Cork underlay for laminate: pros and cons

Laminate today is one of the most popular flooring options in any room. To install it correctly, be sure to use a backing.

There is a wide variety of different substrates on the market that are used as a base for laminate flooring. Thanks to this layer, it is possible to achieve increased thermal insulation properties of the floor. And also increase the moisture resistance of the material, create a shock-absorbing layer and correct possible unevenness of the subfloor.

Cork substrate and its characteristics

The basis of cork slabs is the bark of the cork oak tree. Its peculiarity lies in the absence of special adhesive components or artificial additives.

The connecting link is the substance suberin, which is released by the natural material itself.

Cork has the following main characteristics.

• Does not burn well: belongs to class C-209 according to the fire resistance table.
• It has low humidity, which is only 7% and no more.
• It absorbs noise well, the coefficient is about 0.85.
• It conducts heat well, the indicator is approximately 0.043 W/mK.
• The density of the material is 220–260 kg/m³.
• Tensile strength - 2 kg/cm².

Important! It should be noted that, despite all its excellent performance properties, cork is a fairly expensive material in relation to other materials.

In combination with an inexpensive laminate, such a base does not always pay off.

Pros and cons of cork backing

The cork base has a lot of advantages. It conducts heat well, is resistant to deformation, and insulates the room well from extraneous sounds. At the same time, it is environmentally friendly and has an increased service life.

In addition, the undoubted advantage is the large size of the coating. The sheets are easily rolled into rolls and are easy to carry and transport.

Cork allows air to pass through perfectly, allowing you to create a wonderful indoor microclimate. It also has sound absorption properties. Therefore, using such a backing will make moving around the room comfortable. It is safe and environmentally friendly, non-flammable, so using cork as a base for laminate is considered the best option.

Important! Before purchasing, you need to carefully study the characteristics of cork sheets and evaluate its suitability for use in a particular room.

Of the disadvantages of this material, experts highlight only one - its high cost. But this parameter is quickly smoothed out by the long service life and ease of installation of cork sheets.