Cork does not absorb water or liquids which is why it’s been used for centuries as stoppers for wine bottles.
There are two ways cork flooring can be installed: glue down and floating. Glue down systems are highly resilient in water-prone environments. However, floating floors have a center fiberboard which can swell when they are exposed to water. As such, floating cork floors are not recommended for water-prone areas. When floating floors swell, the entire flooring needs to be replaced. Only the 100% cork tiles which are a glue-down product are recommended for any potentially wet areas.
If a flooding situation occurs where glue-down cork tiles have been installed, the standing water could possibly re-emulsify some of the adhesive and thus loosen a few tiles. These tiles can usually be dried out and reapplied with new adhesive after the subfloor has dried also.
To learn more about the versatile nature of cork and your cork flooring options, click here.
