- Cork will reform itself after being dented or trampled on. Likewise, cork will expand with moisture. Cork floor planks are allowed to dry for a couple of days before installation. The cork floor planks are unwrapped from the package and exposed to the temperature of the home. Above 60 degrees Fahrenheit is a good temperature for cork to adjust to the interior temperature of a home. Moisture barrier sheets are laid over any tile or concrete flooring.
- The cork floor planks are laid down, end to end (not side to side). The installation begins with laying the first cork floor plank in a corner. It can be arranged in any corner of the room. A spacer (1/2 inch in length) is placed between each wall and the cork floor plank. The next cork plank is snapped into the first one. Spare cork board is laid over the second floor plank to use as a tapping board. A rubber mallet is used to gently tap on the spare cork tapping board in order to securely fit the second floor plank into position with the first floor plank. A third floor plank is snapped into the second plank. This process repeats until the first row of cork is finished. At the end of the row, the cork probably will need to be cut. The last cork plank is turned on its face, then placed about a half of an inch from the wall. The cut mark is made on the backside of the cork with a small knife or thick marker. A table saw works best for cutting, but cork is usually soft enough to cut with a regular hand saw. If the cut-away piece of cork is 10 inches in length, then it is used to start the second row of cork (Alternatively, cut a new cork plank in half, and use the new half to begin the next row of planks). The spare cork tapping board is used again (tapping the spare board with the mallet) to align the planks. The resulting pattern of cork planks will have an offset look (never having any two perfectly side by side). A 1/2 inch of space is left between the final plank and the wall.
- All dirt and debris must be removed from the new cork floor with a vacuum cleaner. After vacuuming, a foam roller is used to apply a coat of top sealer over the cork floor planks. The foam roller is used differently than a vacuum (a vacuum moves back and forth). To correctly apply the top sealer coating, the foam roller is rolled across a row of cork floor planks, moving in one direction per application (not a scrubbing motion). It takes several days for the cork to harden completely. After a couple of weeks, the floor may be mopped.
