I was wondering if i could use 1/2 inch (or less if recommended) cork underlayment sheets as a finished floor. I'm looking for a flooring for my art space (250 sq ft). Once installed i would poly or put some type of finish coating on top. There must be a reason why people are not doing this, but i haven't found any. Thanks for your thoughts.

the cork underlayment I have seen wont hold up to traffic. its not as dense or have all the glue/resin mixed in that make cork Flooring a viable option.
On a side note I know of a old country restaurant that took osb and coated it with poly and oddly enough it didnt look half bad, look like a poor mans cork floor to me.

Thank you and my sample of the cork underlayment arrived today and i rolled a chair over it a couple of times and quickly understood your comments. Thank you.

Yea I bet if you put enopugh poly over anything it would hold up. Probably work with just sheets of hardwood plywood as well.

Thanks. I scrapped the idea of cork. Rolling the chair over the top of the sample just a few times left permanent indents. I'll use something better. I thought the material would be more dense. Thanks for your feedback and yes, probably if my art studio wasn't brand new, i'd consider this and just go crazy with poly and hope for the best, but i want me new space pretty... Jennifer

Jenny, take a look at USFloors floating cork planks. I think they make the best and it is finished in the U.S.A. Pretty sure itis the only manufacture to finish the cork here. http://www.usfloorsllc.com/products/nat ... ollection/


Or take a look at http://www.corkfloor.com/

The "underlayment cork" IS too soft.
Depending on the type of wheels you have on your chair....they may also cause eventual problems on most materials. ( if the wheels are plastic...change them out to rubber).

Thank you too. I have a floor mat, but was testing the cork sample, so wanted to be as rough as possible and it didn't take but 30 seconds to realize my idea wasn't going to work! Thank you. Jennifer