Cork Flooring

Cork flooring is not a common flooring choice in Canada, but has been installed in Europe for many years. Unique amongst flooring materials, the harvesting of cork bark is actually good for the trees, as it stimulates new growth - which makes it a renewable source. Its popularity also stems from the fact that cork is a practical material for flooring: Like timber and bamboo, cork is a natural product with a pleasing natural appearance that fits in well in a variety of settings. Cork is a relatively soft material, making it an excellent choice for the family home, minimising breakage and bruises from those little accidents that occur so frequently in busy families. Although soft, cork has a "memory" and resists permanent denting by "bouncing back" from impact dents such as high heels. Cork has excellent thermal and acoustic insulating properties and is also cool in summer underfoot. Being a natural material, there are different grades of cork. In addition, different manufacturers use different manufacturing processes. For these reasons, it is important to choose your cork flooring carefully. For example, some cork flooring is better for damp areas such as basements and bathrooms than others and some brands of cork flooring are suitable for DIY installation while others should be professionally installed.