Sustainable Bamboo and Cork Flooring Options in Windsor
Are you looking for sustainable bamboo or cork flooring options in Windsor? Marquis Tile can help! We offer cork and bamboo flooring made from renewable resources. Both these flooring types are durable, cost-effective, and at the same time can withstand moisture issues in the kitchen and the bathroom. Cork flooring is soft, insulating, and warm; bamboo flooring is beautiful, natural, durable, and eco-friendly.
We offer top-quality flooring options for both commercial and residential properties. Our lookbooks can help you choose the right flooring materials for your property. Marquis Tile also offers countertops, laminates and tiles for your floors. If you are looking for a green option, bamboo and cork flooring are the best options in Windsor. You can also check out our blog to learn about the benefits of various types of flooring
Our Natural and Sustainable Flooring Options
Marquis Tile’s range of natural flooring options in Windsor includes bamboo and cork flooring. Both of these flooring types are made of plants and have a lot of similarities. But there are differences which can be decisive when selecting the right flooring. For instance, bamboo is hard and resistant to denting, while cork is a soft material. In terms of comfort, cork has an advantage over bamboo. Here are a few benefits of these floorings:
Bamboo:
It is strong, durable, and can be used as an alternative to hardwood. You can find it in different colours and styles in the market.
Cork:
The cork flooring is ideal for commercial spaces as they provide a comfortable walking and standing surface. These floors are naturally fire resistant and don’t release toxic gases when accidentally burned.
Bamboo and Cork Floor Buying Guide
Cork and bamboo are becoming popular in the industry because they are green flooring options made from sustainable plants. Here are a few factors that can help you choose the right bamboo and cork flooring according to your needs:
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Flooring materials, lengths, and patterns: Bamboo is a member of the grass family and the species used in flooring is cultivated mostly in southern China groves. Plants grow to maturity within 3-7 years. A box of flooring will usually contain planks of random size from 12” to 60”. Cork is the bark of the cork tree. Cutting away the excess bark does not harm the tree at all, and it starts renewing its bark immediately. It is moisture-resistant, durable and creates good sound insulation.
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Wear and durability: Bamboo flooring will be good for 20-30 years and it can hide scratches and small dents. Refinishing of bamboo flooring is not possible and so it needs to be replaced. Cork is durable but it will not last as long as bamboo. Its softness and resiliency make it less susceptible to permanent dents. Cork flooring can be refinished once or twice during its lifetime, but it is better to leave the job to an experienced floor contractor.
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Current trends: In keeping with the current trend to use environment friendly materials, cork and bamboo flooring will be used by homeowners, builders, and designers.
Bamboo and Cork Flooring Installation Guide
The step-by-step installation process discussed here will help you properly install bamboo and cork flooring. You can also contact Marquis Tile's team for installation. The tools and supplies required for the installation include a circular or table saw, a jigsaw or coping saw, an air compressor and nailer, a drill, a tape measure, a pencil and framing square, a glue trowel, and an orbital sander.
The steps of the installation process are:
Step 1: Initially, remove the baseboard trim from the room. Further, remove carpeting, padding, tack strip and staples if needed.
Step 2: Next, you should sand any rough spots, and if it is concrete, fill in any significant cracks. You can glue cork to concrete, wood flooring, and wood subfloor. If the subfloor is plywood, sand it with gritty sandpaper to rough it up just a bit. This will enhance the adherence of the glue.
Step 3: Further, you should plan to start along the longest exterior wall in the room. Before applying glue, mask the finished surfaces adjacent to the floor. Apply the adhesive with a brush or glue trowel. You can use a foam roller to apply adhesive to larger areas if you prefer. You should follow the instructions on your adhesives carefully.
Step 4: Then, you should lay the first cork tile or strip along the wall. Butt the tiles/strips as you go, until you complete your first row. You may want to consider an alternate approach if they are strips, say 12”x24”. In this case, you can install the first tile lengthwise so that the long side is against the wall. Next, you can install the second piece so that the 12” side is against the wall. Finally, complete the first row, alternating long and short sides against the wall. You can practice laying strips before you apply any glue to see which look you prefer.
Step 5: If using strips, start the second row by butting the short end of the strip to the first row. This will produce staggering seams rather than a seam that aligns. That will leave a half-strip gap. Cut a strip in half to fill it. Then, continue with this technique to complete the second row. The end result will be more random seams.
If you are using square tiles, then this technique will not be applicable.
Step 6: A tough utility knife works very well for cutting cork flooring. You should use it for trimming around floor vents and doorways, and for cutting pieces to fit as you approach the opposite side of the room from which you started.
After installation, let the floor dry completely. You can also reinstall floor trim and toe-kicks around the room.
Bamboo and Cork Flooring Maintenance
It is important to do proper care and maintenance for your cork or bamboo flooring to keep it looking its best and last as long as possible. For cork flooring maintenance, you need a soft broom or lightweight vacuum with a suction-only mode, a mop and bucket, a floor cleaner, and soft clothes for spot cleaning.
You can start cleaning your cork flooring with a soft-bristled broom. If you want to use a vacuum, choose either a lighter one without a bristle bar or one that has a hard surface. Any liquid spills onto the floor should be cleaned as quickly as possible so that it does not get into the cork. You should avoid using mats with a rubber backing because they can trap moisture against the floor and cause swelling or staining.
