Top 5 manufacturers of cork floors and coverings

Cork is a natural material that is part of the bark of cork oak. For a tree, the procedure is painless: the removed bark over a dozen years is fully restored. The material has a microporous structure. Due to this cork products are light, elastic and elastic. Moreover, cell partitioning is cellulose, which provides waterproof material properties. And the addition of special substances in the process of industrial processing makes cork a non-combustible material.

Which cork floors are better - glue or castle?

Before you choose a reliable brand of cork flooring, you must decide on the method of laying the coating: locking and adhesive. Castle floor is also called "floating".

For the right choice we give typical characteristics of both species.

Glue	Castle
Specifications
Plates of pressed cork, decorated on top with cork veneer. They are glued to the base with glue and coated with a polyurethane wear-resistant varnish in 2-3 layers. The size of the plates - 600 × 300 mm, 450 × 450 mm and others.	Multi-layer cork board. Layers from bottom to top: 1 - cork compensating substrate, 1.5 mm thick. 2 - rigid MDF panel of high density. 3 - pressed cork with a thickness of 3 mm. 4 - decorative cork veneer. 5 - wear-resistant varnish. The boards are connected using a padlock without the use of glue and varnish.
Virtues
resistant to water, temperature and humidity; easy to cut; You can create a unique gender by combining colors and patterns; fits well with other types of coatings; easy to repair. A damaged area is cut and a new tile is glued in; renewable coverage. Only the lacquer layer is worn out, which, with a frequency of several years, again covers the floor.	have factory varnish coating and are ready to use immediately after installation; perfect foundation preparation is not required. Allowable drops up to 2 mm by 2 m; stacks quickly and easily without the involvement of specialists; no cost for styling materials; can be disassembled without damage.
disadvantages
the foundation must be carefully prepared; additional costs for glue and varnish; complex styling process requiring specific skills.	it is applied only in dry rooms; contact with water for no more than 24 hours.
Where to apply?
for dry and wet rooms, including bathrooms and kitchens; in houses of non-permanent residence (cottages, cottages); in offices with a cross is no higher than average.	dry living spaces without daily wet cleaning; in offices with a cross is no higher than average.
Cost of
Coverage: 800-2000 rub / m2. Glue and varnish: 700-750 rubles / m2.	Coverage: 1000-2000 rub / m2. Additional costs are not required.

After weighing the advantages and disadvantages of cork floors, we can proceed to the choice of manufacturer.

Top Rated manufacturers of cork floors and coverings

Wicanders. The lion's share of cork oak grows in Portugal. Therefore, the Portuguese company Wicanders naturally became the leader in the production of cork floors. The company offers the consumer more and more new collections with different properties of the decorative layer and the varnish used.

Сorkstyle - Swiss brand for the production of cork flooring, deservedly received worldwide recognition. Innovative equipment, the latest research and technology, quality control at every stage of production - all this is a solid Swiss approach to business that guarantees impeccable quality. The design studio develops all new and new versions of drawings.

Сorkart. Another Portuguese brand, Corkart, is represented on our and the global cork flooring market. In essence, this is a family company that was founded in 1997.Why in our ranking? The company's philosophy is to produce high-quality products with a unique design and characteristics.

MAESTRO - brand of the Russian company PolImPeks. By order of the company products are manufactured at the Wicanders plant.

Egger - innovative material from the German manufacturer. High-quality cork and high technology - this is a brief description of Egger flooring. The direct printing method allows you to create a drawing on the top layer of the cork. The environmentally friendly and elastic varnish keeps high quality of a floor for many years.

Name	Price	Features	Rating
Wicanders	1410-2405 rub / m2	A wide range of collections; high quality; long warranty	9,5
Сorkstyle	870-3300 rub / m2	many collections and a huge number of design options; wear resistant coating; made by nano technology.	9,6
Сorkart	1140-2590 rub / m2	more than thirty decors and more than ten cork veneer textures	9
MAESTRO	1065-1510 rub / m2	affordable price	9
Egger	1270-1560 rub / m2	unusual design options; reasonable price with high quality.	9,3

Wicanders is the leader in our top cork flooring manufacturers.

Wicanders is the undisputed leader among manufacturers of cork coatings in Russia. The company's products are very popular, and we have not found any negative reviews about it. One drawback is the high price - but, alas, you have to pay for quality.

Pros:

• high environmental friendliness. In the production process of the floor covering, only natural raw materials and components are used;
• excellent noise isolation. It suppresses airborne structural noise as well as vibrations;
• ergonomics. Wicanders flooring has various degrees of hardness, which allows you to create comfort when walking in any room;
• ease of installation. The manufacturer offers a locking and adhesive mounting method of coating

Minuses:

• high price.

From Wicanders cork floors reviews:

"I have been laying Wicanders cork floors for five years now. They have been laying on a 3 millimeter cork substrate. The floor is very pleasant to the touch, soft and silent. In the kitchen, if something falls, it does not break like on a ceramic tile. You can vacuum and wipe wet rag. In general, we are satisfied with the cork, it's worth it. "

Сorkstyle

Pros:

• quality. Castle-type coating consists of 5 layers interconnected at high temperature without using glue;
• increased moisture resistance;
• the lock connection strengthened on a gap;
• increased density of the upper layer.

Minuses:

• high cost of some collections.

From Corkstyle cork floor reviews:

“They doubted what to take, cork or parquet based on the cost. They considered that besides parquet you need plywood, glue, varnish, plus work. It was not cheap at all. They took Corkstyle, the PrintCork collection with oak design, and rolled up in two layers of varnish. cheaper than parquet. "

Сorkart

Pros:

• high performance;
• environmental friendliness;
• wide range of products;
• warmth and comfort

Minuses:

• not always the factory varnish smooth, happens roughness. Although the wear resistance level.

From reviews on Corkart cork floors:

"We had dents on the cork floor after removing the children's horizontal bar (the child grew). At first, they were quite noticeable, but leveled off after a few days. Now you can see them only if you know where to look, but on the whole, an excellent and pleasant floor."

MAESTRO

pros:

• high wear resistance;
• impact resistance;
• soundproofing;
• environmental friendliness;
• natural appearance and texture;
• practicality, easy cleaning;
• modern design;
• suitable for underfloor heating;
• suitable for use in commercial and domestic premises;
• The price is lower than the competition.

Minuses:

• deformation of the joints in contact with moisture.

From Maestro Cork Laminate Reviews:

"I took Maestro with a polymer coating, due to which it is slippery and not rough. I was worried: would children's tights be rubbed off the surface of the cork? Do not wash out!"

Egger

Pros:

• resistance to ultraviolet rays;
• varied print decor;
• primer for gloss;
• strong and steady top layer;
• natural cork backing.

Minuses:

• residual deformation from heavy furniture (appears after a couple of years)

From Egger Cork Laminate Reviews:

"Doubted whether to take a cork or not to take it? They decided to cork cover by the German company Egger. It is easy to take care of - just wipe it with a damp cloth or vacuum it. Children play and run with pleasure, the floor is warm and non-slip. now there are scratches. "

What is the best cork flooring to buy?

European manufacturers of cork floors produce products with fairly high performance in the near price range. This is due to two factors:

1. Raw materials from one climatic region are used.
2. Production on high-tech equipment.

All manufacturers produce and adhesive and locking coating. Therefore, when choosing a coating, design becomes the main criterion.

Note: you should be wary of Chinese-made products and not chase for cheap. This coating can be made from cork waste using toxic varnishes and adhesives. Take care of your loved ones!