How to Install Cork Floors

Cork is an environmentally friendly, renewable wood product that when cut down, re-grows quickly. Cork can also be harvested by just stripping the bark off the trees and leaving it to grow new bark. .As a flooring product, cork is available in plank and square tile and is applied in the following ways:

Possible tools needed: utility knife with extra blades, chalk line with chalk, tape measure, framing square, paint brush and rollers rubber ,100 pound roller (can be rented), rubber mallet

PREP:

1. Clean and strip floors dirt and wax from floors (sand wood should be sanded.)
2. To remove shoe molding and baseboards, score the seam with a straight box cutter, remove it carefully with a crowbar, and hammer.
3. Measure the, floor length by width, to determine amount of material needed or ensure you have purchased enough. Add 5% to allow for waste.
4. Make sure the floor is flat. Cork tiles are thin and imperfections will show through. Any slopes or irregularities over ¼ inch within a 6 foot area must be leveled using a leveling compound
5. Do moisture test. Cut out a piece of plastic and leave it on the floor for a couple days, if moisture accumulates, contact cork distributor for further instructions.
6. Inspect your product for any damage or defects
7. Make sure cork has had 48 hours of more to expand or contract to acclimate to the room.

TILE INSTALLATION:

1. Do a test lay out your tiles at this point, then pick them up
2. Put on the primer (with paintbrush or roller) to seal the old floor and prevent moisture. Let it cure for 30 minutes
3. Put on water based adhesive section by section and let it dry a bit. It should be tacky, not gummy.
4. Begin laying tiles starting from an edge of wall or carpet. Put it exactly where you want it, it will not slide once it is set. Butt seams closely together.
5. For pieces that need to be cut use box cutter blade and straight edge.
6. Use heavy 100 lb roller to secure tile to floor (do not walk on installed tiles for at least 72 hours)

PLANK INSTALLATION:

1. As planks can be think, check door clearances to ensure there is enough space. Adjust doors as needed.
2. Re-measure the floor to calculate and determine plan for laying out planks.
3. Test lay out at least two or three rows off floor to get an idea how it will look, them pick them up
4. Clean floor thoroughly
5. Apply sealer (when applying over concrete) and lay a moisture barrier all the way to the walls
6. SNAP chalk lines to serve as reference point
7. Start from wall or edge of room, and place the first plank against spaces to allow for expansion. To add the second plank, insert it at an angle to the first to slip into the groove, and then push it down gently so that it will nap into place.
8. Continue adding planks being sure to stagger the planks by cutting the first plank of every other row in half. This way the seams will not make one continuous line.
Note* to cut pieces use circular or table saw as it cuts like wood (be sure blade is sharp…use safety glasses.

Sealing: Just like wood flooring, cork must be sealed for protection. Some tiles and planks come pre-sealed, and need little work after initial installation.

1. Clean installed floor with manufacturer recommended product.
2. Install sealant products according to manufacturer’s recommendation. Be sure to use the sealants suggested by the cork manufacturer