Bleached Birch

Special Materials Required: Glue down flooring tiles require the use of Wakol D3540 cork adhesive and enough Loba 2K polyurethane to achieve two (2) coats of finish. Must Read Glue Down Cork tiles

Bleached Birch Cork Glue-Down Flooring

A muted off-white cork tile with whispers of gray and the faintest lavender: beach cottage calm with an 18 dB quiet built right in. If you love the pale, natural pattern of birch bark, Bleached Birch brings that look to a cork floor. The soft off-white surface is specked with shades of gray and a hint of lavender, a light, natural palette that suits a beach cottage feel as easily as a modern, airy room. Each tile is solid cork through and through: a 12 in x 24 in (30.5 x 61 cm), 1/4 in (6 mm) thick tile with square edges and a straight-cut profile, so installed tiles read as one large, seamless finished surface rather than a grid of pieces. Because the full 1/4 in (6 mm) thickness is low-density, sound-absorbing cork, the tile is its own underlayment: nothing extra goes under it. Glue it to a clean, level subfloor or to at-or-above-grade concrete, add two coats of polyurethane, and you have a floor that is warm underfoot, quiet, and easy to live with in kitchens, bathrooms, and light commercial spaces alike. Cork itself does the rest of the work. Suberin, the natural wax in cork, makes the surface impermeable to liquids and gases, which cuts the risk of mold, rot, and insects. The material is naturally anti-static and hypoallergenic, so it repels dust, hair, and dander instead of collecting them, a genuine well-being alternative to carpet.

Why this floor

• Impact sound reduction of 18 dB from the tile alone: cork sheet in the 3 mm to 12 mm range can mute sound by 10 to 40 decibels, keeping noise from traveling through floors and ceilings.
• Rated Commercial class 32 and Domestic class 23, so it stands up to busy households and light commercial traffic.
• Solid 1/4 in (6 mm) low-density cork construction: no separate underlayment required, ever.
• Suberin, cork's natural waxy substance, makes the floor impermeable to liquids and gas, resisting mold growth, wood rot, and insects.
• No VOC emissions and made with formaldehyde-free adhesives.
• Natural thermal insulator: it keeps unwanted heat out in summer and holds warmth in winter, trimming heating and cooling bills.
• Backed by a 10-Year Residential Wear Warranty, a Joint Integrity Warranty, and a Lifetime Structural warranty.

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Important product note

Polyurethane is required after installation. As a glue-down tile in a white-toned stained color, Bleached Birch needs two coats of Loba 2K polyurethane in every room, including kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, entrance ways, and commercial spaces. Only the Fusion range skips this step; glue-down tiles never do.