Home Flooring Guide

If you have ever visited a home or place of business that has installed cork flooring, it is likely to be a place you will remember.  That is one reason that cork floors are one of the "up and coming" flooring materials that many interior designers are recommending.  But those recommendations are not being made just because cork floors look cool and impress your guests (although they will).  Cork has a lot of unique advantages that can provide compelling reasons to consider cork flooring for your next remodeling project.

What Are the Advantages of Cork Flooring?

The uniqueness of cork flooring goes much further than how "cool" it looks and what a fun and interesting design choice cork makes.  There are numerous other advantages to consider that make cork just as viable as an option for your flooring needs as vinyl, hardwood or bamboo.  Some of those advantages include…

·    Cork floors are soft and "springy" which make them very comfortable to walk on.  They are perfect for recreation rooms where kids will be playing.  A cork floor almost begs you to take off your shoes and enjoy the texture with your bare toes.

·    Cork has an insulating effect which is why it is so often used in wine bottles and food applications.  That means a room with a cork floor will stay warmer in the winter.  This makes cork a great flooring for a basement bedroom or lounge.

·    Cork absorbs sound which means it does a good job of making loud room softer.  For rooms where children are going to be, cork can absorb the din they make.  Cork is a quiet flooring which means there is no "creaking" that you sometimes get from wood floors.  You can walk across a cork floor silently.

·    Cork is tough and resilient in use.  Cork gives and takes easily so you are much less likely to damage a cork floor installation than you would a hardwood floor.  Cork cleans up easily and keeps its "new" look year after year.

·    Cork brings its own personality to a room.  It is a fun and interesting flooring that encourages social activity and play.  It makes an excellent covering for a room where the family will be together because cork flooring is so comfortable that it can replace carpeting.  But because cork is flat, it is easy to clean up which makes it an ideal flooring for a child or teenagers bedroom.

Where Does Cork Flooring Come From?

Most cork flooring comes from Spain or Portugal.  So while cork is an imported item, it is produced in such huge supply in these countries that cork is one of the most affordable building materials available.  It is the product of bark of the cork oak tree.  That is nice trivia when people begin to remark about your interesting and attractive cork floor.  Of course, we all familiar with cork as it is used in wine bottles and on bulletin boards.  It is a responsive and durable product and that is what makes cork such a great material for flooring.  

Is Cork Flooring Hard to Install?

Cork flooring comes ready to install.  The "tongue and groove" design to the flooring means you can install a cork floor yourself in an afternoon.  Because cork is so pliable, you can cut and shape the flooring to fit around corners or permanent installations in the room.  And because it is so easy to install a cork floor yourself as a DIY project, that adds to the affordability.  In fact, the project of laying down your new cork floor can be fun.  It would make a great family project.  Just think of how proud your children will be if they got to help put in the cork floor to their own bedroom or play room.

Is Cork Flooring More Expensive Than Other Materials?

Compared to hardwood floor alternatives, the cork flooring raw materials are quite affordable.  There are plenty of suppliers who are competing for  your business.  That means you can shop online and compare the deals you can get there to what your local flooring supplier can offer.  Often local suppliers want your business so much that they will give you a great deal rather than lose the sale to an internet merchant.  

Buying from a local supplier is a good route to success because you can see cork flooring first hand and get an idea of the feel you will get when the flooring is installed.  That will raise your level of excitement about how fun and interesting your cork floor will be.  And when that flooring is also as durable and easy to maintain as cork is, that is a bonus which makes cork an outstanding option for your remodeling plans.