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Qu-Cork
Natural Cork
Enviro Cork
Westhollow
Da Vinci
The first two are available locally for ~$5.50 to 6.00. The third and fourth are in the $3.50 - 4.00 range with the Da Vinci somewhere in between. I'm just have trouble in differentiating quality even after getting samples - they seem pretty much the same design and materials with the aesthetics be the primary difference.
We sell Natural Cork brand, and it's the best all-around in both $$$ and quality. I've looked at others at various trade shows, and Natural Cork is the one that we continue to carry. In fact, it's the only one we sell.
Qu-Cork
Natural Cork
Enviro Cork
Westhollow
Da Vinci
The first two are available locally for ~$5.50 to 6.00. The third and fourth are in the $3.50 - 4.00 range with the Da Vinci somewhere in between. I'm just have trouble in differentiating quality even after getting samples - they seem pretty much the same design and materials with the aesthetics be the primary difference.
Anyone with experience with these?
This may not apply in your situation, but I have used a sound engineer in the past to determine the proper material to use.. If you are doing a 2nd floor or in a condo, I found the few hundred $$ consultation was well worth it.
Thank you both for the advice. I live in a one story so I'm not too worried about the sonic effects.
Natural Cork does seem like one of the better brands. They claim the cork is denser than their competitors, but I don't know if I'm ready to pay 50% more. I may try the Westhollow in the guest bedroom and if it is a quality product put it in the master. If not go to the Natural Cork for the master. They both have burl patterns so they are close enough to have in the same house.
Are you going to use tiles or engineered planks? I have the engineered cork in my kitchen (over a radiant floor) and I like it, although it's not the most durable floor I've ever put in. We've had it in almost a year and while it still looks and feels good, when I clean it I can see some big scratches. I do have 2 dogs.
The pattern I have is a random rectangle (although they are all oriented the same way) and it hides dirt well. Spills do have to be wiped up immediately. I use a slightly damp mop about once a week and then I use a cleaner/shone product about once a month. The floor isn't shiny to start with anyway, so the weekly cleaning usually freshens it up nicely.
Natural Cork also makes an economy line called Eco Cork at about half the price. The Eco Cork comes in prefinished click-together planks but doesn't come in as many cool looking patterns and colors as the upper line. It also has only 3 layers of UV-cured acrylic finish instead of 5, but you can add finish coats after installation. Eco Cork also has a 5-year warranty vs. the 15 for Natural Cork, but both are limited with the same long list of exclusions.
We went farther afield to a green building supplier because the Eco Cork was on sale there, but the local building supply places also carried Natural Cork. They just did not display the Eco Cork at all but, when asked, said they could get it for us.
The owners before me put cork tiles in my kitchen/dining room. It is very durable and great with water issues (I have pets) and hides scratches, although if I look I do see the scratches (especially if I have attempted to drag, say, a heavy chair across the floor). I wish I knew the brand - I have the receipts somewhere and I could swear they ordered from Europe (?) - and went "high end". Sadly, I don't get a lot of people in my house who have any idea of what they are looking at. They either find the floor "unusual" or think it's an alternative somewhere between linoleum and a nice tile. When I explained to someone that it probably cost as much as anything out there, he said that he wouldn't have known that. Maybe we just need to build the market for this environmentally-sustainable product.
I eventually went with Qu-Cork and got it from a local shop for a little less than $5/sq. ft. From what I read they make the cork in Portugal, not just harvest it there like other places do before sending in to China.
Initially I could not get the second row done b/c my tapping on the special tapping block caused the first row to come undone. My neighbor helped me with that second row and I finished up the room myself.
The quality of the cork is good and its random patterns would do Salvador Dali proud. Seems good quality but after looking at a lot of different cork brands most of it was pretty much of the same design: thin bottom layer of small pieces of cork (like a cork board); a pretty thick middle section of MDF; and a thinner top section of the cork design. The panels do not click together easily but rather take a bit of finesse, even after you learn the technique required. All in all I'm pretty happy with it - comfy underfoot and quite attractive.
I am interested in 142 sq ft of the Enviro-Cork color: Durango. What is your price. Are you local? What would freight be if you are not. Zip Code 86303 to a commercial location. Thank o
Don't know about that brand/model but I paid $4.75/sq. ft. locally after a little haggling to get it down from $5.25.
I'm still a little leery of the Lumber Liquidators $3.50/sq. ft. stuff.
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