What cork flooring manufacturer is best?
laurarenos7
13 years ago
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uniquewoodfloors
13 years agoRelated Discussions
Wood tile floors, cork floors, porcelain floors?
Comments (32)Prior to our 07 remodel, we had cork floors in kitchen, DR, entry and adjoining powder room for 18 years. I loved this floor! We didn't treat it with much care and didn't receive care information when the cork floors were installed. So, they received a far amount of water when washed, no added finishes or refinishing. We also have a 22 pound dog who managed to scratch up a lot of woodwork around window areas. The floors held up well. If you'd look close (like eyes a foot away), you could see many scratches from a variety of sources. The excess water caused some seams to curve up a little (only noticeable with bare feet). I really wanted to put in new cork floors, but, got talked out of it by a KD who said colors/patterns weren't right for our new look. We put in porcelain tiles and standing on them hasn't yet been a problem. I probably don't stand on them for more than 90 minutes at a time. If I were to put in cork again, I'd use the floating kind and panels or planks. When replacing the old cork floor, everyone was predicting big problems if we had to deal with glued down panels. The old floor came up easy because no glue. Cork is much more forgiving on uneven subfloors than tile. It took about a days work to even out the subfloor for tile (involved replacing some plywood and a lot of sanding). One of my friends just put in a high end glued down cork tile and they now wish that they had gone with the floating option....See MoreCork Flooring or try and match oak floors?
Comments (9)Long story, longer, but initially we had the glue-down from DuroDesign installed (kitchen & family room); came out horrid as the subfloor was not pristine & the cork telegraphed every imperfection. Re-ordered their floating floor & it has been in since January. I'm very pleased! It's warm, soft, & easy to keep clean. With the texture, it's also "pre-distressed" so the spot where I dropped my knife (klutz!) doesn't show! Our new floor also abutts the oak dining room floor. We selected the Edipo patterned cork to kind of mimmick the oak planks. It is also stained much darker than the oak & I actually like the looks of the transition now, but the oak was damaged a bit during constuction & needs to be refinished. I might make the new stain match....See MoreWhat Brand Are Your Cork Floors?
Comments (20)Our great room had cork in it that was original to the house built in the late 1950's. It was glued down bull-nose tile, was in great conditon, a little sun-faded and required little maintenance. We have dogs and they never damaged the cork. We regularly trim their nails so they really don't make contact with the floor except when they are running and playing. When it came time to remodel, cork was high on my list of possible flooring for our very high use kitchen. We ended up knocking out the wall between the kitchen and the great room. Matching was not possible so we replaced the old cork with Wicanders, installed using floating floor technique (after the cabinets were installed). It has been down about 6 months, is wearing very well and we love it. It is so soft to walk on and forgiving when you drop something....See Moreengineered wood floors, who are best manufacturers??
Comments (4)Mirage and Mercier are probably the best North American manufacturers that I have had experience with. They are all drysawn (just like solid hardwood), can be fully sanded and refinished just like solid wood, and they both have flexible finishes that will conform to dents and dings rather than fracture and split. Figure 2 - 5% for grading and you will have plenty left over. Bella Cera is a private label product shipped in from China with decent quality. The finish of Mirage and Mercier will also not yellow over time and is clearer than other finishes I've seen giving you the true look of the wood. Keep in mind that the hardness of the finish does nothing to increase the hardness of the wood, so be sure to select the species that will best serve your projected needs. One final note about Mercier - they are the only manufacturer who have zero VOCs in their product (finish, veneers, and the adhesive used to bond the veneers)....See Morelaurarenos7
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