Cork flooring is a great option if you want an eco-friendly choice that is comfortable, reduces energy costs by being an excellent insulator and looks great. Installing cork flooring is a fairly simple job and comes in two types. You can go for a glue-down installation or a floating floor installation. Here’s a quick overview of both, before we get into the general steps involved in installing your own cork floor:
Gluing under the cork floor
One way to install a cork floor is to stick it with an adhesive. This should be done on a clean sub-floor such as hardwood. Here the cost of materials remains low but the cost of installation costs a lot. The disadvantage is that if the tile is damaged and needs to be repaired, it is very difficult.
Floating floor installation
Floating floors are more popular because they are easier to install. Here comes the cork boards ready to interlock with each other. They are also easy to install over an existing floor such as vinyl, wood or ceramic floor installation. The sub-floor on which the floating cork floor is installed must be level and dry.
The steps involved in installing a cork floor
Cork floor tiles mostly come in 12-inch squares. The surface on which this tile will be installed must be prepared in advance. This surface must be thoroughly cleaned and dried. This surface can be hardwood or concrete floors.
If the subfloor is concrete it is best to repair any cracks and damage. You will need to make sure the concrete is dry. The door frame must be cut to size to ensure that the cork tile fits under it. Make sure the concrete is dry and level so that the cork tiles look smooth once they’re fixed. If installing glue down, the concrete must have a coat of primer and dry before applying the glue.
If the installation is on wood, then uneven areas must be leveled. The base must be dry. For sub floors above the crawl space, a waterproof sheet should be used to cover the floor underneath. After adjusting the size of the door frames to save space for the cork tiles, the cork tiles can be installed. If there are irregularities on the floor, they will appear on the surface of the cork, so the subfloor must be perfectly smooth and level.
Before repairing cork tiles, they must go through an acclimation process for at least two days, during which they are exposed to normal room temperature.
Cork flooring installation:
Cork tiles come with different variations in design and shade. So when you receive the tile, after acclimating it, choose the tile that seems most pleasing to you. The adhesive should be carefully applied and allowed to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Since each cork tile is repaired, enough pressure should be applied to the tile so that it appears perfectly level and smooth when you have finished repairing all the tiles. Before applying the sealant, with the help of a roller, the floor must be rolled. Depending on where you live, the floor may take a day to dry. After the installation is completed, a polyurethane cleaner is used to clean and seal the floor.