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Cork flooring

FireFire Posts: 19,096
in The potting shed
I'm interested in taking up old wool carpets and putting in cork. Has anyone here done that? There are reinforced types that don't dent. It's supposed to quite warm on the feet and fairly good for insulation. I would be interested to hear people's experiences. I'm concerned that the underflooring would have to laid perfectly to work in an old house. There seems to be lots of cork options and some modern innovations, but not as cheap as I might hope.


Thanks

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    What is underneath the carpets ... is it timber, concrete or ....?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    wood floor boards.

  • AsarumAsarum Posts: 661
    We laid cork floor tiles in our kitchen and shower room in the 80s.  Even with two coats of sealer, the surface wore off after a while, and never looked the same again.  It could be that things have improved now. 
    East Anglia
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    It'd be a nightmare to remove if it did start to get tatty looking. 
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited November 2021
    The difficulty about laying tiles of any sort over floorboards is that floorboards flex when you walk on them.  You would need a layer of something inflexible like sheets of chipboard fixed over the floorboards before laying tiles.  Even then there may be a degree of flexing which will make the joints of the tiles move, particularly over a larger area like a living space.  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Further to my post above …  you can get cork sheets for flooring. That would work better than tiles  if laid on rigid fixed board. 

    However another thing to consider is that floorboards allow air movement … even with carpets on top. You may find that having a sealed impermeable surface could lead to a damp problem in the walls. 

    @raisingirl may be clearer on this than I am.  It’s a long time since I was involved in the building industry. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I did a bathroom floor with bog standard cork tiles about 20-ish years ago. I painted it, and varnished it, and it was very waterproof - a necessity in the location. It was fine for many years until I just fancied a change, and it was quite pleasant underfoot. 
    I expect there are better products now, but I wouldn't fancy it for a lounge floor. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    edited November 2021
    You can get them now that are designed for the purpose and with the finishes applied so far more robust than they used to be. It is a good insulator. I think Dove has a point about breathability. The adhesives can be pretty waterproof, even if the tiles aren't. So it depends a bit on what the moisture profile of the room is - is it a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom? What's below it - another room or a floor space? If a floor space, is it vented? Takes a bit of thinking about. I wouldn't rule it out of hand.
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Thanks @raisingirl - It's a loft/bedroom. About 3mx3m. Below is a bedroom. I might need to put a solid floor under the cork..
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