Cork Flooring 101

About Cork Flooring

Cork flooring is becoming more and more popular all the time due to its many virtues including the fact that it is relatively inexpensive and comfortable to walk on, because of its natural cushioning effect, and because of the fact that it insulates well, keeping it warm in the winter months. Cork flooring provides a certain amount of sound-proofing, compared to other floors that make loud noises when walked on. Most of the cork today is produced in Spain, where massive amounts of cork oaks are grown. Cork is environmentally friendly and a good choice for more modern flooring. Cork is used in a variety of different things, not just floors. In fact, you are probably familiar with some of the objects made of cork; you might even have some of them in your home, such as wine corks or bulletin boards.

Where it Comes From

Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak, which is grown in places like Spain and Portugal. The bark is removed from the cork oak approximately every nineteen years. But, it is only removed when the tree reaches the age of twenty-five or older. It is removed by hand and then boiled. After that it is baked and made into a variety of things including cork flooring. Well, cork flooring is sealed, and then it is ready to be sold. It comes in many colors, and designers often use different colors in one floor to add depth, by placing many squares together to form the floor. A lot of people consider cork flooring to be the next big thing in floors. It is environmentally friendly, soft on the feet, stylish, and cheaper than most other wood floors.

Cork flooring is durable and long lasting, and much less likely to crack or scratch like classic wood floors. It is good because of its spring like texture that makes it less likely to break fragile things when dropped onto the floor. Cork can be recycled and used for other items, or even to make cork floors out of the recycled cork. Cork floors can last many years, which makes it great for businesses and places where a lot of people visit. Cork will look new for many years without repair. Another positive aspect of cork flooring is that it is chic ‘n’ stylish, and adds the perfect flair to your home or office. It comes in simple tongue and groove installation, which makes it easy to just snap into place.

Price Range

Cork floors can range in price from two dollars a S/F to seven dollars a S/F and up, the price is relatively low for such a high quality floor. Like most floors, it can be bought online or at many major flooring companies. Most online floor companies provide you with a wide range to browse through and sometimes they can give you free shipping. Though, if you want to get a hands-on look at the floor, it is best to go to your local flooring center and pick out the exact floor you want by hand. You can even custom order to pick the perfect floor to match your needs. Cork floors are a good choice because of their durability and all their many other positive qualities that make cork the perfect choice for your home or business.