a substrate of special material is laid under it. It will make a good substrate and warmer the floor, and absorption of extraneous sounds will help. For example, a cork substrate for a laminate showed itself very well, which will be discussed later.
Content:
Cork substrate: properties and types
One of the undoubted advantages of such a substrate is environmental friendliness. For its manufacture, a finely cut cork tree bark is pressed under pressure. This bark contains natural glue - suberin. It tightly connects the pieces of cork, and the material becomes homogeneous. It does not contain any “chemistry”, therefore, there can be no release of toxic substances.
And the cork backing miraculously holds heat, and the sound delays with a bang. In addition, it does not respond to loads - it does not slip at all and does not caking. That's just in one category, it let us down - in price. Unfortunately, cork material has a fairly high price. Therefore, when deciding to lay an economy-class laminate, do not rush to buy a cork backing - this is impractical and not advisable. And if the laminate is selected based on a long service life, it is better to choose a quality, albeit not very cheap, substrate.
Cork Specifications:
- Density - from 220 to 260 kilograms per cubic meter.
- Humidity - not more than 7 percent.
- The coefficient of thermal conductivity is 0.043 watts per square meter per Kelvin.
- Sound absorption coefficient - 0.85.
- Resistance to fire is high. The cork lights up with difficulty, and does not emit toxins during combustion. Fire Resistance Index (ASTM) - C -209.
- The tensile strength at break is 2 kilograms per square centimeter.
The substrate can be made not only completely from cork, but also in combination with other materials. Let's consider these options in more detail.
Bitumen-cork substrate
For its manufacture, they take cardboard or thick paper, on one side of which a layer of bitumen is applied. On the opposite side is a layer of pressed cork. Thanks to this design, the substrate is not only protected from moisture, but also removes excess moisture from the laminate. When laying it, there is no need to arrange additional waterproofing. By the way, this substrate is always laid down with a cork layer. At the joints, the sheets are glued with adhesive tape of sufficient width.
Rubber cork backing
The advantage of this material is that it absorbs sounds better than others. For its manufacture, a mixture of finely ground cork and rubber (synthetic) is pressed. Such a substrate, like the previous version, costs significantly more than a material made entirely from cork. Therefore, in an ordinary apartment they are not very practical to use.
What is the thickness of the substrate to choose?
Many are mistaken, believing that the thickest substrate will be the best choice. A base with defects such as pits and bulges and a thick substrate cannot be aligned. Only with a preliminary screed, bulk floor or plywood flooring can this problem be solved.
- See the material >>Leveling the floor under the laminate, depending on the base and nature of the bumps
As for noise protection and heat preservation, these indicators are better for a thick substrate. True, there are nuances here.
When the substrate has a large thickness, then it is deformed more. And this is fraught with the appearance of deflections in those places where the load is high. Well, and from dents not far and to the breaking of the locks of the laminated boards. The best option: cork substrate for the laminate - two millimeters.
How to lay a cork backing
After unpacking, the material must be left for 24 hours in the room where it is supposed to change the flooring. This is done so that the cork "gets used" to the temperature-humidity environment. Then you can start laying, first the substrate, and then the laminate. So that they do not move relative to each other, the substrate is placed transverse to the flooring of the laminated boards.
First of all, we clean the base of the floor, if necessary, correcting all the irregularities with the putty compound. If the floor is concrete, we treat it with a special primer that protects against fungus. Otherwise, look at that - mold will appear.
To protect against moisture, we take a film of polyethylene. We cut it into strips of the right size, leaving an allowance of 3 centimeters. The edge of the film should protrude 1 or 1.5 centimeters above the wall. We overlap between adjacent sheets of film 10 or 12 centimeters. To connect them we use adhesive tape. In order not to spoil the waterproofing, never use a stapler or nails.
Having retreated from the wall 1 centimeter, we put the first sheet of the substrate.
Right next to the first sheet, (without overlap) we lay the next sheet. Adhesive tape for their connection should have a width of 6 centimeters. We cut the last sheet a little so that the distance to the opposite wall is also 1 centimeter.
If you lay the laminate on a wooden floor, then you do not need to make waterproofing, just lay the substrate on the base.
Important: never lay the backing in two layers. The characteristics of this will not improve, but it will wear out much faster. And one more thing: one hundred percent traffic jam is suitable only for an entrance hall or a living room. In the kitchen, it is better to use a more waterproof material. For example, a substrate consisting of a combination of cork with bitumen.
Well, now that the cork underlay has been completely laid under the laminate, the laminate itself can begin to be laid.
To summarize
Choose both the laminate and the substrate to it based on your own tastes. It is also important how much money is in the wallet. And if you decide to fork out for an expensive laminate, then remember that it will last a long time only with a good substrate. And if it is made of cork, then you don’t have to worry about the safety of the flooring for many years. Although the cork substrate can’t be called cheap, it’s more than worth it.
Video: Laying a laminate on a cork backing
