RESPONSES TO THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do cork floors wear?
The finish on Natural Cork floors is a high quality acrylic finish comparable to the ones found on wood floor but which have been specially formulated to withstand the movements due to compression and release.
Because cork "gives" under pressure, it is less subject to abrasion than a wood floor would be.
How do you maintain cork floors?
Cork floors must be swept regularly to eliminate dirt and particles and cleaned using Natural Cork’s Cleaner. Never wet mop a cork floor.
When fine scratches become visible, Natural Cork’s polish can be applied to rejuvenate the finish..
What are the differences between Natural Cork floors and the competition
Natural Cork provides the highest quality material available on the market today.
- We are using 22% more cork in the composition of our flooring material, resulting in a density of over 34 pounds per cubic inch.
- We are offering tiles 20% thicker than the norm, a true 3/16” tile. Our tiles are also a true 12” x 12”.
- Our tiles and floating floors are coated with five coats of finish when our competitors use only 3 coats.
- The fiberboard core of our floating floor is a High Density (HDF), Moisture Resistant Fiberboard. This fiberboard is the healthiest one available containing the lowest level of formaldehyde.
What is the cost for cork flooring.
Natural Cork products are sold through a network of certified dealers. In reality we have no control over pricing to end users.
In addition to the cost for material, the cost of freight and the cost of accessories are extra. Installation costs can also vary.
When comparing prices, you should always ask for an “installed price” per square foot.
Your cork floor is an expensive investment. We always recommend that you buy from a certified dealer in order to have the floor professionally installed and to be assured of receiving a warranty in case of failure.
For more information, please call us at 800 404 2675.
We can send you a list of dealers in your area.
Will my pets damage my cork floors?
Cork floors are coated with a polyurethane finish that could be scratched by the claws of cats and dogs running on the floor. Once the finish is removed, the pet can damage the bare cork.
Remember that like anything else, good maintenance is the key to longevity and dirt and grit on the floor can probably do more damage than your favorite pet.
For more information, please call us at 800 404 2675.
Will cork flooring resist high heels and heavy furniture?
The cork material used for flooring has been compressed to a high density to withstand even commercial traffic.
Parquet tiles and floating floors have been treated with a high quality finish to increase wearability and ease of maintenance.
To put it simply, the concentration of weight on the base of narrow “high heels” shoes is so important that indentations on any cork or wood floors can be expected.
Also cork flooring like most other flooring surfaces can be punctured by sharp and damaged feet of furniture. For this reason, we do not recommend dragging heavy objects with a sharp edge over the floor. We also recommend that furniture feet with sharp and with narrow bases have protective pads applied underneath.
For more information or to place an order, please call us at 800 404 2675.
Is cork flooring suitable for a kitchen.
Yes, today the main application for cork flooring is the kitchen. It is very comfortable to stand on, and it is also easy to maintain.
Cork as you may know is also sound absorbent and hypoallergenic. No other flooring material combines all these benefits. When maintained properly, cork floors last as long as hardwood floors.
Today cork floors are treated with a polyurethane finish and therefore cannot absorb spills and residues.
For more information, please do not hesitate to call us at 800 404 2675.
Are cork floors suitable for bathrooms.
Warm and soft, cork floors make a very comfortable flooring surface for a bathroom. However, we recommend you take certain precautions because of the high risk of spillage.
Floating floors engineered with a moisture sensitive fiber board core are not recommended for bathrooms, only the tiles should be used. Also moldings hiding the necessary expansion spaces cannot be fastened to some appliances such as the bath tube making the use of floating floors prohibitive in a bathroom.
After installation of the parquet tiles, it is very important to caulk the perimeter of the room, prior to installing the molding or the base board.
We also recommend sealing the floor by applying an additional coat of a polyurethane finish.
For more information, please do not hesitate to call us at 800 404 2675.
Thank you.
Can a Floating floor be installed over an existing floor
Yes, to the exception of thick carpet and as long as the existing floor is level and sound.
What is your recommendation for the installation of a cork floor in a basement?
Because of possible moisture migration from the slab, glued down tiles could delaminate and cup and therefore are not recommended for this type of application.
For installation in a basement, we recommend the use of our floating floor over a 6 mil film of polyethylene to be used as a moisture barrier.
A floating floor is not attached to the subfloor and rests on top of the moisture barrier.
Floating floors are very easy to install. Please refer to our web site for the installation guidelines.
Are cork floors affected by changes of moisture and temperature
Just like wood floors, cork floors are subject to the phenomenon of expansion and contraction. During heating season, the moisture level will diminish, tiles will dry and some cracks might appear between pieces. In the summer time, because we open doors and windows, the moisture level increases and tiles expand again, closing the gaps.
Solution to this problem is to maintain a stable environment with proper temperature and hygrometry control.
A humidifier must be used if necessary during the winter months.
Is it possible to install a cork floor over a radiant heating system?
Cork being a natural insulator will affect slightly the transmission of heat. Although many installations of this type have been performed and we have not yet encountered any particular problem. Put simply, it might take your floor longer to warm up but the heat will be retained more efficiently.
Only floating floors should be installed over radiant heating systems. Floating floors tend to go through any normal contraction and expansion move as a unit as they are not attached to the subfloor.
Certain precautions, however, have to be taken to minimize the effects of contraction and expansion;
Prior to installation, the slab has to be heated and the temperature has to be maintained to 75 degrees during installation.
The floor temperature should never exceed 85 degrees.
As with any cork or wood floor installation, material has to be acclimated in the room for 72 hours prior to installation.
Can the old Cork Floor we found in the house we just bought be refinished?
Most likely the answer is yes. If your old cork floor was installed prior 1970, it was probably coated with a wax finish. Because of lack of maintenance or because the floor was covered with carpet for many years, it might be very dark and “dirty” of appearance.
We recommend you contact a wood floor finisher and have him sand the floor to the bare cork, and then have the floor coated with a high quality tung oil finish or water base polyurethane.
Sometimes it might be difficult to remove the old wax completely, the only solution then is to continue using wax as a finish.
Note: some cork floors come with a vinyl wear layer applied at the factory. These floors cannot be refinished.
Can Cork Tiles be installed over sheet vinyl or vinyl tiles?
We do not recommend doing so. Any type of residue, built up on the surface of the vinyl could interfere with proper bonding of the adhesive, risking to delaminate over time.
Solution to install Parquet tiles: Apply a new subfloor made of smooth plywood or “flood” with a Portland base cement.
Creating a new subfloor is often costly and time consuming. We recommend in this case to use our floating floor as it can be installed directly over the existing floor. Floating floors are more expensive, but they make a better floor and can save you time and money for an installation over existing flooring.
Just make sure that your existing floor is level.
Is cork underlayment effective for sound proofing?
Cork underlayment in 6mm thickness is being used widely for sound reduction in buildings.
Using cork underlayment is a performing and economical solution to meet building codes for sound control.
Cork underlayment is used under hardwood floors, ceramic tiles and laminate flooring. It is available in 4’ x 50’ rolls in thicknesses of 5/64”, 1/8”, and 1/4” thicknesses. It is also available in 2’ x 3’ sheets in thicknesses of 1/4” and 1/2”.
Natural Cork offers cork underlayment products treated with MICROBAN, an anti microbial additive to prevent the development of mold and bacteria under floating floors.
When do I have to reseal the floor?
It is very difficult to estimate how long the finish on the floor will last since it is relative to the level of maintenance and the severity of traffic.
When the finish starts to show signs of wear, the homeowner should have the floor inspected by a professional and have the floor recoated if necessary. The beauty of this operation is that after recoating, the floor will look new again.
Since polyurethane is not easy to apply, this application should be done by a professional floor finisher.
