The bark of the great cork oak can be harvested every 9 years making this an environmentally, rap-idly renewable, resource. The tree is never cut down and will provide multiple harvests. Cork is loaded with air. The cellular structure of cork is estimated to contain more than 200 million 14-sided, closed air cells per cubic inch. A naturally occurring substance called “suberin” is the main constituen of cork. This substance is a highly hydrophobic, somewhat rubbery material. Its main function is to prevent water from penetrating tissue. It is also unsurpassed in its antifungal and hypo-allergenic properties.
So, you ask, why cork as an underlayment?
1. Environmentally friendly – cork is rapidly renewable – can be harvested every 9 years without harming the tree. Foam underlayments are made of carbon intensive materials derived from chemi-cals extracted during oil refinement. Foam cannot be easily recycled. There is no waste in the manufacturing process of cork. Any waste is recycled into other products such as cork board, soles of shoes, expansion joints etc.
2. Resilient – cork has the ability to spring back. Think about that cork stopper you try to get back into the wine bottle. Once the cork is removed from the bottle and the pressure is relieved, it springs back to its original shape. Quality cork underlayment can withstand up to 14,000 psi of direct pres-sure and recover up to 100%. It will not flatten out over time like foam underlayments can. It is beneficial to people with joint problems as it will absorb some of the impact the joint would nor-mally absorb.
3. Sound Control – the air naturally found in cork will dramatically dampen sound within the room as well as the room below when used as an underlayment. Sound travels by vibration. This vibration is absorbed by the air in the cork, minimizing impact sound transfer. Required STC and IIC ratings can be reached in a multitude of settings. Cork is especially beneficial under laminates, making them feel and sound more like hardwood.
4. Thermal Insulation – air is a good thermal insulator and cork is loaded with air. Cork, when used as an underlayment, will make any floor warmer underfoot, preventing cold from migrating up from the sub floor below. When used under electric heat mats, cork will prevent the heat from being lost to the subfloor below.
5. Hypoallergenic- the naturally occurring substance Suberin found throughout the cork resists-mold, mildew and bacteria growth and also prohibits the conduction of static electricity.

Why WE Cork? Simple….not all cork is created the same. For flooring and underlayment, cork is granulated and compressed. The quality of cork is driven by the density of the cork or the amount of cork granules compressed to make the product. The higher the density, the better the product. WE Cork’s WECU is the highest density cork underlayment found on the market today. WECU is dense enough for ceramic and marble installations. The binder that holds the granules together is also im-portant. The binder used to hold the granules together in WECU is a unique resin base, making it more resistant to moisture. WE Cork’s Warm&Quiet is a good medium density underlayment with a polyurethane binder and is suitable for use under laminates, engineered and solid wood floors. Its price point advantage makes it an affordable upgrade from foam underlayment.
ADVANTAGES
 Environmentally safe – rapidly renewable
 Excellent in-room and below-room sound reduction
 Thermal insulation – warm under foot
 Will not degrade or compress over time
 Antimicrobial – great for people who suffer from allergies and asthma
 Resistant to moisture, mold and mildew
 Low height requirement – available in 1/8”, 1/4” and 1/2”
 Lays flat – available in sheets and rolls
 Easy to install under all types of flooring products
What other underlayment product offers all of these attributes?
Installation;
The general rule of thumb for installing Cork Underlayment is, what ever bonding material is to be used with the flooring type, use that material to bond the cork underlayment. For example, if I am in-stalling an engineered hardwood, use the recommended hardwood adhesive to bond the cork
underlayment to the subfloor.
A very good general adhesive recommended for installing cork underlayment is DriTac 6200. Using a 1/8″x 1/8x 1/8″ square-notched trowel for cork greater t.han 1/4″, or a 3/32″ x 3/32″ x 3/32″ v-notched trowel for 1/4″ thick cork or less, apply DriTac adhesive to the subfloor. Allow DriTac 6200 to flash for 30-40 minutes prior to placing cork into adhesive. Place cork underlayment into the adhesive, roll both ways with a 100 lb roller.
Allow adhesive to set prior to proceeding to wood floor installation. It is highly recommended to
allow at least 18 hours prior to installation of the flooring. Note; Nailing or stapling through the cork underlayment will void the sound deadening properties of the cork as the sound will travel through the fasteners