"Client joked it was like living inside a tire shop for a month."
Ha, that tire shop analogy is spot-on. Had a similar issue with rubber mats in a gym room—durable as heck but the smell lingered forever, especially after workouts. Curious if anyone's tried cork underlayments instead? I've heard good things about moisture resistance and noise reduction, but does it hold up long-term under heavy furniture or equipment?
I've inspected a few homes where cork underlayment was used, and honestly, it's pretty impressive stuff. It does handle moisture well and definitely cuts down on noise, but heavy equipment or furniture can leave indentations over time—especially if you rearrange things often. Still, compared to rubber mats...
"durable as heck but the smell lingered forever"
...cork's odor-free advantage alone might be worth the trade-off. Maybe pairing cork with furniture pads could help mitigate those dents? Just thinking aloud here.
I've seen cork hold up surprisingly well too, but you're right about the dents—had a client who moved their piano around every few months (don't ask me why...), and it definitely left marks. Wonder if anyone's tried layering cork with something sturdier underneath?
Layering cork with something sturdier could definitely help. I've seen cork combined with thin plywood or even a dense rubber mat underneath, and it seemed to cut down on those dents quite a bit. Had a friend who did this in their home studio—lots of heavy gear constantly shifting around—and the floor held up surprisingly well over time. Might be worth experimenting with a small test area first though, just to see how it works out before committing fully.
I've seen cork combined with thin plywood or even a dense rubber mat underneath, and it seemed to cut down on those dents quite a bit. Had a friend who did this in their home studio—lots of heavy...
I've actually wondered about combining cork with rubber mats myself—doesn't rubber sometimes trap moisture underneath though? I'd be curious how your friend's setup handled humidity long-term. Might try a small test patch here too, just to see...
