CONSUMER ADVISORY

With the rapidly increasing popularity of cork flooring in the United States, lower quality products are being imported and sold as "cork flooring at discount prices". Consumers should be be aware it is not possible to sell quality European cork flooring or underlayment at the "discounts" being advertised by some vendors. Flooring and underlayment claiming to sell at such "discounts" are lower quality products sold at their own retail prices. A recent industry survey showed lower-priced cork flooring and underlayment are not discounted, they are being sold at lower prices appropriate to their lower quality. Things to watch for in substandard cork flooring and underlayment. Finish. When new: uneven when seen at an angle against the light. When installed: some areas lose finish sheen and show wear before others. Fit. Planks properly installed show gaps, particularly along the long side. This is caused by uneven alignment of the surface layer with the tongue-and-groove layer during manufacture. It cannot be cured. Environmental. Cheap cork flooring planks can have substandard connecting layers, often made of MDF with high post-industrial waste content. While the cork surface layer may be pure, immediately below it the structural layer can consist entirely of recycled waste. In addition, surface finishes on the surface cork layer can contain volatile organic compounds and other chemicals that outgas into room air. Underlayment. Inexpensive cork underlayment is made of brittle granules, waste products and environmentally unsuitable binders, providing significantly less acoustic and thermal insulation, regardless of thickness. Because it is brittle, cheap underlayment also breaks down into its granular components, which in the industry is considered complete product failure. Cupping. Moisture enters the side of the plank and the surface layer expands at the joint. While this can occur when quality wood or cork floors are subjected to flooding and standing water for long periods of time, it should not occur under normal conditions or as a result of household spills. The only remedy when cupping occurs with cut-price flooring is to wait until both pieces dry and see if they realign. If not, replace. Deterioration. The most common problem is separation of the brittle granules in the underlayment layer of planks, and of the underlayment itself. In this situation the sheet becomes a granulate, much like breaking a styrofoam cup into the little pieces that form it. This deterioration cannot be reversed, the acoustic and thermal properties are lost, the underlayment must be replaced.