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We all know basements, even finished ones, tend to be cold damp places. Would you believe me if I told you there is a way to circumvent this problem without spending thousands or installing radiant flooring? Maybe not, but I can say that I do have a product that will make you stand up and take notice. Cork. That’s right, cork. Installing cork flooring in the basement can be one of the best decisions you’ll make involving your home. Some of its greatest advantages include being resistant to mold and mildew, being a natural bug repellant and being a fire retardant. But did you know it’s also a thermal barrier and remains warm underfoot. Think that makes it an excellent choice for the basement flooring? We do. And we have two styles of installation. Both glue-down cork tiles or floating planks can be installed in basements. It really comes down to the amount of work involved. Glue down tiles are cheaper, but they also require a more complicated install. Also glue down tiles cannot be installed over radiant heating. Floating planks are more expensive, but it’s easy enough that a novice DIYer can lay it and can be laid over radiant heating. First and foremost you will need to test your basement floor for moisture. Be sure to do this. It will save you headaches in the long run. An excessive amount can be controlled and brought within acceptable levels simply with a plastic vapor barrier sheet or special applied coatings. Should you choose to go with glue down tiles there are some really important factors you need to consider. Is your basement floor cement or already laid with wood? If you have a wood subfloor (and the hope is there is already a vapor barrier beneath it), then it’s a simple matter of making certain the subfloor is clean and even before you begin laying down the tiles. Be careful, uneven flooring will cause distortion and ruin the look of your floor. If you are applying directly to a cement pad you will need to: 1) Clean/scrape/sand the subfloor to the point there is no foreign matter attached to the cement – you may need to do this twice 2) Seal the cement pad with a roll on/spray on cement sealant – always follow the instructions on the container of the sealant – always wear protective mask/goggles 3) Apply a universal primer designed for cement floors – always follow the instructions – always wear protective mask/goggles and ensure excellent ventilation 4) Once all applications are dry, you may then go ahead and begin gluing your tiles to the prepared cement pad Why all the fuss? Because you don’t want to lay it all down and then find out that you missed an important feature, one that can cost you more money than had you done it right to begin with. Long time exposure to a wet subfloor will, over time, warp the cork floor causing unsightly deformations. Due to a risk of moisture migration from concrete slab floating floors should also be placed over a moisture barrier. A floating floor can be placed over an already existing floor or a prepared subfloor with minimal difficulty. It’s as easy as clicking the groove and tongue edges together. Just make sure the subfloor is clean and even. Given the information above you can determine what you want as your basement flooring. We stand behind cork. It’s a lot cheaper than a number of other flooring types on the market and brings an ‘A’ game that most can’t beat. Check it out, we bet there’s a look out there that just fits your taste. cork flooring in the basement is the ideal solution for any home since cork is resistant to mold, mildew and fire too. When you are looking for Cork Floor for any room in your home, the best place to go to is iCork Floor.
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