On-site sealing of glue-down cork
We apply 2 to 3 coats of water-based polyurethane with a short-nap roller, lightly sanding between coats. The film closes the seams between tiles and keeps mop water from getting in.
Glue-down and floating cork
Cork flooring in Medellín
At Pisos Pro Medellín we install cork floors in bedrooms, nurseries, music studios, medical offices and therapy rooms in Medellín and the surrounding area. Our team has focused on floors for more than 15 years and has handled over 900 jobs.
Cork is the bark of the cork oak, a Mediterranean tree that is stripped every 9 years without being cut down. Its air-filled cells make it warm under bare feet, easy on the knees and very effective against footstep noise traveling down to the apartment below.
We install glue-down tiles and click planks, prepare the subfloor with fine leveling and, when the system calls for it, seal the floor on site with polyurethane.
- Less impact noise
- Warm and soft underfoot
- Sealed on site
- 1-year warranty
Cork floor installation: who it suits and what's included
What gets installed is agglomerated cork: granules pressed with a binder, cut into 4 to 6 mm tiles or bonded as the visible top layer of a click plank. It comes in natural, dark and stained tones.
It is a good fit for families with crawling babies, musicians who rehearse at home, psychologists and physical therapists who need a quiet room, and people who spend hours on their feet in a studio.
The service includes a subfloor assessment, fine leveling, installation, sealing where applicable, baseboards (zócalos) and a signed handover record.
Glue-down vs floating cork
These are two different products sold under the same name. The choice depends on the room, the condition of the subfloor (contrapiso) and how much sound insulation you need.
| Aspect | Glue-down tiles | Floating click planks |
|---|---|---|
| Make-up | Solid agglomerated cork through the full thickness | Cork top layer over an HDF core with cork backing |
| Preparation | Subfloor smooth as glass; any grain shows through | Flat and firm; tolerates small imperfections |
| Acoustics | Good against footfall | Very good, thanks to the double cork layer |
| Moisture | Highly resistant once sealed | Medium; the HDF swells if water reaches the joints |
| Ready to use | After 48 to 72 hours of sealer cure | Immediately |
Soundproofing in apartment buildings: cork as a floor and as underlayment
Under Colombia's condominium regime (propiedad horizontal), noise from heels, toys and dragged chairs is one of the most common complaints brought to building management. Ley 675 de 2001 and the national police and coexistence code (Código Nacional de Seguridad y Convivencia, Ley 1801 de 2016) back the neighbor who complains about noise.
A hard floor glued to the slab passes almost the entire impact into the concrete. Cork, by contrast, compresses its cells under impact and returns less energy to the structure, especially in the range of footsteps.
We also use it as a 3 to 6 mm underlayment beneath engineered hardwood, laminate or vinyl planks when building rules require sound insulation. Before buying, confirm what your building asks for with management; our guide to building rules for floor renovation helps you prepare the request.
Sealing and moisture resistance
Edges and perimeter
The weak point is the edges next to the shower, the kitchen sink or the balcony door. There we seal the perimeter with flexible caulk before fitting the baseboard.
Termites and fungi
Suberin, the waxy substance in cork, makes it unappealing to termites (comején) and resistant to rot. That does not protect the HDF core of floating planks, which does suffer with water.
Sun, furniture and pets: caring for cork
At Medellín's altitude of nearly 1,500 meters (about 4,900 feet), UV radiation is strong all year, and exposed cork changes color within a few months. We recommend curtains or UV-filtering window film on west-facing windows.
Heavy furniture legs leave dents unless they have wide felt pads. Cork recovers much of the mark over time, but not from a piece that never moves.
Large dogs' claws scratch the sealer coat before they reach the cork. Keeping nails trimmed and renewing the sealer in traffic lanes every few years keeps the floor in shape.
Common cork floor mistakes and how to diagnose them
When we inspect a cork floor with problems, the cause is rarely the material and almost always the preparation. These are the failures we see most and the sign that gives each one away:
- Bubbling tiles or lifted edges: contact adhesive joined before or after its open time
- Grains and ridges visible in raking light: an unsmoothed subfloor under a tile only 4 mm thick
- Dark, soft seams near the bathroom: no perimeter seal or just one coat of polyurethane
- Click planks with peaked joints: HDF that soaked up water from an overly wet mop
- Yellow stains in the sealer: ammonia cleaners or wax used over a polyurethane finish
Cork flooring price per m²
For Medellín in 2026, installed cork flooring has a reference range of COP $150,000 to $280,000 per m². Material runs $110,000 to $220,000 and labor $35,000 to $55,000; we confirm the final price at the visit.
| Factor | Effect on price |
|---|---|
| Format | Glue-down tiles cost less in material but need more preparation |
| Thickness | 6 mm or more improves acoustics and comfort, and raises the cost |
| On-site sealing | Adds material plus one or two days of curing |
| Fine leveling | Needed on unfinished (obra gris) slabs; quoted per m² |
| Design | Stained or wood-print cork costs more than natural |
See ranges for every material in our flooring price guide.
How we install cork
- 1
Subfloor assessment
We measure moisture and flatness. Cracks or loose areas are fixed first through our floor and subfloor repair service.
- 2
Fine leveling
For glue-down tiles we apply self-leveling compound or a skim-coat patch and sand until the surface is free of grit.
- 3
Contact adhesive or click
For tiles, water-based contact adhesive on both slab and tile, with controlled open time and a pressure roller; for click planks, underlayment and barrier to suit the subfloor.
- 4
Sealing and curing
2 to 3 coats of polyurethane on the glue-down system, then 48 to 72 hours without furniture.
- 5
Baseboards and handover
We install baseboards, check the joints and give you in writing which cleaners to use and which to avoid.
Cork flooring FAQ
Does cork work in a bathroom?
Only as solid cork tiles glued down and sealed on site, never as floating planks with an HDF core. Even then we recommend it for guest bathrooms with little shower use; for main bathrooms, vinyl flooring or porcelain tile is a better choice.
Will pets damage a cork floor?
Claws leave surface marks in the sealer that barely show on mottled natural tones. Trimmed nails, mats around the feeding area and a maintenance coat of sealer reduce the wear.
Does cork swell with moisture?
Sealed cork absorbs almost no water, because its cells are closed. What swells is unsealed cork at the seams, or the HDF core of floating planks when water is left standing.
Get a quote for your cork floor
Tell us which room you want to quiet down or make more comfortable, and we will schedule a free site visit anywhere in the Aburrá Valley.
The installation comes with a 1-year labor warranty; the terms are on our warranty page.
Pisos Pro Medellín
Tv. 6 #45-115, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Monday to Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.