Installing cork flooring tiles provides a number of benefits such as excellent soundproofing, static resistence, great floor surface insulation and exquisite looks and visual appearence. In addition, cork flooring is a natural, environmentally friendly, renewable and easy recyclable product.

Required Tools and Materials

• framing square
• rubber mallet
• utility knife
• paint roller and tray
• scrap block
• notched trowel
• flooring adhesive
• chalk line
• primer
• joint sealer
• cork tiles
• tape measure

Steps to Installing Cork Flooring Tiles

• Unpack and let the cork to adjust to the humidity and the temperature of the room for about 4 days
• Fill in any low spots and sand down high spots in the underlayment
• Thoroughly clean the surface using a broom or a shop vacuum cleaner
• Measure and mark the middle of each wall
• Draw a line between each opposed walls
• Dry run a row of cork tiles from the center to each row
• Adjust the lines to minimize cuts in the last row and if the last row is less than 1/4 of the tile
• Apply adhesive onto the underlayment using a paint roller or a trowel begining at the center of the floor
• Let the adhesive dry until become tacky – typically 30 minutes
• Lay the cork tiles one quadrat at a time begining from the center
• Make sure all the tiles are set firmly in place
• Vaccum the surface and roll a 150 pound floor roller over the entire floor
• Clean the surface again
• Apply the recommended sealer for your cork floor
• Allow the sealer to cure for at least 24 hours
• Install the basebords.

Tips for Installing Cork Flooring Tiles

• Mix cork tile baches and shuffle the tiles to get a more uniform look of the floor
• Place colour variations randomly throughout the floor area
• Leave 1/4″ expansion gap around all edges
• Make sure the underlayment is clean and dry before installing the cork tiles
• To fit a tile around a fixed object such as a pipe use a paper template of the size of a tile
• Level the underlayment to no more than 1/8″ over 10 feet
• Install expansion joints for floors exceeding 30 feets in any direction
• Apply a cork sealer to greatly increase the life and enhance the look and feel of the cork floor
• Stain the subfloor with a colour similar to the tiles to conceal any gaps between the tiles.
• avoid installing cork flooring tiles in basements due to potential moisture problems

Maintening Cork Flooring

• Vacuum the cork flooring regularly to keep the surface free of grit or sand
• Damp mop the cork flooring regularly using a mild soap or detergent
• Refresh the finish of the cork tiles every year by applying a compatible cork finish or cork dressing product
• Do not flood water on cork floors
• Do not steam clean cork flooring
• Never use abrasive cleaning products
• Never apply oil or ammonia-based products on cork fooring