What is cork expansion joint

Come to join the parquet with a different basis, for example, marble or flooring tiles are not recommended. Wood is a living material, which during the year is subjected to some deformation, shrinks and expands. To get rid of this unwanted effect, use so-called cork expansion joint.

Why the need for cork expansion joint

If the elements of parquet flooring to be glued directly to floor tiles, there will necessarily be adverse effects. Testing of internal tension, wood can swell, parquet floor starts to creak. In the worst case, on the surface of the floor can develop cracks.

To prevent deformation of the cover when docking flooring with other materials helps cork expansion joint. This decorative element is usually mounted directly to the floor. The compensator performs the function of an adapter between dissimilar floor coverings.

Properly laid compensator effectively smoothes the deformation of the parquet when pairing it with other hard floor elements.

Appearance cork expansion joint resembles a long and narrow strips of cork. Sometimes the source material is supplied in sheets from which you can easily cut into bars of desired size using a ruler and a sharp knife. The latter was preferable, if there is a need to join flooring of different textures and thickness.

The benefits of cork compensator

Why as a material for the compensator tube is preferable? The fact that the silicone or rubber elements, for this purpose, use is not recommended because they tend to harden with time. Parquet flooring will shrink and expand throughout life, so it is desirable that the compensator was able to recover their shape repeatedly. Otherwise, this element would have to change every year.

The compensator, which is actually a intermediary between the flooring and the other stable floor coating must have good flexibility and elasticity. When parquet is compressed cork expansion joint is able to quickly recover its initial shape.

The choice of cork as the material of which carry this element of technical coating finish, suitable is determined by its natural properties.

The advantages of cork compensator can be attributed to natural nature of this material and its high ecological characteristics. Tube easily can be tinted, giving the compensator the desired color, blending in with the color of the flooring. This element finishes will give the floor an attractive appearance, while ensuring accurate fitting and joining dissimilar materials.