Seville XTEC Cork Flooring Sample, Allspice

Great sample of cork!

We bought Wicander plank cork flooring through a local flooring distributer. We loved the fact that the flooring is from sustainable sources and it looked great in our kitchen. We were sold on Wicander based on the claim of greater durability from their Xtreme WRT overcoating, and were willing to pay a premium to purchase their product. Durability was a major factor for us, as this was a very large investment. About a year and a half after it was installed, we started having problems. Small pits and larger flaking of the top coat started occurring, some going all the way to the underlying cork. While sympathetic and understanding, our local distributer/intaller could not get the regional distributor, or Wicander/Amorin to assist us with the problem. First they ignored us, then they flatly refused to help, stating we must have done something wrong - like damp mopping the floor once a month with water. After much back and forth, the local distributer split the cost of sanding and refinishing the floor with us. So far, so good with the refinishing job. We still love the look but not the added expense. Our overall experience is such we cannot recommend this flooring, the company makes great claims but our experience is that they will not back them up when a problem arises. Maybe some other brands of plank cork flooring are better, but this was supposed to be the best.

I was hoping to get a full 12"x12" tile for this price. Instead I got a tiny strip that was a foot long. Pretty lame sample. I did a few tests with the flooring (because I really love the look) and they weren't so hot. I dropped a hammer on it and it left a permanent mark. I could also leave a permanent mark with a fingernail using minimal effort. If you have pets this floor will probably wear quickly.

I like to see the full layers of protective under barriers. the sample should come in a full square. It is a half small rectangle. So I mess the full pattern in the marble design. for $5 a sample - a square is preferred. Exploring this flooring option may have good outcome for the renovation.

The good: Looks great, has very nice texture. It locks with CorkComfort version too, allowing interesting patterns if you so desire. We used CorkComfort on our stairs, lofts, and bedrooms. We used this product in living and kitchen. Tracking dirt during final construction phase has not harmed it. We have a tile entry way, so the cork stays dry in winter.The bad: One of our 80 pieces was crooked on the tile, which is something I have not seen in my years of working with click flooring. The edges were chipped, or could easily be chipped. This is related to the pattern of this tile. You cannot notice the chips unless you are on your stomach.Overall I have no regrets about this flooring choice. It installed very nicely, and was similar to work with as other Wicanders cork flooring solutions.

Photo of sample appears to be square, and is priced as if it were one tile or one plank, but it is not. It is a very skinny little sample. About 3" wide and 12" long. I was hoping to see a larger piece than what's available for free or .25 at my local home store, but this is just too small, esp. for the price. Returned.

We had Wicander cork plank flooring installed in our kitchen a year ago. It turned out to be one of the biggest straight-out wastes of money I've ever experienced.First, it seems because of disconnecting and reconnecting the refrigerator during the flooring installation, the fridge's condensation drain tube iced, which caused it to start leaking small amounts of water around the front feet. In a day or two the water had traveled between and beneath the cork planks, and the areas swelled.They've never gone down. Once cork swells, it stays swelled.Then, a few months later we lost power for five days and ended up bringing a beer cooler inside with some ice, to rescue some of our food. We forgot to close the drain plug, so overnight the cooler slowly leaked water, which meandered across the middle of the floor. In the morning we discovered it and wiped it up, but it was too late.Now we have a miniature mountain range across the middle of our kitchen floor. Depending on where the most water seeped between and under the planks, the cork swelled in proportion. And never went down.We called the local shop that installed the floor and they estimated $500 to repair it. So, to figure out whether spend that and repair the floor, or spend more and replace it outright, I dug up the e-mail address of Wicander's designated Northeast U.S. representatives and asked them if I could finish the repaired floor with urethane to prevent water from penetrating between the planks in the future.They never bothered answering.My conclusion is that cork plank flooring does not belong in any room where there's water -- not in a kitchen, bathroom, or mudroom. But when you think about it, if you knock over your bedstand glass of water in your sleep, you'll have a ruined floor in your bedroom, too, if it's cork plank. So cork plank flooring probably doesn't belong in any room.I've also concluded Wicander doesn't care about people who've spent thousands on their product. So, when I tear out our new floor and replace it with anything but cork plank, I'm going to make sure the 'anything but' is made by anyone but Wicander.And finally, sadly, the local flooring shop that let me put cork plank flooring in my kitchen won't be doing the replacement.