Parquet substrate: tuplex or traffic jam

Tuplex or cork - which of them is the best substrate for the parquet board? This question is not jokingly worries buyers, because it is no secret that the comfort of the operation of wooden flooring largely depends on the quality of the substrate. These materials are most often recommended by experts, they are positioned as the most reliable, high -quality and durable. But you need to make a choice. Knowing the important advantages and significant disadvantages of materials, it will be much easier to make the right decision for yourself.

Table of contents

1. Why can't you do without a substrate?
2. The main characteristics of quality material
3. Traffic jam and its advantages
4. Tuplex as the most progressive solution
5. So is it a cork or a dull?

Why can't you do without a substrate?

The importance of the presence of a substrate under the floor coverings laid by the floating method explains, first of all, its ability to compensate for small changes (up to 2 mm) of the base. The parquet board is very demanding on the quality of the draft floor, and therefore even small flaws can develop into big problems. The rapid wear of the castle joints, up to their breakdown, the creak when walking is what is guaranteed to wait for you without laying an intermediate insulating layer between the parquet and the base.

In addition, the material extinguishes shock noises, provides sufficient heat and sound insulation. The substrate is not visible, but the advantages of its presence are always noticeable.

The main characteristics of quality material

A solid substrate for parquet (parquet board, laminate) should demonstrate:

• moisture resistance;
• elasticity;
• mechanical stability (high deformation resistance);
• noise insulation.

And also:

• do not be subjected to decay processes, do not mold;
• provide natural ventilation under the coating;
• differ in the convenience of flooring.

Do the cork and dumb substrate correspond to the parameters described? Let's try to figure it out.

Traffic jam and its advantages

The cork substrate for the parquet board is a natural material produced from crushed cork oak bark. It has excellent sound and heat-insulating properties. It is produced, as a rule, in the form of rolls of various lengths. Due to its natural origin, such a substrate does not emit toxic substances and is not deceived. Also, the material is characterized by a high level of antistaticity and good resistance to chemicals.

When choosing a cork substrate, it is very important to pay attention to its thickness. The thickness of 2 mm is the minimum in which the substrate will not dust. Wood fine dust can cause an allergic reaction, so this fact should not be overlooked.

One of the key advantages of the material over artificial samples is the unlimited service life. Over time, even scattering to the granules, the cork does not change its height.

In order for the cork substrate to demonstrate maximum efficiency, it is necessary to cut it off when laying as long as possible stripes and parallel to the parquet board. The latter will help to avoid the appearance of dirt between the substrate and the flooring. Under the substrate, it is necessary to lay a plastic film with a thickness of at least 200 microns, making a wide overlap it protects it from moisture. It is the last traffic jam that is most afraid.

The cut canvases of the material are laid in the joint and are fixed using construction tape. A small gap of no more than 1 cm is left near the walls.

Tuplex as the most progressive solution

The dungeon is a professional solution to improve the quality of parquet floors. The material is characterized by a minimum compression process even under a significant weight. It is able to almost completely maintain its shape, which means that it does not allow the flooring to sag in any circumstances.

Using the Tuplex Professional substrate, you can be sure that the entire moisture (or formed condensate) will be removed the material that has been leaked under the parquet board creates a well -ventilated space under the coating.

Tuplex is a compositional product consisting of three layers:

• nizhny is a porous film;
• average polystyrene balls (granules);
• upper polyethylene film.

Together, they effectively fight excess moisture. The use of this particular substrate for a parquet board becomes especially relevant with an insufficiently dried screed or inconsistent heating of the premises (condensation forms under the coating). Moisture, penetrating through the pores of the lower layer, enters the middle one, from where it easily disappears through the gaps between the flooring and the wall around the perimeter of the room.

The service life of the material declared 20 years.

So all the same: traffic jam or dumb?

It is quite obvious that both materials are pretty good. The main plus of traffic jams in comparison with the stupid environmental friendliness. The main minus is moisture.

Tuplex in relation to the cork has the following advantages:

• an additional hydraulic tank is not required in the form of a plastic film;
• there is a special strip-linen with an adhesive layer for convenient fixation of joints;
• more simple and fast styling.

Significant disadvantages are not noticed. Tuplex is officially recommended for use by leading manufacturers of wooden floor coverings in Europe.

If you approach the choice exclusively from the point of view of the security and durability of the material, then you can safely purchase both one and another product. But if the convenience of working with the material and the speed of styling are also important to you, then it is better to stop on the dumb.

And finally, it is worth noting that the quality of the draft floor is much more important than the choice of stupid or traffic jam. Not a single substrate will save the bad screed.