How to Finish Cork Flooring
Homeowners value cork flooring for its comfortable, springy feel under the feet and its sound insulation. Since cork flooring has the ease of care of a hard floor with the comfort of carpet, many people choose cork tiles or planks to cover a smooth and even subfloor or leveled concrete slab. Installers can glue down cork flooring using a glue made especially for cork or floated in a way similar to the installation of a floating hardwood floor. Finish your cork floor using one solid color, or scatter individually colored tiles to add whimsy to your room. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Tape off areas of flooring you don't want to finish or want to finish differently. Apply tape to floor vents or grates.
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Apply stain to the floor using a soft cloth. Allow the stain to sit to darken to the desired tone. Apply additional coats of stain as needed.
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Apply at least three coats of polyurethane protectant sealer to the floor, and allow it to dry according to manufacturer's instructions between each coat and before walking on the floor. Apply another coat of polyurethane sealant once a year to help protect the floor over time.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a stencil or tape off a pattern and use more than one color of water-based stain to create a motif on your cork floor. Many cork tiles come prefinished. Purchase prefinished cork flooring for quick installation.
Only raw cork flooring can be finished after installation. Use a spare tile to test your stain color and amount before applying it to the entire floor to avoid mistakes.
