Install a Floating Cork Floor over Radiant Heat Floor

A floating cork floor is environmental-friendly and resilient. You can lay the floating cork floor over a radiant heat floor. Radiant heat flooring uses pipes or wires to carry hot water or electrical current through the floor, and thus radiate heat from the floor. Cork is an insulator made from natural materials, and installing it over a radiant heat floor helps slow down the time it takes for heat generation from your floor, once you turn on your heater system. This prevents the floor from getting too hot too suddenly. This type of flooring glues or snaps together, without being permanently affixed to your radiant heat floor. Installing the floating cork floor over radiant heat floor is not difficult. Simply follow the step-by-step instructions below.

What You’ll Need

• Floating cork floor
• Back saw
• Polyethylene sheet
• Tape
• Measuring tape
• Half spacers
• Hammer
• Tapping block
• Pry bar
• Miter divider

Step 1 – Check the Density of Floating Cork Floor
Check to make sure that the floating cork floor has a density of 28 pounds per cubic foot minimum. The higher this density number is the better, if you want stronger flooring.

Step 2 – Let the Flooring Settle
Let the floating cork floor settle in, prior to installation, by placing it into the room where you are going to install it for a minimum of 72 hours. Set the heating system to 75-degrees Fahrenheit, to heat the radiant floor. Keep the system turned on until you have finished installing the floating cork floor.

Step 3 – Trim Door Stop
Remove the baseboard. Take a plank of the floating cork floor, and lay it onto the threshold under the door, and up against the door stops. The door stop is the piece of molding which runs on the jamb vertically, and stops the door from opening the other way.
Trim the door stops using a back saw, taking due care not to cut into jambs. You will be installing the floating cork floor under the threshold. Trimming the door stops allows you to raise up the threshold until it reaches the bottom cut of the door stops you have just made. The plank will thus fit perfectly under the threshold. Remove the threshold.

Step 4 – Lay Polyethylene Sheet
Lay the polyethylene sheet over the radiant heat floor. It should cover the entire floor with an extra 3 inches going up the wall. Make the seams overlap by approximately 8 inches. Seal up the seams using tape. Laying the polyethylene sheet prevents moisture from building up between the floating cork floor and radiant heat floor. It also lessens squeaking sounds from the flooring.

Step 5 – Measure
Measure the distance starting from the longest wall without a door opening to the wall opposite. Subtract 1 inch from the number. This is the width to be covered by the floor. Then, divide this width by an individual plank’s width. This is how many planks to install. If the result is an uneven number, trim the first and the last planks equally, so that the floor is centered exactly.

Step 6 – Install the Floating Cork Floor
Set the half spacers placed against wall. Install the first row of plank with tongue facing towards the wall. Trim the tongue off with a back saw, to make the edge even, and fit against the half spacers. Install another plank of floating cork floor into the groove of the first row, and click them together. Do this for the other planks, as they will click and be locked into the planks in previous row. Before installing a new row, use a tapping block and hammer to ensure that every row is tight. Stagger the seams from one row to the next.
When installing the last row of planks, leave a ½ inch of space between the plank and the wall. Instead of using the tapping block, use a pry bar to go over the plank’s end and pull the tongue into the groove.

Step 7 – Finish the Floating Cork Floor
Replace the baseboard. Miter the ends of the baseboard at 45 degree angle with a miter divider, so that it will fit all corners. Do not nail the baseboards to floating cork floor, as the cork floor is prone to expansion and will destroy the baseboards. Nail them to the wall. Replace the threshold. It should fit nicely.

 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Pros and Cons of Cork Flooring In Your Bathroom

When looking at cork as a flooring option for your bathroom, it is important to consider the pros and cons of cork flooring. Cork flooring is both beautiful and durable, but its natural qualities can be causes for concern in a bathroom.

Pros
Cork flooring is naturally warm and feels delightful on a bare foot. Its flexible nature provides cushioning to that tile and hardwood do not. If the edges and surface are properly sealed with a water resistant sealant, the cork will be protected from any moisture absorption. Cork flooring is hypoallergenic and resistant to mold and mildew. It repels dust and is very easy to clean. This flooring option is available in a variety of natural and man-made colors.

Cons
Cork flooring is more expensive than linoleum. It can suffer indentation and cracking damage if an object is accidentally dropped on it. It can potentially absorb any water that is left on it, causing the cork to become warped and swollen. You should clean up any spills as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage to the floor. Over time, sunlight can discolor cork flooring. Windows in a bathroom with cork flooring will require proper covering to reduce the possibility of discoloration.

 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Cork Flooring Durability: Will Pets Damage a Cork Floor?

Cork flooring has quickly become one of the most popular flooring surfaces in the world today. While it is not as widely-known as other types of flooring, it has quickly gained market share because of its durability and comfort under foot. One issue that many people wonder about is whether or not it can hold up to pets. Here are a few things to consider about how cork will hold up to pets.

Cork Durability
One common issue that people worry about with hard surface flooring is whether or not it will be scratched by their claws. One of the great things about cork flooring is how resilient it is. When something presses down on the floor, it can eventually bounce back to its original shape. With the texture of cork, it also hides scratches and dents if they occur.

Cleaning
Another issue that many people have with pets is cleaning the floor. With cork, this should not be an issue either. Cork is antimicrobial and hypoallergenic, therefore, pet dander will not build up on the floor. If the pet has an accident on the floor, it can be easily cleaned up and should not damage the floor either.

The Verdict
Cork is one of the best hard surface flooring options available for pet use.

 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

5 Tips for Installing Kitchen Cork Flooring

Installing kitchen cork flooring can provide you with a very durable, functional floor. The kitchen is one of the most highly-trafficked areas of the house. Therefore, you want to make sure that you put a floor in there that will stand up to the wear and tear everyday for years. Cork can do just that, but it needs to be installed correctly in order to do so. If you do not install it properly, you could run into problems down the road. Here are a few tips for installing kitchen cork flooring effectively.

1. Clear the Area
Before you can do anything, you need to clear the area of everything. Remove the appliances, remove the kitchen table, and remove anything else in the room. You need a clear workspace and a good clean floor for the cork to be installed on.

2. Prepare the Subfloor
The floor that you put the cork on needs to be flat and level. Since cork is a floating floor, you should be able to install it over a number of different subfloors. You can put it over a wood subfloor or concrete. You can even install it over other types of flooring like vinyl or ceramic. If there are imperfections in the floor, you will want to level them out with floor patch. If you are not over a crawlspace, you will want to make sure that the floor is sealed off from moisture. You can do this with a Visqueen vapor barrier or with a liquid floor sealer that you roll onto the concrete. Just make sure that moisture does not have any direct access to the cork flooring.

3. Don’t Forget to Acclimate
Since cork is a natural product, it will expand and contract in different conditions. When the temperature around the flooring changes, it can expand and contract. It can also change based upon moisture content in the air. For this reason, it is necessary to acclimate the cork for a certain period of time in the environment that it will be installed in. Check with the manufacturer recommendations to see how long you should acclimate it. Depending on the company, they recommend somewhere between 24 and 72 hours. In order to make sure that your cork is still under warranty, you will want to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation on acclimation.

4. Leave Expansion Gap
Something else that you will want to keep in mind is that you need to leave an expansion gap around the outside of the room. When you install cork, you want to make sure that there is room for the floor to expand and contract. When you forget to leave an expansion gap, your floor will eventually end up buckling at the joints.

5. Glue the Joints
When you are installing a floating floor in a wet area like a kitchen, you will most likely want to glue the joints as you install the planks. A good glue will help keep the boards together and prevent surface spills from getting down into the cork.

 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Pros and Cons of Floating Cork Floor

A floating cork floor can really add a lot to the decor of a home. Floating cork floor is pre-finished flooring that is made to lock together and be installed over a pad, thereby making it ‘floating.’ Many people are using it to cover floors in every room of their house, although it is most common in high-traffic areas. It is really starting to become a trendy option for flooring and can provide you with a lot of benefits. While it does provide you with some benefits, there are definitely a few drawbacks to it as well. Here are a few pros and cons of floating cork flooring that you should consider.

Unique
One great thing about cork flooring is that it is unique. Compared to other flooring options, nothing else looks like it. Many people get tired of the same old flooring options that are out there. Cork gives you a great flooring option that is completely one-of-a-kind.

Green
Another great feature of cork flooring is that it is a green product. It is made from the bark off of a cork tree, so it is very easily renewable. With flooring these days, there is a growing emphasis on green products. Much of the traditional flooring choices just end up in a landfill. With cork, you are getting one of the most green-friendly options available.

Versatile
Cork is very versatile and can be put in any area of the house. Since it is a floating floor, you do not have to worry about gluing it down to any particular subfloor.

Hypoallergenic
Cork is considered a hypoallergenic flooring option. It is much cleaner than some other flooring choices like carpet, and is great for people with allergies.

Quiet
Cork is considered to be one of the quietest floors available in the market today. It is very comfortable and quiet under foot compared to other hard surface options.

Below are some of the drawbacks of floating cork flooring.

Cost
The cost of cork is going to be more than a lot of other flooring options that you have. In most places, it will be just as expensive as a high-end hardwood floor, even though it is a floating floor. This makes it impractical for a lot of buyers in the market.

Susceptible to Moisture
With a cork floor, you do not want to wet mop it at any time. This can also lead to problems in a bathroom. Surface spills are alright as long as you clean them up in a timely manner. However, mopping the floor with water can lead to warping and buckling in the joints.

Denting
Another common problem with cork is that you can dent it with heavy pieces of furniture. When you set a heavy piece of furniture down on the cork that has pointy legs, it can sink down into the cork over time. If you are going to put heavy furniture on top of the cork, you will want to make sure that you help distribute the weight by putting coasters under the legs. This will help you prevent permanent damage to the cork flooring.

 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

How to Remove Cork Floor Tiles

Cork floor tiles are a beautiful method of flooring that look nice and absorb a lot of sound. The are environmentally friendly and come in a number of different colors. They are attached with a strong adhesive, but are lightweight and easier to install than other kinds of flooring.

What You’ll Need:

• Utility knife
• Chisel
• Hammer or mallet
• Heat gun
• Garden hoe or shovel
• Broom and dustpan
• Gloves
• Goggles
• Power sander

Step 1 – Prepare and Consider Your Options
Removing cork floor tiles is a difficult process and will require a lot of elbow grease, no matter how you go about it. If the adhesive was applied correctly, you’ll have a difficult time trying to pull up the tiles. You should wear gloves and goggles during the removal process to keep yourself safe from any dust or nails. Before you remove all the cork floor tiles, you should consider laying your new floor down on top of the tiles instead of on the subfloor. There are tools and tips for installing floor tiles on top of cork floor tiles online.

Step 2 – Scrape up the Cork Floor Tiles
Use a utility knife to cut each piece of tile in half. If the tiles are too large to cut in half the whole way through, you can cut them to sizes you can work with. Scrape underneath the half tile with your chisel. Hit it with a hammer or mallet as far as possible under the tile. Your method of removal will depend on how strong the adhesive is and how big your chisel is. Use a bigger chisel to remove larger sections of cork floor tiles.

Step 3 – Other Methods of Removal
If you’re having a tough time on your hands and knees removing floor tiles one by one, there are a few other options to speed up the process. Some have said that using a garden shovel or hoe that you can remove tiles more efficiently and with less strain on your back. If you have a heat gun, you can use it to melt some of the adhesive and remove the cork floor tiles more easily. With a heating gun and a garden tool you can decrease the time spent on removing cork floor tiles.

Step 4 – Clean and Sand
It’s best to clean as you go when removing cork floor tiles to leave more room to scrape up the tiles around where you’re working. Use a broom and dustpan to clean up any small pieces of cork floor tiles leftover. You can use a power sander to help sand down any adhesive that’s leftover on the subfloor and to remove any chunks of cork tile that are still stuck to the floor. The sander will also give you a smooth and even surface where you can install your new floor.

 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

How to Dye Your Cork Floor

The look of a cork floor can be changed by dying it to change the color. When specific dyes are applied to the cork tiles they can change the color of their flooring very easily.

All cork floors will be coated with a protective coating to prevent stains. If you are working with a new floor then the stain can be applied before this coating, otherwise the coating will need to be removed so that the stain can be properly applied.

What You’ll Need:

• Brush
• Cloth
• Polyurethane clear coat
• Paint roller
• Stain
• Paint stirrer

Step 1 – Cleaning the Floor
Start by sweeping the floor to make sure that there’s no debris or dust covering it. If there is a protective layer on the floor then this first needs to be removed using strippers.

The whole project will take around 24 hours before you can actually walk on the floor. Plan to carry out this work when you have enough time to spare.

Step 2 – Opening the Stain
Now you need to open up the can of stain and stir it to mix it up by using a stirring stick. Carry on stirring the stain until it is even in color and texture. A paddle can also be fitted to your drill for faster and quicker results.

Step 3 – Testing
If you have any of the cork flooring left over from when you installed then you will be able to test the stain on this. This will help you to check that the stain won’t cause any problems or damage your existing floor. It will also help you to check that the color of stain is suitable for use in your room.

Step 4 – Applying the Stain
Dip a clean cloth into some of the stain and then rub the stain into the cork flooring. Use the stain in a circular motion. Try to keep the coat of stain as even as possible, use the cloth again to remove any excess stain. If required you might need to apply extra coats of the stain to improve the color of the floor.

Step 5 – Drying
Leave the cork stain to dry over night so that it’s completely dry. Check a small area of the stain around the edge to ensure that it’s dry.

Step 6 – Coating
When the flooring is dry you then need to apply a coat of polyurethane by using a paint roller. Choose polyurethane sealant which is designed for use on cork flooring. Once the first coat is down allow it plenty of time to dry. You might need to choose coating which is suitable for use in areas of the house which have heavy traffic if this is being installed in hallways or living rooms.

Step 7 – More Coats
Next all you need to do is apply extra coats of polyurethane onto the floor. Wait for the coating to dry properly before applying the next coats. Also try to avoid setting foot in the room until the coating is dry.

 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Tips for Handling Dogs around Cork Flooring

There are many advantages in installing a cork flooring in a home. Cork is a soft, comfortable and more flexible material than hard wood, vinyl and tile. But what about if there is a dog living in the house? Is cork the right type of flooring to have with pets?

Cork Is Great for Dogs
A cork flooring is great for dogs first of all because of the comfort it provides to their paws and joints. It is noise free when walked on, which is an advantage over wood and vinyl. Besides being a silent material, cork is easy to clean and has the fabulous ability to heal itself from scratches. It also has the natural propriety to resist perfectly to mold, microbes and mildew.

Precautions With Cork and Dogs
There should not be any problem having a dog living on a cork floor. Trimming the dog’s nails more often that usual may help prevent the occurrence of too many scratches.

Overall, a cork floor is a nice and quiet floor to be on for a dog, cat or even potbellied pig. Cork has even the quality to be insect repellent, which is a great advantage over carpet when it comes to deal with fleas, mites or ticks.

 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com