When it comes to the ultimate green flooring material hands down cork flooring will win. This article is going to explain to you exactly why cork is the best material for your floor. It will also explain the benefits it will have in your household and for the environment. By the time you finish this article you’ll be popping a cork for cork floors!

This part is going to get a little technical, but that’s so you get a better idea about the cork material and why it’s the ultimate green flooring material. Cork is actually the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber), and is not to be confused with the cork tree (Phellodendron). Only the cork oak tree (Quercus suber) can provide bark good enough to commercially produce cork. The method of harvesting the bark is quite simple; famers simple remove a small layer of bark (cork) from the trunk. A cork oak tree is able to provide its first harvest after it matures in about 25 years, than can be continually harvested every 8 to 12 years, with a total life span of about 200 to 250 years.

As you’ve learned above it’s quite obvious how cork flooring is the ultimate green flooring product. However, you’re still probably wondering what makes it so special beyond its sustainability. Well, then you need to learn a little bit about corks cellular make-up. Each cell in cork material is in the shape of a honey comb and inside these tiny little honeycomb cells is trapped gas. This gives cork flooring its comfort and durability properties. Did you know cork can compress up to 40% and return to its normal shape without damage, even after being compressed for years? This is why cork is used as a stopper for wine and champagne bottles; its durability is incomparable to any other product.

We haven’t even reached the tip of the ice berg when it comes to the benefits of cork. We’ll simply sum up a few more in this paragraph and direct you to some additional research if we haven’t convinced you yet that cork is the best green flooring material. Cork flooring is proven to be resistant to mold, mildew, moisture, pests and allergens. This is all thanks to the naturally occurring chemical called Suberin. This waxy substance makes cork great for people with allergies since it anti-allergenic. It also makes cork great for kitchens, basements and bathrooms since it allows cork to resist mold, mildew and moisture.

This last little bit is about the beauty of cork flooring. Let’s face it, nothing compares to the beauty of wood flooring. The natural colors and pattern variations rival anything that is manufactured and not from nature itself. Cork material has some of the most beautiful colors and pattern variations you’ll get in a wood-type floor. Manufactures can even add color to their flooring products to make your cork based floor whatever color you may choose. If you want to learn more about this ultimate green flooring product we suggest you follow the links below.

Come learn more about why cork flooring is the ultimate green flooring material at CorkFlooringPros.com, the consumers best resource for education on cork flooring and cork material. We even have some amazing cork flooring videos on how to install this amazing product in your home on your own!

Did you know that cork is not just for corkboards anymore? It is a great environmentally friendly flooring that feels great under your feet and looks great too. Cork flooring in a kitchen will instantly update your kitchen and make it feel warm and inviting. Cork flooring has many other benefits also.

Why would you put cork flooring in the kitchen? If you are concerned about the environment, cork flooring is an excellent choice for you. Cork is a renewable resource, which means that the trees are not cut down to make the cork, as it comes from the bark of the tree and the bark is regrown within nine years. This is a great benefit over hardwood flooring since the trees are cut down to be used for flooring, and it typically takes 30 years–sometimes much longer–for a tree to be large enough to be used for flooring again.

Cork flooring is also wonderful for homes with family members with allergies. It is hypoallergenic and does not absorb dust or mites, letting you mop the floor clean to remove the allergens. This makes it an ideal flooring for people with allergies, as the dust will not cause them problems.

Is cork flooring in a kitchen a good idea? Yes! Cork flooring is resilient, which means that it has some cushion when you walk and stand on it. This is great for the kitchen where you stand for long periods of time preparing and cooking food. Cork flooring is also very durable, which is a big benefit in the kitchen as it is probably the most traveled room in the entire house. Being water resistant and easy to clean are also great benefits in the kitchen where spills and messes are very common. It also has the added benefits of being an insulator, which is great for noise and temperature control.

The beauty of cork flooring is unparalleled. Cork comes in many different colors from different shades of tan to red to black so you can mix and match colors to create a custom floor all your own. And because of it’s patterning with light and dark swirls, it hides dirt and blemishes well. Of course that can be a bit of a problem if you drop something you want to retrieve or clean; but you’ll get over that in no time. It is neutral enough to go with any design style, yet makes a statement of beauty and warmth that other floorings cannot even come close to matching.

It comes in two basic styles; tiles and floating planks. Cork tiles are glued directly to the subfloor while floating cork flooring is clicked together and sit on top of the subfloor. Some cork comes prefinished with a UV-cured finish; be careful with this because it may not be as durable as a polyurethane (water-based being environmentally the best choice).

One of cork’s unsung benefits is that it is “self healing”. It’s more resilient to compression from furniture than carpeting or vinyl and linoleum. When you drop a knife or other sharp object on it, the wound heals up so you don’t see it. It’s an incredible flooring material.

Care for your kitchen floor is simple and easy. It just needs regular sweeping and damp mopping to get rid of dirt and debris. Once a year or when your floors start looking dull, you can refinish the cork flooring, according to your manufacturer’s directions.

If you are looking for an environmentally friendly way to cover your floors, you want to consider cork flooring for your kitchen. Kitchen floors are very important as the kitchen is a very important room in your home. Cork flooring will help your room feel warm and inviting for you, your family, and your friends so that you will all want to gather and enjoy your kitchen even more.

* Sage Blossom Consulting *
Sustainable Hospitality Is Our Business
Kit Cassingham

Kit Cassingham, Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Sage Blossom Consulting, is a hospitality consultant to the B&B and hotel industries. Her focus includes market niche, and sustainable and green operations.

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