Is Cork Flooring Ok For Basements

Submitted by joel hirshberg on thu 08 25 2011 09 15.

Is cork flooring ok for basements.

Looking at the cork flooring lowes sells and wondering if it s actually worth buying. Plus it is pricey and it can be difficult to install or so we ve heard. There is a lot of controversy among professionals about whether cork is an appropriate flooring material for moist locations such as bathrooms kitchens or subgrade basement installations. Natural wood floors are beautiful but they don t hold up to heavy traffic well.

A floating bamboo floor can be ok for basements but it isn t a great choice for sub grade. These are engineered pieces much like laminate flooring that consist of a 3mm layer of cork sandwiched between a fiberboard backing and a waterproof surface wear layer. If this would happen and we shop vac it up would the cork dry out or need to be replaced. Add in a cost effective 6mm cork underlayment and you will have built an insulated floor.

It is also hightly recommended to use a moisture vapour resistant cork underlayment even when the concrete has a moisture barrier incorporated into the slab. By using 6mm cork underlay underneath a cork floating floor you will have close to the same insulating value as 1 inch of solid. On january 3 2013. Cork flooring is a great choice for play areas or commercial spaces where there is a desire for a comfortable walking and standing surface.

It can also help to increase the temperature in a space that is often the coldest room in a home. When it comes to choosing cork flooring in a basement there are several benefits including the fact that while cork is durable it allows for a good amount of cushioning. It is the best flooring for basement. A cork floating floor is an excellent insulating product for cold basements.

More durable than cork or even bamboo. Some luxury vinyl planks have an extra thick top layer that s even more durable. Box stores like lowes and home depot sell just about all the types of flooring there are but it s hard to know whether or not they re worth buying and that goes double when it comes to a less common material like cork. Suberin a natural substance in cork works as a mold inhibitor and prevents cork flooring from rotting besides that it has natural insulation properties that can help reduce heating costs.

Sunny ripple cork flooring planks beveled edges working room in basement it is for this reason a cork floating floor is the best flooring option for a basement. On the one hand it does have a number of properties which make it resistant to some of the challenges posed in these locations but it is not as impervious to these factors as some other flooring options. We would like to put a cork floor in our basement but worry about chance of excess water entering the basement. Cork here we come.

We do love that bamboo is rapidly replaceable though.