What’s Lurking Under Your Floors?
First Thing’s First: Subfloors Made from Concrete If you were to rip up your floorboards, you’d see a subfloor made of either concrete
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Outstanding Benefits of Eco Cork Foam Underlayment
Don’t wait until you go to pick up your flooring order to think about underlayment. If you let this foundational element become an afterthought to
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Eco Cork Foam Goes National
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to go up the sides of the walls on a basement concrete floor?
ECF is not intended to be installed on the walls approved for use on wood or concrete subfloors. If you have cracks in the foundation or are aware of high moisture and PH levels, then ensure these are addressed prior to flooring installation.
My concrete slab is not perfectly level, even after I had some areas dealt with. Will this help to reduce some of these slight dips?
ECF is 3.2mm thick and will help with minor leveling and imperfections in your subfloor. If the floor is not level, then it is very important to ensure you have a level subfloor before installing ECF and your flooring. When your subfloor is not level, the tongue-and-groove connections of your flooring will separate. Not only does the floor look sloppy when this happens, you tend to get uneven wear and tear.
What is the FIIC rating of Eco Cork Foam?
FIIC refers to a "field" test done outside of a lab. This "test" is only accurate in the place it was tested. If you were to perform a test the same way in a different location, the results will not be the same. FIIC rating sounds good, but this is not an accurate measure for the consumer. The industry standard tests are STC (used to determine airborne sound transmission loss), IIC (used to determine the amount of impact noise isolation) and Delta IIC (shows what the product adds to the assembly in terms of impact sound isolation). Delta IIC may be a helpful measure to the consumer as it explains the sound isolation for the product alone. Eco Cork Foam was tested by an independent, third-party laboratory, and the results were as follows: IIC is 73, STC is 66 and the Delta IIC is 23.
Can ECF be used on top of a DRICORE subfloor and under an engineered laminate hardwood floor?
ECF is the best choice when installing laminate, engineered and hardwood floating floors on a wood subfloor. Speaking in terms of order of installation, you would lay the DRICORE first as your subfloor, then ECF and followed up by your engineered laminate hardwood floor.
What kind of tape do you use with Eco Cork Foam?
It is recommended you use heavy-duty duct tape, preferably waterproof to seal the perimeters (concrete subfloors ONLY).
Is the amount of cork vs. poly blend of this product a food source to subterranean termites?
Our product is made from polyethylene foam and cork. While the foam is likely not interesting to termites, we do not have any testing or reports in regards to insects. Of note, we have never received any complaints regarding insect issues as a result of using Eco Cork Foam as the underlayment. (Over 80 million square feet sold!)
Can I use ECF on my walls to reduce noise transfer from room to room?
ECF has never been sound tested for wall installations, and is approved for concrete or wood subfloors. That being said, ECF was third-party tested and recorded best-in-class results for STC (66), IIC (73) and Delta IIC (23) for flooring systems. As ECF has a 6 mil vapor barrier pre-attached, there is no logical reason it could not be used underneath drywall in place of the simple vapor barrier approved for use in the IBC (International Building Code).
Can I install this Eco Cork Foam direct to the basement floor, or do I need a subfloor?
ECF is the best choice when installing laminate, engineered and hardwood floating floors on a concrete subfloor. Assuming you have a solid subfloor that is free of moisture and debris, the installation of ECF is fast directly on the concrete. The great news is that there is a 6 mil vapor barrier already attached!
I have concrete floor in the basement, and I want to install cork underlay as vapor barrier on the concrete floor with laminate floor on the top. Will it stop damp/coldness of the concrete floor from getting through? In the past, I had good-quality underpadding with thin commercial-quality carpet, and it worked.
ECF is the only underlayment available with an attached 6 mil vapor barrier. This vapor barrier is laminated across the entire surface with a 4” overlap that is utilized for installation on concrete subfloors. Not only is ECF waterproof, but it is also a superior thermal barrier and helps to retain warmth in your space.
What is the STC, IIC and Delta IIC of Eco Cork Foam?
ECF was tested by an independent, third-party laboratory. ECF performed excellently, and the results were an STC of 66, an IIC of 73 and the Delta IIC of 23. For both STC and IIC, a rating of 50 or above will satisfy the minimum requirements of the International Building Codes (IBC). The test reports can be found on www.ecfunderlayment.com.
Can this product be used with carpets in a basement?
ECF was designed specifically to be used with laminate, engineered, and hardwood flooring and is manufactured to 3.2mm thickness for this purpose. It is not the ideal underlayment for use with carpet. Speaking in terms of foot-fall comfort, we recommend the LifeProof Carpet Cushion. It is completely waterproof and will provide excellent thermal R-value, which only adds to the total comfort of your flooring system.
Is Eco Cork Foam (ECF) waterproof?
Yes, ECF is made from polyethylene foam that is inherently waterproof. Add to this a pre-attached 6 mil vapor barrier, and you can see why Eco Cork Foam is completely waterproof and top of its class.
I’m thinking of using the Eco Cork Foam as an insulation inside a fiberglass camping trailer. What is the R-value of it? Can it be glued to fiberglass? Can it be painted over?
While not the intended application, we feel ECF could be of benefit as thermal insulation as it has an R-value of 0.48. ECF is completely waterproof and is the only underlayment available with an attached 6 mil vapor barrier.
Can we use two layers of Eco Cork Foam to improve the acoustic performance?
We do not recommend using two layers of underlayment. You could actually create more moisture between the layers, providing an ideal environment for the growth of odor-causing mold, mildew and bacteria.
Should I tape the foam pieces together? I’m installing on a basement cement floor, should I duct tape them together?
ECF is the best choice when installing laminate, engineered and hardwood floating floors on a concrete subfloor. ECF Underlayment is easy to install as you simply lay flat on subfloor, fold the flap over, and peel and stick as directed. Tape can be used to seal the perimeter of the underlayment down to the concrete.
Can Eco Cork Foam be glued down on a concrete subfloor?
ECF is not compatible with any glues or adhesives as they could affect the integrity of the product. The approved installation methods are a floating or nail-down application.
Can Eco Cork Foam Underlayment be used with radiant flooring?
Eco Cork Foam Underlayment is approved for use with radiant flooring systems. We recommend that the temperature does not exceed 81 degrees F or 27 degrees C. Please follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for the order of installation and floor heat temperatures as excess floor heat can cause warping, cupping, shrinkage and sometimes splitting of laminate, engineered or solid wood floors.
Can ECF Underlayment be used under tile?
ECF was designed specifically to be used with laminate, engineered/hardwood and vinyl flooring that is 5mm or greater in thickness. ECF has some cushion and is not a rigid product, therefore, it is not an ideal underlayment for stone or tile applications.
Can Eco Cork Foam be used with vinyl flooring?
Yes, Eco Cork Foam can be used with vinyl. ECF was specifically manufactured to be used with engineered/hardwood, laminate and vinyl that is 5mm or greater in thickness. Be sure to follow the flooring manufacturer’s installation guidelines.
Can Eco Cork Foam Underlayment be used with flooring that already has attached underlay?
Yes, ECF can be used with flooring that has an attached underpad. It is recommended to follow the flooring manufacturer’s installation guidelines as requirements can change from brand to brand.
May ECF be used on a 6” concrete floor with no subfloor as is requested by my association?
The concrete floor is actually your subfloor. ECF is the only underlayment available with a built-in 6 mil vapor barrier which makes it the best solution for concrete subfloors. No other materials are needed to complete your project to protect your floors from moisture. ECF has a Class 1 rating for water vapor transmission and best-in-class acoustical ratings.
How thick is Eco Cork Foam?
Eco Cork Foam has a thickness of 3.2mm or 1/8", which helps establish a solid foundation and provides stability for solid tongue-and-groove connections.