Cork Flooring: Seven Reasons to Love It

With the plethora of options out there—wood, laminate, carpet and more—it's easy to become overwhelmed when choosing the perfect flooring for your home. Well, there's one relatively new item to add to the list, but this addition should make your choice an easier one. Say hello to cork flooring, and all the reasons we love it.


1. It's Comfortable to Walk On Cork flooring is naturally shock absorbent, making it easy on the feet. Air pockets in cork make it soft to walk on and helps prevent back and joint pain.

2. It's Quiet The air pockets mentioned above act as a cushion that absorbs sonds and vibrations, perfect for entertainment rooms. It also helps reduce noise between floors, a great feature for condos or apartments.

3. It's Warm Those amazing air pockets do it again! They act as a buffer against the cold, keeping bare feet warm, while reducing heat loss and gas bills.

4. It's Healthy and Hypoallergenic Because it does not absorb dust, cork floors are fantastic for people who suffer from allergies. It's also resistent to mildew, rot (because of naturally occuring suberin) and mold—even when submerged under water for long periods of time.

5. It's Eco-Friendly Cork is taken only from the outer layer of the cork tree, which means no trees are cut down or destroyed. The bark is carefully harvested with hand tools every nine years, using a centuries old tradition that allows new bark to grow in its place without ever damaging or killing the trees. After each harvest, the cork tree fully regenerates its bark.

6. It's Durable and Resistent Because of those amazing air pockets, cork flooring can withstand intense pressure without denting. In fact, the material always springs back to it's original structure once the weight is removed.

7. There's a Huge Selection of Colors, Designs and Patterns Designs and patterns range from traditional to modern, in natural colors or dyed for a more vibrant effect.

Prices range anywhere between $6 to $15 per square foot. Cork flooring is a DIY product, although many retailers will install it for you. It's purchased in both plank and tile format, with a simple click-in locking system. Click here to find a retailer near you.

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