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Cork flooring vs vinyl plank, engineered hardwood and Marmoleum.
What each floor is made of, how it handles water and wear, how it installs, and what our cork costs today. Where another floor is the better choice, we say so.
Side by side
Cork, vinyl plank (LVP), engineered hardwood and Marmoleum on the points that decide most projects.
| Point | Cork | Vinyl plank (LVP) | Engineered hardwood | Marmoleum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Bark of the cork oak, harvested without cutting the tree down. Floating planks are a cork surface on a fibreboard core with a cork underlayer. Glue-down tiles are cork all the way through. | Layers of PVC (vinyl) with a printed image under a clear wear layer. Rigid-core planks add a stone-plastic or wood-plastic core. | A thin layer of real hardwood on a plywood or fibreboard core. | A brand of linoleum: linseed oil, wood flour, rosin and pigments on a jute backing. Click panels mount it on a fibreboard core. |
| Underfoot | Soft and warm. Cork gives slightly when you stand on it. | Firm. Takes on the temperature of the subfloor. | Firm, like solid wood. | Firm with a little give. |
| Noise | Reduces footstep and impact noise. A cork underlayment helps further. | Depends on the underlayment under it. | A hard surface. Depends on the underlayment under it. | Quieter than hard tile. Depends on what is under it. |
| Water | Water resistant. Wipe spills promptly and never leave standing water. Use glue-down tiles in bathrooms and laundry rooms. | Handles standing water better than cork or wood. The safer choice for rooms that get wet every day. | Sensitive to moisture. Wipe spills promptly. Not for wet rooms. | Sheet with sealed seams suits damp mopping. Click panels have a fibreboard core: wipe spills promptly. |
| Wear and repair | Heavy furniture and sharp heels can dent it, and strong direct sun can fade it. The finish can be recoated. Only our solid Solara tile can be sanded. | The wear layer resists scratches. A damaged plank is replaced, not refinished. | Dents and scratches like any wood. Can be sanded if the hardwood layer is thick enough. | Colour runs through the surface layer, so light scratches show less. Cannot be sanded. |
| Installation | Floating planks click together over a flat, dry subfloor. Glue-down tiles use water-based contact cement and 2 site coats of polyurethane. | Clicks together or glues down. Thin planks need a very flat subfloor. | Clicks, glues or nails down, depending on the product. | Click panels float. Sheet is glued and seamed by a professional. |
| Material price today (CAD) | Floating planks $6.19 to $9.89 per sq ft. Glue-down tiles $6.19 to $8.59 per sq ft. | We do not sell it, so we do not quote a price. Ask the retailer for the material price per sq ft and compare on the same basis. | We do not sell it, so we do not quote a price. Ask the retailer for the material price per sq ft and compare on the same basis. | We do not sell it, so we do not quote a price. Ask the retailer for the material price per sq ft and compare on the same basis. |
Marmoleum is a trademark of its manufacturer. We do not sell vinyl plank or Marmoleum. The points above describe each material in general; check the exact product you are considering.
Which to choose
An honest short list.
Choose cork
If you want a floor that is soft, warm and quiet to walk on, made from a renewable bark, for bedrooms, living rooms, offices, basements and kitchens.
Cork flooringChoose vinyl plank
If the room gets wet every day, if large dogs or rolling loads will be hard on the floor, or if the lowest material price matters most.
Choose engineered hardwood
If you want real wood grain and the option to sand and refinish, and the room stays dry.
Our real wood floorsChoose Marmoleum
If you want a natural-ingredient floor in solid colours and a firm surface, and you have an installer for sheet goods.
What our floors cost today
Current prices in CAD for material, before tax and delivery. Every product page shows the price per sq ft and per box.
| Floor | What it is | Price per sq ft | 220 sq ft of material |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floating cork planks | Click-lock planks, 10 to 12 mm, with a cork underlayer attached. | $6.19 to $9.89 per sq ft | From $1,361.80 |
| Glue-down cork tiles | Cork tiles, 6 or 8 mm, bonded to the subfloor and sealed on site. | $6.19 to $8.59 per sq ft | From $1,361.80 |
| Natural Composite click floors | Our floating floor with a natural composite surface. | $8.89 to $9.29 per sq ft | From $1,955.80 |
| Real wood click floors | A real wood surface on a click-lock plank. | $9.49 per sq ft | From $2,087.80 |
220 sq ft is a 200 sq ft room plus 10% for cuts. Floors are sold in full boxes, so your total will round up. Glue-down tiles also need adhesive and finish. Add underlayment and trim where your floor needs them, and use the delivered-price calculator on any product page for delivery to your postal code.
Can cork flooring get wet?
Cork floors are water resistant: wipe spills promptly and never leave standing water. Sealing with water-based polyurethane after installation protects the seams. For bathrooms and laundry rooms we recommend glue-down tiles.
Can cork go in a kitchen?
Yes, both our floating floors and glue-down tiles work in kitchens. Seal the floor with 2 coats of water-based polyurethane after installation (required for floating floors in kitchens) and wipe spills promptly.
Can a cork floor be sanded and refinished like hardwood?
Our floors other than Solara cannot be sanded or refinished. Lightly abrade the finish by hand and recoat with water-based polyurethane. Only Solara, our solid tile, can be fully sanded.
Does cork help with noise?
Cork reduces footstep and impact noise, and cork underlayment under a floating floor helps further. For condo or strata approval, ratings depend on the whole floor assembly, so ask us for the test reports.
Can cork go over in-floor heating?
Our cork floating floors and glue-down tiles can go over hydronic (hot water) in-floor heating; for glue-down tiles keep the floor below 28 C (82.4 F). Only some floors are approved for electric heating, so ask us first.
How much extra should I order?
Our box calculator adds 10% for cuts and waste. Tell us the product and the room size in square feet and we can work out the number of boxes for you.
Next steps
Not sure which floor fits?
Tell us the room and how it is used. We will say so if cork is not the right floor for it.
Flooring
Cork Underlayment
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