Cork coating in the interior
The choice of finishing material is an important stage in the repair process. Tiles, wallpapers, wood and stone are considered standard. room decor options. This is not strange, because each of them has unique qualities, advantages and disadvantages. But today there are many other, more interesting materials for decoration. One of them is cork - a new, completely environmentally friendly and natural way to finish. the walls, gender and even the ceiling.
Properties and scope of cork coatings
Cork is a unique material that has many advantages:
- moisture resistance (which is important for the bathroom and kitchen);
- does not rot (is an unfavorable environment for bacteria);
- considered environmentally friendly material;
- has a natural and unique texture (will complement almost any interior);
- the main difference is the flexibility of the material: after deformation, the cork returns to its original shape, which is especially noticeable when used as a floor covering (softness and ease of walking are felt).
Thanks to all of the above qualities, cork coating is used everywhere: having resistance to moisture and aggressive environments, it is excellent for the bathroom and kitchen, the original appearance and unique texture can decorate the interior of the living room and bedroom. And environmental friendliness and naturalness makes this material almost ideal for a children's room.
Types of cork in the interior
Cork is widely used in various finishing materials:
- cork-based wallpaper;
- cork wall tiles;
- cork flooring: tile, parquet;
- self-adhesive roll coating;
- “Laminate”, the decorative layer of which is made of cork;
- cork one-piece veneer.
The most expensive option from the whole list is cork veneer. This is not strange, because cork oak is found only in a small territory of the Mediterranean, and I remove the bark from such a tree once every 9 years. In addition, the removal process is possible only if the tree is at least 40 years old, and cork veneer is a material made from a single piece of bark, in the production of which remains a lot of waste. Installation of such a coating is not particularly difficult, therefore, it is recommended to make a preliminary calculation to exclude a possible overrun.
Modern technology and cork coating
New technologies make it possible to endow cork with additional properties without losing a natural aesthetic appearance. The material can have good heat and sound insulation, antistatic, resistance to fungi, which makes it more practical and versatile.
To increase technical characteristics, such as strength, stability, durability, cork coating is treated with varnish and special blends based on polymers. There are even impregnations that increase the fire resistance of the material and at the same time it does not lose its external charm.
