The best cork is reserved for wine bottle stoppers. Bottle stoppers account for 60% of the cork market. When the  wine corks  are produced, as with any other produced product, there is also waste, or cork that may not be up to the standards for use in bottle stoppers. Cork flooring is made from the material not used in making wine corks. Cork flooring is another fabulous environmentally conscious choice for your flooring needs.

All cork products come from the bark of the Cork Oak tree. The bark is harvested by peeling it away from the trunk and branches every 6 – 12 years. The greatest part about this, is there is no need to cut down the tree. Also, unlike other types of trees that may die when they have their bark removed, the Cork oak survives and will grow its bark again within a decade. Cork oak trees can live 200 years or more, allowing for harvest many times, which makes it an ideal green material for manufacturing.

Cork flooring comes in different styles and shapes. The most popular are tiles and planks. Cork tiles and planks are available in many colors and patterns. Cork is baked resulting in various degrees of natural color. Darker natural hues are achieved through a longer baking process.

In order to satisfy a new demand for cork flooring products, manufacturers today are using stain to improve color, and allowing for an infinite number of color choices. Now almost any color can be found to suit your needs. Cork is an extremely versatile product regarding design. Instead of choosing a single color throughout your space, get creative and choose a few and personally create your own pattern for your floor. Cork flooring has the ability to truly transform any space.

Due to the resilient nature of cork, when an object is dropped, the floor will absorb the fall and then return to its original state rather than scratching, and helps reduce breakage to both the flooring, and to the dropped item. Cork flooring also has a non-slip surface. The cellular structure of cork makes cork flooring a natural insulator. The natural insulation properties of cork help to reduce heating and cooling costs but will also be warm under foot. They will also absorb sound, and have a strong ability to absorb vibration.  This makes it perfect for dampening sound in a room, or for reducing sound transfer between floors. Cork flooring is also very pet friendly. The soft resilient surface and insulation qualities of cork flooring, you will not be able to hear your dogs barreling across the floor!

Durability of cork flooring is generally related to the type of product used to finish the floor. Water-based polyurethane and wax finishes are the most common finishes used today, which both have certain advantages and disadvantages.   Like all natural flooring products, scratching can occur, however it is usually caused by dirt and sand particles when left un-swept.

Corks natural structure contains a substance called suberin. This naturally occurring substance is a waxy material with many beneficial qualities. Suberin acts as a fire inhibitor which will not spread flames or release toxic fumes if combustion occurs. Suberin along with the cellular structure of cork make the floor water resistant. Again it is recommended to protect your floor from obvious danger regions with area rugs or mats. Natural products will have a negative reaction to water when left standing for longer periods. Make sure to use rubber backed, or some other waterproof mat underneath any water containing appliances.

Cork is also a logical choice for families that suffer from allergies or asthma.  Cork flooring is naturally hypoallergenic because of the Suberin cork resists the growth of mold and mildew.  And because it is antistatic, it won’t attract and accumulate dust and pollen particles.  Cork does not give off any gases or shed fibers of any kind, making it ideal for those with respiratory problems

There are a few cons to cork flooring, but as long as the proper precautions are taken, any of these issues are very easily resolved, or made non-existent. There is risk of permanently damaging your floor if  sharp and heavy objects are left on the floor for extended periods of time. Items such as furniture and appliances will be the most common culprits, so protect your floor by using padding under the pressure points of your heavy items. Pets may also play a hazardous role to your flooring, especially if they have long or sharp claws. Ensure that your cats don’t scratch or claw at the flooring. A scratch post should alleviate the problem. Also, keeping your dogs nails trimmed will help ensure they don’t accidentally dig and mar the flooring.

Depending on the type of finish you have chosen for your floor will determine the level of maintenance and upkeep your floor will require.  Wax finishes generally require waxing at least once a year certainly something to maintain. Polyurethane will scratch if those floors aren’t swept. So keep those floors clean with regular sweeping and dry mopping and the results will be less wear of your finish. Also remember, direct sunlight can fade the color of the flooring, as will age.

Cork floors can be installed over concrete sub-floors and even over your current floor depending on the material. Again if ever there is a problem with your floor once installed, in most cases it is not due to the product rather it is due to improper installation. It is always advisable to have a professional install your floor especially in areas where any moisture may linger.

The original cork floor is created using cork tiles. This process is trickier and requires adhesive in order to be secured to your floor. Tiles can either be unfinished or pre-finished.

Unfinished tiles are in a natural state which can be stained, painted and finished. These tiles have not been sealed, which is necessary. It is also possible to obtain tiles that have been stained in the factory but have not been finished. The advantage of this is that a sealer would go all over the floor covering all seams and edges resulting in a much stronger, and a more moisture resistant floor.

Pre finished cork tiles were finished in a factory and do not require sealing after installation. This involves less work to install, but are more susceptible to moisture penetration.

Cork flooring has also been made into a “click” flooring. Click technology allows for floors to be installed over existing floors depending on the material. Click cork flooring does not require any adhesive, and may or may not require a sealant.