Because there is a higher probability of moisture in a basement slab, only floating floors are recommended. Tiles that are glued could delaminate and cup, therefore are not recommended. We recommend the use of the floating floor with a foam film underlayment as a moisture barrier underneath.

Solid 3/4" Hardwood flooring cannot be installed below grade (below the soil line) or over concrete. When a solid product encounters moisture it reacts very negatively. Therefore, a laminate or engineered flooring must be used. Laminate flooring is constructed by fusing 4-plys of material together to form a product with unprecedented strength and durability. An engineered product is very similar with the exception that they usually have a real wood layer on top of the constructed core.

Cork is a natural insulator so just by having a heated house; the floor will draw the warmth. If you still want to install radiant heat, it has posed no problems. The floor may take slightly longer warm up but the heat will be retained efficiently. Only floating floors should be installed over radiant heat systems. Floating floors tend to go through normal contraction and expansion as a unit since they are not attached to the sub-floor.

If you are handy, you probably can. Floating cork floors are literally a snap to install since we use a clic system. Cork tiles require a little more attention to preparation of the sub-floor, but can be installed successfully by the handy homeowner. Varnishing is as simple as carefully mopping a floor, and all our products are low-VOC, water-based and low-odor.

Carpetiles may be installed over most any smooth surface. Our Commercial Grade Carpetiles are installed in office buildings, schools, banks, hospitals, airports, & retail stores. Most of these installations are over concrete subfloors. Carpetiles may also be installed over wood, ceramic tile, laminate or vinyl flooring as well. Our recommended i-Stik Double Sided Carpet Tape method makes installation a breeze.

The Ontario Building Code only requires basement insulation to be installed from the underside of the subfloor to not less than 60 cm (24 inches) below the adjacent exterior ground level.

Yes, choose our clic floating cork floor and you can install directly over your existing flooring with very little surface preparation.

You first need to flatten the floor with a skim coat of a Portland cement based patching compound. Or, you can simply install a floating clic cork floor directly over the existing tile.

Yes it can, provided you have tested your basement floor for moisture. Excessive moisture can be controlled and brought within acceptable levels simply with a plastic vapor barrier sheet or special applied coatings. Either glue-down cork tiles or floating planks can be installed in basements, although in most cases, it is easier to use a floating floor system.

YES. The floor and walls are a significant source of heat loss. An insulated floor is warmer and drier; and it has direct influence on your comfort. Putting carpets on a floor only makes it feel warmer. If you have a heated floor insulation is very much necessary, as the heat loss through the floor would be higher than 50%. This heat loss is a huge and unnecessary waste of money. Return on investment for floor insulation is very quick, mainly because of the low cost of INSTA-PANELS®.

No problem. We pour a concrete base to attach the Presto Bathroom to your floor and can even it out that way.

Cracks in your basement floor can also be caused by settling and shifting in your foundation walls, in the footer underlying your foundation, or in the floor (or "slab") itself. However, floor cracks are more frequently caused by hydrostatic pressure. The water pressure from below the floor must escape somewhere, so it pokes a hole or crack in your basement floor.

Installation is easy. All systems come with a detailed manual that includes pictures of the installation process.

Evora cork flooring from BuildDirect comes with a UniClic locking system which makes for ease of installation, requiring about the same level of flooring installation experienceneeded for a laminate flooring project, for instance.

Cork flooring is very accommodating and installation over concrete, wooden subfloors and tile are commonplace. The surface upon which you install your cork flooring must be level, dry, and clean. Evora cork flooring does not require underlayment, just a vapor barrier in the form of a plastic sheet.

We're just starting to build our library of photographs. For now, click here to view one of our installations. After proper conditions of the substrate are met (see below), the installation continues with the lay out of the room area. To establish centerlines in the same manner as other tile installations, run a parallel line from the centerline at the entryway. The substrate is then coated with Globus Cork reciprocal adhesive.

Many of the special qualities of cork derive from the fact that it is actually the bark of the cork oak. Its role as a protective barrier for the tree also means that it is also naturally hypo-allergenic, anti-microbial and anti-fungal. Cork, because of its micro-cellular structure, is very resilient - cushioning blows, resisting dents and absorbing sound. Cork is also beautifully warm underfoot because of its high insulation value.

Vacuum and damp mop when necessary to keep dirt and abrasive particles from dulling the finish. As with a hardwood floor, you should avoid excessive moisture, so never flood the floor when mopping. Occasionally you can use floor cleaners formulated for polyurethane finished hardwood flooring diluted in water (i.e. Bona X by Bonakemi, Squeaky Clean by Basic Coatings, Finitec Hardwood Floor Cleaner, etc.)

Using our MP765 water-based polyurethane varnish, all you need to do is lightly scuff-sand the floor with 220 grit sandpaper, vacuum, and apply two light coats of varnish with a synthetic applicator mop.

Watch high-wear areas such as stairs, hallways and in front of kitchen sinks for the first signs of dulling of the finish- this is an indication that it's time to re-finish those areas.

Cats and small dogs are usually not an issue at all with cork floors. Large dogs, however, can damage the surface of almost any floor, especially hardwood. Cork has the advantage over hardwood since it is resilient, absorbs impact and doesn't scratch or gouge as easily as hardwood. Protected by DuroDesign's MP765, cork also has excellent abrasion resistance. Ultimately, your pet's good behavior and keeping their nails trimmed will help keep your cork floors looking beautiful.

Mohawk Engineered Hardwood Floors may be installed on all grade levels. See the Installation Guidelines for additional information and recommendations.

No. It is highly recommended that you do not install hardwood flooring below grade. However, it is possible to install laminate flooring or engineered hardwood floors in these situations. Call a BuildDirect customer representative at 1 877 631 2845 to discuss some of these options available to you.

If you are good at do-it-yourself projects, and have installed other types of flooring, then you will probably not have any difficulty. However, if you have never installed any form of flooring, then you may wish to employ a reputable flooring installer who is experienced in installing vinyl, wood, or ceramic tiles. If you decide to have your cork floors professionally installed, ensure that they are familiar with the product and brand that you have chosen.

Please refer to the installation instructions found in every box of product or refer to our Floor Care, Installation section of our website.

We only sell transition molding profiles for our bamboo flooring- available in colors matching our cork flooring colors. Typically, carpet layers or tile setters will install reducer trim as a part of their floor-covering installation.

No. Because cork absorbs so little water it is very dimensionally stable. When exposed to 100% Relative Humidity conditions for 30 days the dimensional change in the grade of materials used to manufacture AcoustiCork products is less than 3%. In a 6mm" thick piece of material this would represent an increase in thickness of less than 1/120 of an inch.

Cork flooring is naturally hypo-allergenic. Cork is anti-microbial and is resistant to mold and mildew. A cork floor doesn't hold a static charge, hence can't hold dust and is easy to keep clean. Our cork floors do not off-gas and the adhesive and varnish are low-VOC, for the best in indoor air quality.

The floor substrate, be it wood or concrete, needs to be flat and smooth. Because of corks' resiliency, imperfections, bumps and holes will telegraph through the finished flooring. If the subfloor isn't sufficiently smooth, troweling on a skim-coat with a cement-based patching compound is essential for professional results. We recommend using Ardex SD-F W.W. Henry Feather Finish, Mapei Planipatch Plus or Mapei Ultra Skim Coat.