Trend Alert: Cork Flooring

We are seeing more and more interest in Cork Flooring recently! This may come as a shock to you because this material isn’t normally associated with flooring, but there are some huge advantages that is making it become a more popular choice. Let’s take a closer look!

Why we love cork flooring!

We love using cork flooring in our projects because it has so much to offer! Cork flooring has come a long way and adds a great deal of warmth to the home. It is also a very sustainable material to use in the home because it is harvested from living trees in plantations that were planted for commercial purposes. It is a completely natural, recurring, and replenishable material that is biodegradable – it will break down easily into the environment at the end of its life. While it has been used in commercial interiors for quite some time now, it is also being used in residential interior projects too!

The main reason we love using cork flooring though is that it is hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, and eco-friendly! Therefore making it the perfect choice for allergy sufferers. You can explore other flooring options for allergy sufferers here.

How to use it. 

Cork flooring can be used in a variety of different areas of the home. You can easily use cork flooring in the kitchen, living room, dining room, main hallways and entryways, playrooms, and bedrooms. As cork is a soft material it is great for kids’ playrooms and gyms.

Don’t be put off by the orange-y tone of pure cork, there are lots of different shades varying from light wood to dark cork to suit a range of interior styles.

Cork flooring is relatively easy to install and many DIY-ers will be able to lay this flooring. Some cork flooring products come pre-finished, however, if it doesn’t you will need to coat the installed cork flooring with several layers of sealant.

The maintenance for cork flooring is relatively straightforward… It will require regular sweeping or vacuuming to remove dirt particles and you can use a damp mop once a month or so to give the surface a clean.

What to watch for.

There are some considerations to take into account when thinking of installing cork floor in your home…

Firstly, cork flooring is susceptible to damage. Particularly from pets – they may want to scratch and dig into the floor. Keeping your pets’ nails trimmed short can help to prevent this but unfortunately, pets may damage cork flooring. 

If you like to move your furniture around often, cork flooring will get divots from furniture and appliances so you should avoid moving furniture and appliances once the cork floor has been installed.

Another aspect to consider with cork flooring is that it can fade from high exposures to sunlight. Discoloration can occur leading to patchy flooring. Although cork flooring will need regular water sealing, you can refinish the flooring to give it a fresh look.

Ways to make this trend last in your home

Cork flooring can last many years in your home if chosen and looked after properly.

The key to making cork flooring last is choosing a coloring that works well for your interior space. Think of it in the same way you would hardwood flooring… Would you like a light-colored floor or dark? And explore some of the coloring options from there.

Cork flooring is usually available as tiles but there’s no reason to say you cannot cut these into planks so when installed it looks more like wood flooring.

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