Description

he look of natural cork is more of an informal appearance that some say tends to show more wear over time, though this antique or rustic appearance goes well with some styles of decor. Beyond the style of natural cork, today’s cork products come in many different colors, shapes & styles, some which mimick other materials like marble, tile, stone & wood. The main advantages of cork are it’s softness, warmth, comfort & quietness as cork offers resilience, sound proofing & thermal insulation. Other products like hardwood & bamboo are harder & more resistant to scratches & dings, but do not have those qualities. Here’s a list of all the qualities of cork flooring.

Beautiful, wide variety of colors, designs, grain patterns & beveled edges; some suppliers offer customization of shapes, colors & patterns making possible tile mosaics & patterns like parquet & herringbone

• Organic look, environmentally friendly, plant based, biodegradable, sustainable – cork bark regrows every 9 years, no deforestation, no need to cut trees

• Naturally water resistant, natural suberin wax within the cork cells protects against moisture; polyurethane based finishes also increase water resistance

• Antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, fire resistant, resists mold, mildew, rodents, termites & other insects

• Insulates & maintains temperature, helping with hvac costs, suitable for radint floor heating, doesn’t get cold like tile, wood & marble

• Comfortable, soft, resilient & warm, great for kids or elderly to cushion a fall

• Quiet, soundproofs, absorbs impacts, reduces sound of steps; cork underlayment is also used for this purpose & for thermal insulation with other flooring types

• Low maintenance, just sweep or vacuum & damp mop, recoat polyurethane every 3-5 years

• Durable & can last for many years – some say 50-75 while others estimate 15-20 if not carefully maintained

• Not hard like wood so may dent or scratch easier, felt should be placed on furniture legs

• Resilient, doesn’t dent easily but very heavy furniture legs can leave impressions if not placed on coasters

• Pets with nails can scratch & cause wear but more coats of polyurethane can be applied to increase protection

• Natural style cork masks scratches, hides dirt & seams very well, wear tends to not stand out

Great Places to Install Cork Flooring

Cork floors are soft, cushiony & comfortable to stand on making it great for kitchen’s or any place where one stands for long periods. Children’s rooms & where elderly people live are good places to have soft flooring where someone could fall. For any floors above people where quietness is desired cork has great sound proofing ability. And for any rooms where floors tend to get cold cork’s thermal insulation keeps them warm.