Cork flooring is made from bark harvested from the Cork Oak tree that is found in large numbers in the Mediterranean. The process does not kill the trees, so cork flooring is made from a renewable resource, and laws are in place to prevent trees from being harmed through being harvested too frequently or while still too young. Cork has a unique structure that makes it strong, but very light and low density, which gives it most of its amazing properties.

Due to the fact that cork is largely made up of air, it gives under pressure, which prevents excessive friction from being generated during normal use, preserving the integrity of the flooring. In addition, this softness makes cork flooring feel more cushioned underfoot and cause less of an impact on the body than traditional flooring materials, and often can provide relief for people who suffer from joint pains.

The low density and unique structure of cork also makes it ideal for use as an insulator. It absorbs sound, greatly reducing the transmission of noise and creating a quieter environment. Additionally, cork flooring does not transfer heat very effectively, so it remains a fairly constant temperature unlike tile flooring, and is always comfortable to walk on.

Elasticity also makes cork a very durable flooring material when it is subjected to daily use. Dents or impressions can be made through pressure, such as furniture or high-heeled shoes, but cork always returns to its former shape. This allows cork to give under pressure and prevent damage through daily wear and tear, but still retain its appearance after the pressure is removed.

Cork also has natural substances which repel mold, dust, mites, and insects as well as make it very resistant to water and rotting. These substances make cork a very hypo-allergenic material that is ideal for people who suffer from indoor allergies, and they also greatly increase the lifespan of cork when compared to other flooring materials. In addition to reducing the presence of allergens, these substances make cork fire resistant, and upon combustion, cork does not release any toxic fumes making it safer than traditional hardwood floors.

In addition to all of these wonderful benefits, cork flooring is environmentally-friendly (green!) and easy to install. Its manufacture does not require the cork trees to be harmed permanently, and this makes it a renewable resource with potentially limitless supply. Also, cork flooring can be laid very easily, especially when made into tiles, making it possible for homeowners to lay their own flooring in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Cork can also be colored by various techniques used by the manufacturers, so patterns and colors seen in traditional tile floors can often be replicated using cork flooring, providing a colorful and beneficial alternative.

Generally cork flooring comes in panels with grooves on the side similar to those seen in tongue and groove floor panels. These grooves interlock to securely connect the panels together, which are laid down piece by piece and snapped together. Construction for these panels, thought varying slightly between manufacturers, generally consists of these components:

Cork Underlay – The cork underlay provides insulation from temperature changes as well as acoustic insulation, and can be installed separately if desired.

Stable Core – The stable core usually consists of fiberboard to provide stability, and forms the groves which are used to interlock the boards together.

Cork Core – The cork core, which is sometimes omitted at the manufacturer’s discretion, provides additional elasticity and insulation to the flooring material.

Top Layer – The top layer is the visible portion of the flooring, and is made of either cork veneer or cork processed to achieve a certain look or coloration.

Finish – The finish can either be applied during installation or by the manufacturer, and may take the form of a varnish, oil or some other type of sealant to protect the floor.

In floating-floor installations, the cork panels are not glued down, which allows for them to be placed on a wider variety of surfaces. In order to install a cork floor using the floating-floor method, the intended surface need only be hard, level and dry. Floating-floor applications are the most common and, due to the fact that they can be used on a variety of surfaces, are ideal for use over pre-existing flooring.

In contrast, glue-down applications require a completely flat, clean and dry substrate on which to be applied. The tiles are glued down, which reduces the cost of materials as the interlocking grooves are not required, but greatly increases the cost of installation. Additionally, glue-down floors are more difficult to repair as the damaged part of the floor must be completely ripped up instead of merely replacing the affected tile.

Though cork floors are durable and fairly resistant to any kind of damage, they still require proper maintenance. Keeping them clean and free of any kind of abrasive debris will help preserve the look as well as extend the life of the floor. Additionally, only approved cleaners should be used to prevent corrosion of the top layer or adverse reactions with the flooring itself.

The benefits of cork flooring make it an extremely popular flooring material, and is being used in more public applications. Cork flooring is widely used in libraries for its acoustic insulating properties, and the famous Mayo Clinic has thousands of square feet of cork flooring to provide a comfortable, hypo-allergenic environment for any who visit.

Cork tiles have all of the same benefits as traditional cork planks, but allow for a little more versatility. Cork tiles consist of a few different layers that combine to form the tile. Generally these layers are:

Underlay – Sometimes installed separately as panels, the cork underlay provides thermal and acoustic insulation from the flooring substrate underneath the tiles.

Stability Core – Within the center of the tile is the stable core, which is generally made of medium or high-density fiberboard. This provides the structural stability for the cork tile, and also serves as an anchor. The edges of the stable core extend slightly past the edges of the rest of the tile, and are milled in such a way that they interlock with adjacent tiles to form a tight seam.

Cork Core – Occasionally omitted, the cork core provides a little bit of extra comfort and elasticity to the feel of the floor, as well as additional insulation from heat and sound.

Top Layer – Cork veneer or processed cork forms the top layer, which is often dyed by the manufacturer using proprietary methods to achieve different colorations and patterns.

Finish – Usually cork tiles are finished by the manufacturer using a UV hardened varnish, but can be finished during installation using special oils or other sealants. Most recently, a new non-toxic oil which dries quickly and allows for repeated refinishing has been developed and is rising in popularity.

Cork tiles are manufactured to be analogous to their ceramic counterparts. They are colored and patterned much like traditional ceramic tiles, and so they are intended to be used in a similar manner. Cork tiles can be laid out in colorful patterns, or a single base color can be used to achieve a look that is much like tile floors, without the disadvantages such as the need for grout or the large differences in temperature between feet and the floor.

While cork floors have a number of benefits over their counterparts, there are a few drawbacks. Sharp objects can easily damage the tiles, and excessive water or strong cleaners might result in damage to the flooring as well. Additionally, sunlight can cause cork to fade in color over time, discoloring portions of the floor that receive large amounts of direct sunlight. For these reasons, cork is best suited to areas of low or medium traffic that are generally free of water and large amounts of direct sunlight. This makes cork flooring ideal for a nursery, basement or study, but generally rooms like the kitchen and bathroom should be avoided.

Cork has a number of natural properties that make it very ideal for use without the need for excessive processing. Cork is naturally resistant to rotting and insects due to a waxy substance called suberin. Cork is also made up of a large number of small air-filled cells, which makes it very light and low-density. The structure of cork allows it to give under pressure, and then return to its former state, making a much smaller impact on joints when walking. Cork is ideal for people suffering from joint pain or who spend a lot of time on their feet. Another health benefit of cork is its natural anti-static and anti-allergenic properties. The waxy suberin deters pests that can spark allergies, such as mites, and the natural anti-static properties of cork prevent it from gathering excessive amounts of dust. Cork is also very fire-resistant, and when burning it does not release toxic fumes that may cause further damage. Cork has a very unique appearance as well, similar to wood but without the grain, that offers a natural-looking and aesthetically pleasing alternative to traditional hardwood floors

Cork flooring generally is manufactured in one of two ways: panels or tiles. Cork flooring panels are made of large cork veneers laid over a fiberboard core that provides stability to the paneling and a way to interlock the panels together. These panels are then covered with a sealant, and are left fairly intact in terms of natural state of the cork. Tiles, in contrast, are often made of cork waste that has been processed into small pieces and then bound together with synthetic resins. While the cork retains most of its properties, this type of tile is not completely natural and may not impart the full benefits of a natural cork floor. There are no completely synthetic alternatives to cork, however, though some materials are made to imitate the unique appearance of cork

With proper installation and care, natural cork flooring can last an extremely long time, and is a very durable and resilient choice that can be used either in homes or commercial buildings. The famous Mayo Clinic has over 70,000 square feet of cork flooring to provide a comfortable environment for those who work and stay there, and many libraries and churches have implemented cork flooring into their design to minimize noise and maximize comfort as well.

Sustainable woods are harvested from trees that are selectively cultivated and then harvested, rather than entire swatches of forest being cut down. This minimalizes damage to the environment and saves more trees, as well as allowing trees to regrow at a rate sufficient enough to replace those that are cut down. Most sustainable wood costs the same as its standard counterparts, so cost is not prohibitive. A non-profit organization, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), exists to monitor the techniques used to raise and harvest the trees, and certify that the wood is indeed a “green” alternative harvested using proper sustainable practices. The FSC has a list of 57 criteria that must be met before the product can be certified, and these stringent standards help to ensure that the harm to the environment is reduced as much as possible. FSC-certified lumber is beginning to become more and more widely available, though currently it still only makes up a very small portion of a retailer’s stock.

In addition to sustainable wood, there are alternatives to wood that retain many of the looks and qualities that consumers want from a hardwood floor. Bamboo is an exceedingly quick-growing variety of grass with a growth cycle that allows it to be sustainably harvested approximately every seven years, and is extremely abundant. You can get bamboo flooring, bamboo blinds, exterior wooden shutters, and many other household goods  as well as very cheap furniture that uses this great material. Synthetic wood also provides another alternative with the same aesthetically-pleasing appearance of a standard hardwood floor. Made from wood scraps that are broken down and then reassembled with durable low-toxicity glue, engineered wood is then covered with a veneer to give it the appearance of a normal plank of wood. These synthetic boards are extremely sturdy and recycle materials that are left over, reducing waste and preserving resources.

Linoleum is another environmentally-friendly flooring material, and is among one of the most effective in terms of reducing impact on the environment. Linoleum is made from renewable resources such as tree sap, wood flour recycled from lumber mills, and renewable cork flour made from the bark of the cork tree. Linoleum is fairly durable, and due to its organic nature, when it is finally removed it will biodegrade rather than filling up landfills. New designs also allow linoleum to be installed more easily, rather than the standard time-consuming method of gluing down large sheets of it. Some brands even feature a system that allows linoleum tiles to be “clicked” together, similar to the tongue and groove system in cork or hardwood floors. This also limits the use of potentially harmful adhesives and glues, further reducing any impact on the environment.