Benefits of Cork Flooring: It's a Natural, Green Choice

If you're looking for a green, eco friendly, versatile option for floor covering, look no further than cork. That's right, cork, the stuff of champagne bottles and bulletin boards.

I was looking to replace our carpeting, mainly because of my persistent allergies. Hardwood flooring seemed way out of my price range, ceramic tile beautiful but not really giving the cozy feeling I wanted, and linoleum or vinyl seemed appropriate for the kitchen and bathrooms, but not the living areas. One of the local installers suggested cork.

My hometown was once the hub of cork and linoleum production, being home to both Armstrong Cork Co. (now Armstrong World Industries) and Dodge Cork. Although Armstrong moved away from linoleum and cork products in favor of vinyls in the 1970's, Dodge Cork continued on, and is now profiting from the resurgence of interest in natural and sustainable products. As a matter of fact, Dodge Cork had installed the cork floor in the Writer's House Lobby at the local college, Franklin and Marshall, which I'd admired several times, thinking it was some sort of hardwood. So I was intrigued, and took home an armful of brochures, including one from APCOR, the Portuguese Cork Association. It turns out that the largest quantity of cork comes from Portugal and the Western Mediterranean.

Cork products are made from the bark of an oak tree, Quercus suber. It is harvested about every 9-10 years, does not harm the tree, and is strictly regulated. The trees can live up to 150 years or more.

Since my primary reason for replacing my carpeting was allergies, the salesperson at Bomberger's flooring pointed out that cork is not only hypoallergenic; it also resists mites and mold, does not give off toxic or volatile gases, and is naturally fire resistant.

The same qualities that make it the perfect material for corking bottles also make it perfect for flooring. Cork flooring is naturally water resistant, insect resistant, and flexible; think about how it compresses, then expands to fit the bottle opening. The same properties are found in cork flooring and subflooring; it is durable, flexible, softer underfoot than hard tile, and has wonderful insulating properties. According to APCOR, it contributes to building certification under the LEED standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design/U.S. Green Building Council). Cork underlayment, or sub flooring, is sometimes used under other materials to provide extra insulation against temperature, noise or excessive vibration. Its insulation value comes from the cellular makeup of the wood, which is formed of large cells filled with air (which is why cork is also used as floats on fishing nets and the like).

When I went back to look at samples, I expected maybe a dozen. I was amazed to learn that there are hundreds of choices available.

First of all, it's available in just about every color shade or tint one can imagine, ranging from natural and earth tones to shades of blue, green and even a pink.

Secondly, the cork can be stained to create inlaid effects (some resemble stone, for example) or left with its natural pattern, which shows off the wood grain.

Third, it is sold as interlocking planks (simulating hardwood flooring) or tiles, which can be cut and arranged into checkerboard, parquet, or any other pattern you can imagine.

What about care? For high traffic and use areas, a polyurethane coating should be applied every few years, as cork flooring cannot be sanded. This is generally recommended for commercial space, or for homes whose flooring takes a regular heavy beating from foot traffic. Cork is actually very resilient, and therefore more resistance to damage from objects dropped on it, pet traffic, etc. For smaller households, you can forgo the coating. Clean with a light dust mop (the salesperson recommended vacuuming without a beater brush; most newer vacuums have a setting for hard surfaces, which disengages the brush) followed by an occasional mopping with a slightly damp mop. Spills should always be cleaned up immediately, and one should take the usual precautions one would take with any new floor; avoid dragging objects across it, place protective coasters under heavy furniture, and wipe excess dirt and grit off of shoes before entering the home. Over time, cork can also fade from constant sunlight; protecting those areas in constant direct sunlight with rugs, or keeping curtains drawn at times of high intensity will help to preserve your floor.

What about cost? Cork is available in "easy-to-install click together" technology, as well as tiles requiring adhesive. I compared prices from a dozen stores and websites, and prices for the tiles run anywhere from $2.49sq/ft to $6.49sq/ft. or more . That's the DIY price, without including cost of adhesive, tools, and equipment. Price installed from my local flooring business ranged from about $8.oosq/ft to $12.00sq/ft, the latter price including a more intricate design I saw in one of the brochures.

Durability ranged anywhere from 15-25 years, depending on the quality of floor originally purchased, as well as the usual factors of daily wear and tear and home maintenance.

If you view the websites at the end of the article, or peruse brochures at your local flooring showroom, you will find that most recommend professional installation rather than doing it yourself. Most problems experienced with cork flooring were the result of improper/poor installation.

There are many cork flooring benefits. It's green, sustainable,and recyclable; hypoallergenic, insect proof, and rot resistant; flexible, insulating, and versatile. It's natural, and naturally beautiful. Eco friendly cork flooring may just be the wave of the future.

Sources: Brochure produced by APCOR
Brochure produced by Amorim Flooring of North America
Bomberger's of Lititz, flooring professionals