Eco-Friendly Cork Flooring For a Healthy Environment Review (kathymcbain)

Pros

Cork Flooring is easy to walk on and work on so it is ideal for kitchen, bath and utility areas of the house.

Cork Flooring can be easily installed by the do-it-yourself homeowner.

It is beautiful and durable and will last a lifetime if not abused.

There are no inorganic compounds in cork floor and that is great news for those of us with allergies or asthma.

Colors introduced into cork flooring are water-based.

Cork can be installed over any level surface other than carpeting

Floating cork flooring requires no fasteners

Cork is insulating, muffles sound, warm to the touch and is resistant to insects

You can get credits on your LEED rated project for recycled product and rapidly renewable products from the usgbc (United States Green Building Council).

Cons

Since it is a soft surface, kids can cut chunks out with a kitchen utensil.

The color and bold patterns do not suit everyones tastes.

Cork can be expensive

Full Review

If floor replacement or considering new finished floor surfaces is in your near future you should consider the benefits of natural cork flooring and floating cork flooring for a family friendly and healthy indoor environment.

Cork flooring and floating cork floors are manufactured from the left-over scraps of the production of wine cork stoppers used in wine bottling. This is known as pre-consumer waste recycling and is very environmentally friendly.

Cork is harvested from cork oak trees and involves peeling the outer layer of cork or bark off the tree, while the remainder of the tree continues to grow and produce another layer of cork in about 9 years. Cork trees also live to the ripe old age of 200. So it is a doubly sustainable product.

Cork comes in 2 basic forms:
Cork squares, from 6" x 6" up to 24" x 24". Also a variety of rectangular and special shaped tiles are available. Also consider cork inlays of differing shapes and colors. Installation tools amount to a sharp mat knife, a straight-edge, rubber hammer and cleanup.

Floating Cork Floors: These are manufactured as a laminated system and the edges click together. The ultimate in easy floor installation. All that is needed are a circular saw rubber hammer and a jig saw for a very quick and easy installation.

In Closing

So if you are considering a new floor in you home or office do not pass up the sustainable and recycled qualities of this eco-friendly product. I have it in my home and absolutely love it.