| Cork may seem like a fragile flooring material, but | | | | Plan your design on graph paper. Measure the floor |
| modern cork tile flooring is tough and lasts many | | | | and draw it to scale. As you draw your design, avoid |
| years. It's a natural, renewable resource. Cork tile | | | | having thin cuts of tile near walls. Simply shift the |
| flooring is warm and gentle on the feet. It's also | | | | pattern one way or the other by cutting some other |
| quiet, unlike many other flooring materials. With the | | | | tiles thinner. Draw a border pattern as well. Then add |
| right surface preparation, this type of flooring can be | | | | up all the cork tiles you will need. Darker cork tile |
| installed in just a weekend. | | | | flooring can be ordered to provide a dramatic pattern |
| Natural cork tile flooring (as opposed to floating floor | | | | around the edges of the floor. |
| tiles) must be glued to a perfectly flat, smooth | | | | Figure out how many tiles you have time to lay in a |
| surface. That means you can't install it on any uneven | | | | day and spread contact adhesive across their backs |
| surface such as plank flooring, vinyl, or linoleum -- | | | | the night before. This will make the work go much |
| anything that has a pattern or obvious joints in it. | | | | faster in the morning, and allow the adhesive time to |
| You will need to screw down a plywood underlayer | | | | cure properly before it makes contact with the floor. |
| at least one-quarter inch thick. If you have a | | | | Experienced hands can easily tile a ten by ten foot |
| concrete floor that is flat and moisture-free, you can | | | | room in a day. Novices should plan on an extra day. |
| install natural cork tile flooring directly onto it, though | | | | Cork tile flooring comes in pre-glued tiles, too. |
| of course a vapor barrier is recommended. Your | | | | Duro-Design is one company that makes pre-glued |
| flooring supplier may have tips on concrete | | | | flooring. The company offers cork tile flooring in |
| installations. | | | | fifty-four color shades. According to Duro-Design, its |
| If you already have a few layers of old flooring, tear | | | | flooring is selected from the densest cork available, |
| out the old layers and install new underlayment on | | | | so it is amazingly resilient and more dent-resistant |
| the subfloor. Cut your underlayment plywood and | | | | than hardwood flooring. Duro-Design cork tile flooring |
| screw it to the old subfloor or existing floor. Do not | | | | is available in twelve by twelve inch tiles or 12x36 |
| substitute particleboard or fiberboard for plywood; | | | | inch planks. It can be installed as a glued-down floor |
| they absorb moisture and crumble too easily. They | | | | or as a floating, edge-locked floor system. |
| plywood you use should be graded as underlayment | | | | Cork tile flooring is beautiful, environmentally sensitive, |
| plywood. | | | | comfortable, and durable. As an alternative to |
| Make sure your screws are set flush or countersunk | | | | hardwood flooring, which may help despoil rainforests, |
| into the underlayment plywood. Stagger the joints of | | | | cork tile flooring ranks with bamboo and other |
| plywood at least thirty-two inches, and leave a gap | | | | renewable resources as one of the best flooring |
| of 1/16-1/8 inch between panels. Place screws every | | | | choices. |
| four inches on seams and every six inches elsewhere. | | | | |