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The Good and Bad of Cork Flooring
Cork is durable, easy to maintain, cushions your feet, available in rich, natural
tones, and provides both warmth and elegance to a room. When properly installed
and maintained, cork is virtually indestructible. However, if cork is not properly installed, it can create major problems later.
Another problem with cork flooring is that in the United States, many flooring stores
don't have it in stock and many who do, do not install it. Installing cork
can be tricky, especially for someone who has never installed any form of flooring. When installing cork, the surface has to be prepared properly. It is vital that
you have a clean, level concrete or plywood sub-floor. All old flooring has to
be removed. Do not install cork planking or tiles over any old flooring. In addition,
all defects in the surface of the sub-floor surface will show through the cork flooring
once it has been laid down for a while. Therefore, all defects must be repaired
before installing the cork. When installing cork over concrete, after you have
removed the old flooring, removed all high spots by hand-scraped the surface of
the slab, you next have to apply a 1/16' skim coat of a cement-based underlayment
to ensure you have a smooth floor. By applying the skim coat, you cover over and
seal any old adhesives, which eliminates the process of having to machine sand the
floor to remove the old adhesives. When installing cork flooring, today you have a choice between floating floors,
and glue-down floors. A floating floor is significantly thicker than glue down
and provides better resistance to radiant-heat transmission. In addition the thicker
tiles are also quieter to walk on, which is the reason many homeowners prefer tiles.
Another benefit of the floating floor is that if a section becomes damaged it is
easier to remove and replace. When installing a floating floor, manufacturers specify
that a vapor barrier be placed between the sub-floor and the cork. Another thing to consider with cork flooring is the many size and style choices
that are available. Cork tiles are available in 12-inch square and slightly more
expensive 24-inch square tiles. There are some manufacturers who also provide rectangular
shaped tiles that can be mixed and matched with square tiles to create a unique
design. In addition to shapes and sizes, cork tiles are also available in a variety
of shades, from very light to very dark, and even a few color shades such as reds,
blues, and greens. In order to guarantee its longevity, cork flooring has to be protected. Cork tiles
are available in unfinished, waxed, or varnished with a polyurethane sealer. It
is strongly recommended that you use only the varnished tiles and once they have
been installed that you apply at least two additional coats of polyurethane coats
to them to seal the seams. It is true that cork is a resilient material, and that you can walk on cork in a
pair of high heel shoes. Still to protect your flooring it is strongly advised
to place felt furniture pads under all sharp furniture legs or feet. This will
protect the cork flooring from staining if it has not been properly sealed, as well
as from being scratched it trying to move a piece of heavy furniture. Just like hardwood or any other natural materials, cork will fade when exposed to
sunlight and is more noticeable in the darker shades than in the lighter shades.
If cork is used anywhere near a window, it is strongly suggested that an appropriate
window film be applied. For information about window films, please visit the following
website: (Place link to window Film Website) Though cork like any other product does have its drawbacks, the benefits of cork
cannot be full appreciated until after it has been installed. When properly applied
and protected, cork is a superior floor covering and with proper care and maintenance
it will last for decades.
, Simply Cork Flooring.com |
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