Hello! We are renovating the lower level of our 1962 home. We've decided on cork flooring for most spaces - this will include main + kids bedroom, small office, and hallways. We are installing on concrete slab and main bedroom will have heated floors, so we are assuming that we MUST do floating rather than glue down cork floors. We will do a professional install - either by a specialist/dealer or by our general contractor, if we go with a cork floor brand that does not have installers in our area.

From my research and reading lots of feedback from the Cancork/iCork team that seems to respond to these posts, this is what I've gathered:

- Do not buy through big box stores (Home Depot, Lowe's, LL Flooring)

- Go with EUROPEAN not ASIAN products - most cork is out of portugal

- Glue down cork is the "original" approach and is the one you see in places that have had the floors for decades/ 100 of years/ in Frank Lloyd Wright era houses. Glue down is the way to go for bathrooms and kitchens most of the time. However, newer floating cork floors are more forgiving for uneveness of the subfloor, tend to be more affordable because it's a much less labor intensive install, and CAN go over heated floors. You could also technically "pop out" a damaged section and replace. Given we are doing living spaces (bedrooms, offices) rather than kitchens or bathrooms, I think we are good to go going with the click and lock

- Cork has "muscle memory" - yes it will indent when furniture is on it, but it can pop back with the right amount of time and treatment

- Cork scratches - but so does our gorgeous original hardwood, and engineered wood would scratch too

A couple questions:

- Our GC is GREAT - but they've never done a cork floor. However, I think we have ruled out glue down cork as an option (because it's on concrete slab, in a partially undergrade area, likely need vapor barrier, and have plans for heated floors in some locations). Our GC has a lot of building experience under their belts - I am sure a click and lock floating install of other flooring types is well within their comfort zone. They will be leveling the floor and installing insullation/ subfloor. If we are going floating floor - any reason we SHOULD NOT use our GC to complete the cork flooring install?

- For homeowners who have cork floors and are happy with them - which brand? which line? floating or glue down? Here's what we are looking at:

(1) WeCork - offered by a local dealer we trust. We liked the Avant Garde more than the Serenity - Serentity just felt too hard and plasticy, not as much of the nice softness.

(2) Wicanders because it appears to be the "leader" in the market (I understand both WeCork and Wicanders are owned by Amorim. Wicanders is the premium, WeCork is more affordable?). What's thoughts between the different Wicanders brands? The WISE?

(3) DuroDesign - offered by a local dealer we trust. Have to get back with them.

(4) iCork - because I see their hussle around this site and they clearly know their stuff! However, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with a "direct to customer" sale for a product I can't see or touch, and that none of the dealers or GCs I know have interacted with...