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.
• Published cork acoustic data lists 10 to 20 dB for thicknesses of 3 to 12 mm. Review the specific tested floor assembly before applying those values to a project.
• Rated Commercial class 32 and Domestic class 23, suitable for busy homes and light commercial spaces.
• Made with formaldehyde-free adhesives. Review the product’s emissions documentation.
• 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 tiles in a 12 in x 24 in format.
• Backed by a 10-year residential wear warranty, a joint integrity warranty, and a lifetime structural warranty. Made in Portugal.

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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.