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

The calm of a birch forest, cast in solid cork: creamy off-white planks threaded with delicate ribbons of tan, gray, and light slate.

Bleached Birch is part of the Birch Collection, and it wears the family signature well: a linear pattern that mimics the natural look of birch bark. The base tone is a lovely off-white, softened with touches of gray and light slate for depth. It is a natural fit for shabby chic, farmhouse, and light Scandinavian rooms, bringing a soft but rustic character without shouting for attention.

Each tile is solid cork through its full 5/16 in (8 mm) thickness, cut into 12 in x 24 in (305 x 610 mm) square-edged planks. There is no bevel and no groove line: once glued down, the floor reads as one large finished unit rather than a grid of tiles. Because the tile itself is 100 percent low-density, sound-absorbing cork, no separate underlayment is required.

Underfoot, this is where cork earns its reputation. It can look like textured hardwood, gives softly like carpet, and cleans up as easily as vinyl. Its honeycomb cell structure holds about 50 percent air, so the surface feels warm the moment you step on it, and its natural elasticity relieves strain on feet, legs, joints, and back. It shrugs off common scratches, absorbs the shock of dropped objects, and recovers its texture quickly.

It is also a floor you can feel good about. Cork is harvested from the bark of the cork oak, which regrows its outer bark every 9 to 10 years without harm to the tree, making this a genuinely renewable, sustainable material. Rated for both residential and light commercial use, and prefinished in a high resistance super-matte wax finish, Bleached Birch is at home in kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and basements alike.

Why this floor

• Solid cork top to bottom: a full 5/16 in (8 mm) of low-density, sound-absorbing cork, so no separate underlayment is needed.
• Serious quiet: cork in the 3 to 12 mm range can mute sound by 10 to 20 decibels, cutting both noise and vibration.
• Rated Commercial class 32 and Domestic class 23, suitable for busy homes and light commercial spaces.
• Natural suberin, a wax-like substance in cork, provides water resistance and repels mold, mildew, bacteria, and insects; combined with formaldehyde-free adhesives, it is one of the best options for allergy sufferers.
• Honeycomb cell structure with about 50 percent air content insulates naturally, helping reduce winter heating costs and keeping the surface warm for bare feet.
• Square-edged 12 in x 24 in format installs seamlessly for the look of one continuous floor.
• Backed by a 10-year residential wear warranty, a joint integrity warranty, and a lifetime structural warranty. Made in Portugal.

Specifications

Gallery

Common questions

Can I use this in a bathroom or kitchen?

Yes. Cork naturally contains suberin, a wax-like substance that gives the tile water resistance and repels mold and mildew, so Bleached Birch is very comfortable in bathrooms and kitchens. Just remember the two site-applied coats of polyurethane after installation, which seal the finished floor.

How is it installed, and do I need underlayment?

These are glue-down tiles: they are bonded to the subfloor with Wakol D3540 cork adhesive, then top-coated with two coats of Loba 2K polyurethane. No separate underlayment is needed because the tile itself is 5/16 in (8 mm) of solid, sound-absorbing cork. The subfloor should be clean and level; over concrete, install at or above grade (see the glue-down installation instructions for details).

Will it stand up to pets and heavy foot traffic?

Cork is resilient by nature: it resists common scratches and breakage, absorbs shock from dropped objects, and recovers its texture quickly. Bleached Birch is rated Commercial class 32 and Domestic class 23, so it is built for busy households and light commercial spaces, and it carries a 10-year residential wear warranty.

How do I clean and maintain it?

Maintenance is easy: sweep or vacuum regularly, then damp clean with a pH neutral hardwood floor cleaner. The low-slip surface and anti-allergenic nature of cork make it a healthy, easy-care alternative to carpet.

Important product note

Polyurethane is required after installation. Glue-down tiles, including white and stained colors such as Bleached Birch, need two site-applied coats of Loba 2K water-based polyurethane over the whole floor once the adhesive has set. This seals the seams between tiles and completes the wear surface, so plan for enough polyurethane to cover the full installed area with two coats.

Info & Guides

• Installation details
• Warranty
• VOC and Formaldehyde test report
• DIBT Cork Certificate
• CE Declaration of Conformity