06 May 2010

My first cork floor is in

I have been on a cork floor kick all year and the first of the three cork floors I have in the works is in as of last week.

There are about six seams in this photo and I bet you can't find one.

The material in question is from the Earth and Classics palette from US Floors' Natural Cork Collection. US Floors' Natural Cork Collection is a series of glueless, engineered, floating floors. The interlocking planks are each 11-5/8" by 35-5/8" and they are 15/32" thick. The underlayment's already built into each plank and the installation's a snap.


US Floors' Natural Cork Floors carry a limited lifetime warranty for residential use and maintenance consists of dry mopping when needed. My homeowners are as ecstatic about their floor as I am. I knew it would be beautiful and easy to live with and being right is a lot of fun sometimes. This is not the first cork floor I've ever encountered, this is however the first cork floor I've ever convinced someone to install in her home. I was a little nervous about how she'd like it once it was installed and it's good to know that my worry was for naught.


The kitchen where this floors is in a transitional contemporary style but I think this floor could have worked in a kitchen of any style.

US Floors makes a terrific product and anybody who makes something that makes me look good gets a thumbs up from me.

Oh since I know you're wondering. This floor cost around $9 a square foot. Check out cork floors from US Floors.

15 comments:

  1. That's a lovely project Paul. Great backsplash tile! I know --this is about cork. I haven't had the opportunity to use cork in a project. Recently read a blog from a designer who said they wouldn't use it again because it was difficult to manage the install. They had problems with stretching and warping. It sounds like the issue might be the actual product type. Sounds like yours was engineered planks or squares that go in like engineered wood floors? I think the other guy used a rolled product. Not sure.

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  2. The stuff from US Floors is all engineered, interlocking planks. It installed as easily as any glueless engineered floor I've ever see. In fact, it was easier because the planks are so large. Admittedly, that was a small kitchen but the floor was in and complete in two hours. Two hours!

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  3. Hi Paul, That's a great looking floor. I actually seen your post in my reader and thought it would look terrible. I'm sure it has a lovely warm feel to it when barefoot, beats cold tiles.

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  4. Beautiful kitchen, stunning floor, and great job. It's the first residential installation I've seen. It looks fab and where are those seams?

    I'm excited about cork flooring and wall tiles. It is a green product that is sure to gain traction (no pun intended). We will be offering cork flooring and wall tiles to our product lines later this year.

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  5. Thanks Keith and my homeowner reports that it's very comfortable to stand on for hours at a time. I'm not surprised by that but it's good to know.

    Bill: If you need a source I can hook you up. I am thoroughly impressed by US Floors' product and dealership resources. The margins don't hurt either. Did I say that out loud?

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  6. I love using cork floors. I particularly like the long plank style in a dark brown. Its a great monolithic floor but at the same time its warm and comfortable. I like using it in basements since it's easy on the feet. But you need a good slab... bumps can translate. Hope to use it as a wall feature some day too...

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  7. Brilliant! Long cork planks as wall sheathing. Thanks for the idea!

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  8. Beautiful. I didn't know about US Floors, but last year, wrote quite a detailed post about selecting cork flooring and what makes for lasting quality. If you're interested, it's here:
    http://nicolettet.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/another-green-flooring-option-put-a-cork-in-it/

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  9. How does the floating floor stand up to kitchen environment? I'm reading that only glue-down cork tiles are recommended for kitchens. That's too bad, because there are a lot more choices in the glue-less type and installation sure is easier.

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  10. Well the manufacturer assures me that the glue-less planks I specified for this kitchen will last a lifetime. So long as they're kept free from standing water, everything ought to be fine. I hope.

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  11. I want to install cork floor in my kitchen but there seems to be a lot of variation in finishes and even hardness in the samples I've viewed at various retailers. For example the "Nieve" color seems to be softer than the "Roca" or "Douro" and less glossy. Can one choose the finish for one's color selection? Is the Endura AR with Advanced Abrasion Resistance more durable than the Endura UV-cured finish?

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  12. re cork in kitchens: it's great. Cork (think bottle stoppers) is naturally water resistant. I am a flooring rep and could use any floor but in my new super green house I chose cork planks. Cork isn't hard like hardwood, it is resilient. It shouldn't vary across product types...the top wear layer for US Floors cork is compressed (34lbs/cubic ft vs 13 for the underlying underlayment) to make durable but still comfortable and quiet. In our dry but fluctuating humidity Colorado climate it performs better than wood...no cracking or gapping. Let me know if you anyone needs more green product info....

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  13. Anon: They are great questions to ask a US Floors flooring rep. Find a local vendor and buy it there.

    David: Thanks for the offer!

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  14. Where can I find information about USF KRP102 Pinot Collection Tyenna? Is it a new line?

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