One of the most crucial parts of any home is the flooring. The flooring can change the value and appearance of a home drastically. There are many options in flooring, you can have carpets, hardwood flooring or even linoleum flooring. A unique choice for flooring is cork flooring which has been naturally enriching interiors for over a hundred years in houses, schools, hospitals, churches, museums, libraries and even hotels. Cork flooring has many advantages, besides being eco-friendly, it is warm, comfortable and durable that not only adds to aesthetics of a house but also makes it cozy and comforting. But first let us try to understand more about what is cork flooring and what are its advantages other than the obvious cork flooring durability?
What is Cork Flooring
Cork floors are made from the bark of the cork tree which is also used to make wine corks. The cork oak primarily grows in the Western Mediterranean countries. This tree has the unique trait of being able to give up its bark every 9 or 10 years and grows a new layer of bark after the previous bark is harvested. All this is done without any harm to the tree and thus, cork is a renewable and sustainable resource.
Cork flooring was first manufactured and installed in the early part of twentieth century. It became quite popular because of durability of cork flooring and many original cork floors are still in use in both residential and commercial structures, till today. Though, over the years the popularity of the cork flooring diminished because of introduction of new materials for flooring like vinyl flooring, cork is again re-establishing itself as an interesting, durable and cost-effective flooring material.
Durability of Cork Flooring
When choosing any flooring, one of the first characteristics that is crucial is its durability. The flooring of any house or commercial structure is a huge investment and you want flooring that is easy to maintain and will last a long time. So, what about cork floor durability? Is it strong enough for flooring? The answer is yes, cork flooring is one of the most strongest flooring options that is available today. There are several points that show it's durability. The following are a few of them.
Resilient:
Cork is more than 50% air, thus making it lightweight and extremely resilient to pressure. If you place heavy furniture on cork floor, it will make an impression or a dent, but as soon as you remove the pressure, the floor will spring back to its original shape almost immediately and look as good as new, whereas with other types of flooring such as carpet, heavy furniture will leave a permanent mark.
Water Resistant: Another feature which showcases cork flooring durability is that it is water-resistant. Cork contains a natural substance called suberin which is a wax type of substance that makes the cork flooring impervious to liquids. Unlike hardwood flooring which will rot if exposed to water or liquid, cork will not, thus making it versatile and a perfect choice for kitchen and bathroom flooring.
Easily Renewable: Another great feature of cork flooring is that the cork floors are covered in a polyurethane coating to provide a wear surface that increases cork flooring durability and longevity. Even if the protective coat of a cork floor begins to wear out, it can easily be re coated.
Sound and Temperature Insulator: Another feature of cork flooring is that it is a good sound and temperature insulator. This is due to its cellular, honeycomb like structure of millions of tiny air pockets. Thus, it is a great choice for floors that are above other living spaces and unlike other kinds of flooring you won't have to hear the sounds of footfalls.
These were some of the reasons of durability of cork flooring, which makes it a very popular choice for an esthetically pleasing, low maintenance and comfortable flooring. But like any coin has two sides, you should weigh the cork flooring pros and cons before making your decision.
