For an eco-friendly home.
Cork floors have long been cherished for their striking looks,
natural warmth and eco-friendly attributes. Not a single tree
is cut down in the making of cork flooring.
The choice is yours.
Nufloors offers two types of cork flooring - cork planks and cork tiles. Get to know the benefits and considerations of each.
Ideal Rooms
Entrance ways, hallways, kitchens and family rooms.
Benefits
Naturally resistant – Cork is naturally resistant to invasive organisms, mold and mildew. It’s one of the most hypoallergenic flooring options available.
It’s soft – Cork has a springy surface beneath the feet that is very comfortable to walk or stand on for a long period of time. It’s particularly good flooring for homes with small children and elderly family members.
Easy to clean – Once a week sweeping or vacuuming (without a beater bar) and a slightly damp mop every couple of weeks is really all that’s needed.
Considerations
Age over time – Cork floors have a distinctive natural colouring that will age over time and will fade if installed near direct sunlight or ultraviolet light. It is advised to use drapes, UV-protective windows and other methods to protect your cork floor from excessive sunlight.
Use furniture pads – A cork floor may become permanently indented if furniture pads are not used to help disperse the weight of the object or furniture legs.
Pet nails – Nails of dogs can scratch the surface if they aren’t groomed on a regular basis.
Shade Variation – Some colour and shade variation should be expected. Because cork is a natural material, no two planks are alike, which adds to its beauty.
Tips to think about.
Pre Work
Depending on the existing floor covering, there this could be an additional expense if removal of your old flooring is required. Also depending on the condition of your sub-floor, additional work may be needed.
Maintain Humidity in Your Home
Cork floors are natural products. You will need to use a humidifier or dehumidifier to regulate humidity and minimize expansion and contraction if you live in a region affected by humidity. This will be required to preserve your floor.
Installed by us.
You’ll receive your Nufloors pre-installation guide which will outline everything you need to know regarding installation.
Paint
If you are planning to paint, wallpaper, or do any other remodeling in the room, try to do this before your flooring is installed. Keep extra paint to allow for post-installation touchups.
Move Furniture
Who is moving the furniture? Plan this in advance. Ensure to remove all fragile items from the room.
Remove your existing Floor
Make sure you know who is removing your existing flooring. Speak with [store_name] about this.
Check door clearances
Measure door clearances before you have your new flooring installed. If the new flooring is thicker than your existing floor, your door bottoms may rub. Plan in advance to have someone shave or saw each door so it does not drag.
Frequently asked questions.
What’s the flooring buying process?
Visit us.
Come in to our Nufloors location and see the cork for yourself. Our team of sales associates will help you select the perfect flooring for your home. Be sure to bring furniture swatches of fabric, bedspreads, wallpaper and paint that will be in the room.
Free In-home estimate.
Nufloors provides a free in-home measurement and estimate. This is when we determine how much flooring you’ll need. We will review the room transitions and which direction the flooring will be installed.
Confirmation and preparation.
Once the quote is accepted, we will schedule and confirm the project time with you. All preparation work will be discussed in detail.
What will sales associates ask me?
- Is there light or heavy traffic in this room?
- What is the room used for?
- Do you want a casual, formal or somewhere in between look?
- Do you have children or pets?
- Do you have a certain colour in mind?
- Is there a style you’ve owned or seen that you really like
Can I install cork in the basement?
Cork is best installed on-grade or above-grade levels. Basements have a risk of occasional moisture migration from the slab. Moisture can cause glue-down tile to delaminate and cup. As a result, cork is not recommended for this application. Talk to your flooring specialist as you may be able to use a floating floor over a moisture barrier (a floating floor is not attached to the sub-floor and rests on top of the moisture barrier.)
For more information on cork flooring, please visit our blog, Flooring Guide.
What are the sizes for cork flooring?
Cork Planks are available in 7″ x 36″, 7 1/2″ x 46″, 7 1/2″ x 69″ and 12″ x 36″ sizes. Cork Tiles are available in 12″ x 12″, 15″ x 15″ and 12″ x 24″ sizes.
