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Thank you, this is helpful! I figured the cork must be "treated" in some way to prevent damage. I suppose when we get closer to actually redoing the floors, we will ask at any store we visit how exactly the cork is treated, and how prone to damage it may be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BentBow
They will only crack again. Movement is tiles enemy.
Cork tiles have a finish just like hardwood flooring. A waterbased finish like Bona: Traffic, or Basic Coatings: StreetShoe, is used because of its elastic properties, and unsurpassed site finished durability.
Thank you! I posted the picture because I wanted folks to get a sense of the age and style of the home. I love that it still looks like a cozy bungalow, but it does have a large addition off the back that you can't see from the street.
Your parents obviously had much better luck with floors than we are having so far. Six months into home ownership, and we already had two of those tiles crack.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigDGeek
My parents' house was a pier and beam (may it rest in peace) and they had tile floors in their kitchen that never cracked due to foundation settlement and those tiles were on the floor for over 20 years.
I do not have any suggestions for you but I did want to say how pretty your house is, I love it!
Cork tiles have a finish just like hardwood flooring. A waterbased finish like Bona: Traffic, or Basic Coatings: StreetShoe, is used because of its elastic properties, and unsurpassed site finished durability.
Bentbow - Can you tell me how moving a frig (wheels) out onto a cork floor (for cleaning purposes) might affect the cork? Thanks - lots of great info here!
Bentbow - Can you tell me how moving a frig (wheels) out onto a cork floor (for cleaning purposes) might affect the cork? Thanks - lots of great info here!
A fridge is heavy! That big heavy thing is sitting on either 4 wheels, or 2 wheels and two legs. There is a lot of PSI on each support. That is going to dent and compress the cork. It will eventually rebound back, but it will take some time. It might even effect the finish as it stretches the finish.
It is best if you have wood, cork, sheet vinyl, or linoleum, to have a 4x4 sheet/panel of thin ¼" thick plywood, or masonite, stored in the garage or beside the fridge, or under a bed, to lay in front of the fridge to roll it out onto.
Thanks, Bentbow - that was my only concern with this type of floor. I've ordered samples and am going to go for it - doing it myself (let the drums roll). I will definitely do as you have suggested - it makes perfect sense
I have received my sample of cork (gorgeous) and now I'm wondering:
I have both the plank or floating type as well as the individual squares - is there a difference in the completed "look" between the two? The indiviual squares look to be much easier for me to do (cut, etc...) but I am concerned about the finished look - will they look "cheap"?
The floating system seems easy enough to lay, but the cutting would require a saw, which, I don't have and don't know how to use.
I have received my sample of cork (gorgeous) and now I'm wondering:
I have both the plank or floating type as well as the individual squares - is there a difference in the completed "look" between the two? The indiviual squares look to be much easier for me to do (cut, etc...) but I am concerned about the finished look - will they look "cheap"?
The floating system seems easy enough to lay, but the cutting would require a saw, which, I don't have and don't know how to use.
Any opinions, suggestions or ideas?
The gluedown tiles are fairly easy, but are effected by substrate moisture. The contact cement used, is not very forgiving and if your not careful you will get gapping and runoff.
The floating planks, are more forgiving where substrate moisture issues are too great for direct bonded tiles. A plastic moisture barrier is used under the floating floor, to isolate any moisture vapor emissions.
The floating floor, is an easier installation, that will go faster. If your scared of a saw, use a jigsaw / saber saw.
A table saw, is by far the best tool for cutting cork laminate, but you have to respect that blade, or you can lose a digit.
Bentbow - again, thanks for your input (no, I don't have a wild pig problem). The loosing a finger or two scares the **** out of me. I could rent one of these but I wonder if I'd have the nerve to use it. I may have to break down and hire it done, which is what I tried to avoid, but considering how quick it is to lay the floating system, I don't imagine the labor would be too bad.
These would be going in the kitchen, no real moisture issue other than an occasional drop of a glass of water (rare).
there are tile underlayment like Schluter Ditra that lets the floor move with in plane movement to stop tile floors from cracking.
if your floor isn't strong enough to support tile without moving then you have a deflection problem.
you can check to see if your floor passes the deflection test with this Deflection Tool to Calculate deflection.
if you cant strengthen your floor with the correct layers of plywood then I would look into another type of flooring.
while there are other types of flooring that look good I don't think any replace the look of tile.
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Bentbow---
). I will definitely do as you have suggested - it makes perfect sense
). The loosing a finger or two scares the **** out of me. I could rent one of these but I wonder if I'd have the nerve to use it. I may have to break down and hire it done, which is what I tried to avoid, but considering how quick it is to lay the floating system, I don't imagine the labor would be too bad.
