Why is cork flooring good

Cork flooring is about as green as it gets. Cork is also easy on the ears, soft on the feet, and light on the pocketbook. And, more music to our ears: installation is relatively simple if you can follow directions. In fact, cork can be traced back to Ancient Greece where it was used for construction and insulation. Portuguese and Spanish explorers even used cork on their ships. Fast forward to today, cork has become a staple in green building.

But is it right for your home? If you struggle with allergies or asthma, cork can alleviate some of your symptoms. Which means cork repels dirt, dander, and dust mites better than many types of flooring. These labels ensure that your flooring meets strict environmental and health standards. Cork is not a maintenance-free floor, but with proper precautions, it will look beautiful for decades. Once your cork floors are sealed, they should hold up well against spills and pet accidents.

For daily cork floor cleaning , use a static dust broom or a vacuum with a bare floor setting. For tougher jobs, try a mild wood floor cleaner and a damp mop. You can find cleaning products made specifically for cork online or at your local home improvement store. Cork handles every day wear much better than carpet or hardwood, but it is susceptible to dents. Remember to use coasters under any large pieces and shift your furniture frequently to prevent your cork from sagging.

Another enemy of cork? Rocks and sand granules. This will help to cut down on tracked-in dirt and debris. These shock-absorbent cells give the floor a sponge-like feel. When the cork is compressed, it flexes and returns to its original shape. If you suffer from leg or back pain, cork flooring can relieve the pressure on your joints as you walk and can make standing for lengthy periods a bit easier on your spine.

Its cellular structure holds the temperature of the room and disperses heat evenly. If you live in a colder climate, cork flooring can save you a ton on energy costs year after year. Acoustics play a significant role in the comfort-level of your home. Especially in two-story houses, condominiums, and apartment buildings.

Due to its thick spongy composition, cork absorbs vibrations and footfalls. It traps the sound and lowers the volume to a comfortable and acceptable level. Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree otherwise known as Quercus Suberus. These trees grow along the border of the Mediterranean Sea and can regenerate after every harvest.

In fact, cork trees can live up to two centuries. The first harvest takes place when the tree is approximately 20 years old. Subsequent bark removal occurs every 9 years — up to 15 times per lifetime. Farmers take great care not to damage the tree by using a specially designed hatchet to strip the bark without disturbing the inner layer. Solid cork can be sanded and re-stained. The trick is to use a palm sander and fine grit paper.

Instead, use a thick wax and sealer to buff away scratches and restore the natural beauty of your cork flooring. As with any natural material, cork is not flawless. In truth, cork may not be the best choice for your home.

Both cork planks and tiles will expand, and contract based on the moisture-level. Cork is a bit more stable than traditional hardwood as it expands in all directions as opposed to one. Direct sunlight may light up your life, but it can also fade your cork. If you have large windows or a south-facing room cork might not be a desirable choice.

Sure, you could use area rugs, but the flooring will fade around them. These should help minimize the amount of sunlight beating down on your floors.

There is no such thing as scratch-proof wood flooring. That means dirt, pet nails, and high-heels can leave behind gouge marks, scuffs and scratches. Heavy furniture may leave indents in your flooring after time. The good news is that cork has a flexible composition, so divots and dents should disappear as the pressure is taken away. This fixes one of the biggest disadvantages of cork flooring: its tendency to absorb water.

Plus, Corkoleum is only 3mm thick, so you can glue it over existing floors without losing vertical space. And it does away with the most obnoxious disadvantage of cork flooring!

Corkoleum is made by WE Cork —check out their site to learn more. Peel-and-stick cork tiles are relatively common, and they can often be purchased as natural or engineered products. How do you install them? Just like those peel-and-stick carpet tiles you get at Home Depot. If you do go with peel-and-stick tiles, just be aware that one of the main disadvantages of cork flooring of this type is its tendency to peel up from the adhesive.

Along with solid and engineered cork flooring, you also have cork underlayment. This is the material that goes between your subfloor and your finished surface. And what is subflooring , you ask? To that end, underlayment is usually soft, sound-dampening, or with other perks that increase the comfort of your floor. Cork underlayment is an especially great solution for adding some cushion to cement subfloors or ironing out minor imperfections.

Laying cork sheets under hardwood, stone, or tile will infuse your flooring of choice with all the advantages but none of the disadvantages of cork flooring described below. We get it. The natural thermal properties of cork create an inexpensive alternative to heating wood floors. Cork has a 3. Translation: you can have toasty feet without paying a fortune to install radiant floor heating systems.

Like many DIY wood floors , engineered cork flooring planks are often fitted with click-lock installation grooves—making them just as easy to install as fake wood flooring options like vinyl and laminate. And since click-lock planks create a floating floor, you can install them over existing floors just like with snap-together tile flooring.

Cork is one of the most eco-friendly flooring options you can buy. Following a 20 year maturation period, cork oak trees can be harvested every nine or ten years for up to two centuries! Hardwood trees, on the other hand, can take decades to reach maturity. Basically, this makes cork a sustainable and ultra-green building material. Pro tip: many of the most eco-friendly types of flooring will boast a FloorScore Certification.

Cork gets its sound-dampening acoustic properties from the mind-bending quantity of tiny little air pockets within the material.

Approximately 40 million per cubic centimeter. Those same tiny little air bubbles that make cork floors so quiet also make them kind to your body. This additional support is proven to ease back and joint pain, making cork a smart option if you spend a lot of time on your feet. Cork flooring also functions as an extra safety precaution for the elderly or disabled who may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a fall. Are there disadvantages of cork flooring?

Sure—but comfort is definitely not one of them! One of the greatest advantages of cork flooring lies in a naturally occurring, waxy substance it contains called suberin. Why is suberin so amazing? Take that, cork flooring disadvantages. Suberin also makes cork naturally antimicrobial and hypoallergenic.

We can not stress this enough: you need to take precautions to protect your cork floors! The bounce they offer also comes with a tradeoff: heavy furniture can dent or gouge them. Purchase some felt furniture pads and use care when moving heavy items and be careful where you put the fridge. This price is dependent on the quality and finish of the cork you choose and of course, whether you choose cork planks, roll, or tiles.

Cork flooring can be an excellent choice for tons of applications. Plus, installation can be really simple depending on the type of product you choose. Once properly sealed, a cork floor will be resistant to mold and mildew as well as pests like termites. Of course, there are drawbacks: it needs to be regularly maintained which is a non-starter for many buyers.

So, is cork right for you? And for more resources to help choose your perfect floor, check out:. Something you might want to add is that cork flooring does not stand up well to dogs. I researched flooring quite well when we were renovating our kitchen and everything I read said it was dog friendly. We did not experience that. Although I love standing on the cork floors from a comfort standpoint, our yellow lab has ruined them with his nails.

We have big huge areas that are striped away after 15 years. The rest of my kitchen still looks great. Now we are struggling to figure out a fix without having to rip out the cupboards.

I am personally not a huge fan of cork flooring. Each to their own I guess. View on Pinterest. Install cork in your bedroom and you can host a lively cocktail party downstairs while your partner is asleep upstairs, no problem. Forget rugs. Cork floors will stay an optimal temperature year-round all on their own.