Why Choose Cork Flooring?
With such a variety of flooring to choose from these days why choose cork flooring? If an image comes to mind at the thought of buying cork flooring that is dull and rather lifeless, look again. Today's cork flooring comes in a wide variety of patterns, colors and textures. There are a number of natural cork tones and an even greater number of man made colors.
As with any other major purchase that you make choosing flooring involves a
good deal of research and the making of decisions that are based on your individual needs and tastes. The fact is that cork flooring has the potential to not only fulfill your needs and satisfy your taste it may well surpass them.
Cork - A Renewable Resource
We are becoming increasingly aware of our environment and the demands that we individually and collectively place on that environment. If you are making a shift towards using renewable resources than choosing cork flooring is definitely a good step in that direction. Cork comes from the bark of the Cork Oak Tree and is harvested in such a manner so as not to damage the trees' ability to grow new bark. With Portugal supplying 50% of the world's demand for cork, the remaining supply of cork comes from Spain and North Africa. Cork is harvested from the Cork Oak Tree every nine years and so there is an unending and sustainable supply.
As mentioned, cork comes in a wide variety of colors from natural to man made. Cork flooring however has far more going for it than the shades and colors it is available in. Both cork tiles and cork planks are easy to install. That brings cork floors up to speed with any number of other flooring options. Where cork flooring pulls ahead of the rest of the pack is in its many other benefits.
Cork Flooring Is:
- very durable and resistant to denting and marking
- fire resistant
- water resistant
- heat resistant - cork is resistant to temperature changes - hot or cold
- resistant to mold and mildew
- anti-bacterial
- anti-fungal
- insect resistant
- scratch resistant - your cork floors will self heal if you wound them with a dropped knife
Additional Benefits of Cork Flooring
- possesses the ability to compress and expand
- does not mark
- easy on the feet and legs
- recovers its shape quickly after it has been under pressure from a heavy object
- easy to clean - just sweep or wipe with a damp rag or mop
- cut sound
- dropped objects bounce rather than break
- child and pet friendly
Even if cork flooring does not answer your decorating needs, suit your taste or fit your budget consider having cork floors installed in your kitchen. After twenty-seven years of raising a family and a houseful of pets in homes with white kitchen floors I wish I had known then what I know now about cork flooring and that it had been so readily available as it is today. I now have cork floors in my kitchen and my only complaint is it is difficult if not impossible to tell when they are dirty. Cleaning my cork floor is a snap, a quick wipe with a damp cloth or mop and its a done deal.
They are soft and warm and I could easily stand on them all day if I had to. One thing that some may find a drawback is that cork floors will fade over time if exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time. Other than that all they need is a new coat of polyurethane every five to ten years. This is applied after a light sanding.
Cork flooring is one of the best purchases I have ever made and I have no hesitation in recommending it as one of the best flooring options available.
