How to Select Cork Flooring (cork flooring)

Cork Flooring: Selecting the Cork Floor

Cork Flooring

Choosing the finishing touches of any room can be difficult. You may not be fond of traditional wood floors and are looking for another option other than traditional tile or carpeting. Natural cork is a great durable material for your home or office. Here are a few tips to help you select your cork flooring.

1. Step 1
   
   Cork

   Visit your a merchant that carries cork flooring. This can be done online. View the different shades, patterns, and textures.

2. Step 2
   
   Colored Cork

   Think about what colors you want on your floors. Do you want a look similar to wood ? Or do you prefer a textured natural look ? There are hundreds of shades and patterns. You can combine the different looks to create a unique room.

3. Step 3
   
   Cork planks

   Measure the space that will have the new flooring. Select and order your cork tiles or cork planks.

4. Step 4
   
   Completed cork tile installation

   Find your inspiration and decide how you will lay out your cork flooring. Many cork products can be installed yourself of by a professional.

Good basics on Cork Flooring!

Cork Flooring: Pros and Cons of Cork Flooring

by Karen Lawson

Cork Flooring: Pros and Cons

Cork flooring offers a resilient alternative to traditional carpet and hardwood floors. A product of trees that can live for 500 years, the material used for cork flooring is actually bark naturally shed every nine to 15 years. Choosing a cork floor can provide benefits and drawbacks. Here are some things to consider when deciding if a cork floor is right for your needs.

First, the Good News

Cork flooring provides and attractive and resilient alternative to traditional flooring materials. It can also be used as sub flooring to provide "spring" beneath hardwood and carpeted floors. When used as a flooring surface, it provides cushion and "give" not provided by less flexible flooring materials, including ceramic tile, hardwood and cement.

Hypoallergenic

Cork flooring is hypoallergenic and resistant to the mold and mildew commonly associated with other types of flooring. Cork flooring is made from the bark of cork oak trees, which is resistant to invasive organisms as a means of protecting the trees This does not mean that cork floors remain 100 percent problem-free. It is important to follow manufacturer's guidelines for installation and maintenance of your cork flooring.

Versatile and Durable Flooring

If you are looking for attractive flooring that blends with your decor and stands up to a busy household, a cork floor can be a great choice. Available in dozens of natural tones and man-made colors, cork flooring requires little maintenance and is typically more durable than wood. Cork flooring provides more "give" than hardwood, and is warmer to the touch, too.

Potential Drawbacks

Cork flooring costs more than linoleum and carpeting, and there are potential issues concerning its use and placement. A significant issue with cork flooring can occur when heavy furniture is placed on it. If you're going to place heavy objects on cork flooring, it is important to use coasters under furniture legs to distribute the weight, or your cork flooring could become indented with imprints from heavy furniture. Similar damage can occur if heavy objects are dropped on cork floors.

No Wet-Mopping

You can't use a wet mop to clean cork floors as any water absorption can damage cork flooring. Spills and stains can be cleaned with a damp rag. Cork flooring is typically finished with polyurethane, which protects it from damage, but as with other flooring, removing spills promptly can reduce the possibility of permanent damage.

Potential Discoloration

Cork floors can change color if exposed to direct sun, and may gradually discolor due to age. When planning how to use cork flooring, consider sunlight exposure. Protecting your cork floor from long hours of strong sunlight can prevent discoloration.

Comparing Costs and Warranties

When selecting cork flooring, check manufacturer's warranties and compare cork to other types of flooring suitable for your floor. Cork offers an unusual appearance, warm surface, and can enhance most decor, but it can be permanently damaged by heavy objects and sustain discoloration if consistently exposed to strong sunlight. Evaluate your planned use of cork flooring by considering its benefits and potential flaws to determine if cork flooring is an appropriate investment for your home.

Cork Flooring

Revitalizing your old cork floors (cork flooring)

by Jerry Work

Cork Flooring

Home builders started using cork flooring in their home plans during the 60's and 70's. Cork floors became less popular over time due to the lack of necessary cleaning materials, which led to a problem with the floors fading.

The recommended initial maintenance isn't something most wood flooring owners are familiar with. Unless you have used a more common maintenance solution such as scotch guard for your fabric furniture materials. When the flooring industry discusses initial maintenance they're usually referring to floor types such as hardwood, bamboo, laminate and cork flooring.

Once you have selected a cork flooring dealer, made your purchase and had the new flooring installed, you should seriously consider initial maintenance. Your new cork flooring will have a shiny finish and a protective coating to prevent damange once you apply the protectant and sealant after the factory dirt and grime has been removed.

If your home currently has cork flooring installed, you can follow a quick two step process for cleaning and restoring the cork flooring. Revitalizer restoration and buffing should allow you to easily maintain your floors. With a little time and elbow grease your old floors will look new again. You shouldn't have to forget how great the cork floors looked when they were restored or installed. There is a lot of information online that discusses proper maintenance. Visit your favorite search engine using phrases such as "cork flooring maintenance" or "maintaining cork flooring" and you shouldn't have any problems finding the information you need to get your cork floors looking new again.

Cork flooring is the best!

Cork Flooring: Some Basics You Should Know

Cork Flooring
by My Dream Home Registry

Cork flooring is one of the most remote flooring options out there today. For whatever reason, cork flooring never did quite catch on like regular wood flooring did, or even to the point of vinyl and laminate flooring. The reason why? There really is no given reason why cork flooring never did quite gain the popularity of its counterparts but it is important nevertheless to realize that cork flooring is just as viable a flooring option as any other material out there on the market.

If you are looking for a new option for flooring in your home, you should consider the many different benefits that cork flooring options. In order to help you along the way to a final decision, here are a few basic facts about cork flooring for you to consider:

COMFORT

Cork flooring is one of the most comfortable options for flooring in your home. The hard wood and ceramic flooring that is available in many homes is bad for your body in a sense, leading to sore muscles. There is not as much pliability under a wooden floor or a ceramic floor as there is with a cork floor, so when you take steps every time you set your foot on a cork floor helps absorb the shock of the step.

This makes it perfect for athletes or those who are nursing injuries, long and short term.

HEALTH

Cork flooring is one of the better options for your health as well. If you have allergies, cork flooring is great options as it does not allow mildew and mold to fester without being seen like many other flooring options do. Cork flooring does not attract dust or pollen, and the floors do not let small fibers go to irritate your sense. In addition, cork floors are hypoallergenic and they resist static electricity.

If you have issues with carpet fibers and the little mites that come in carpet, cork flooring is a good option. There is no place for them to hide, so when you sweep or clean, you sweep them away and don't have to worry about them anymore, getting into your eyes and nose and causing problems.

DURABILITY

Cork flooring is one of the more long last options for flooring in your home, if you know how to care for it. If you want a floor that can outlast you, cork flooring is a great option but you have to make sure that it is well maintained. There are professionals who specialize in caring for cork floors or you can get the materials to care for your cork floor on your own.

Cork flooring is not as prone to scratching or chipping as hard wood is, either so your mind can rest a tad bit more when it comes to the hap hazardous habits of your little ones.

EFFICIENCY

If you don't like the feeling of a stone-cold floor on an equally cold day, you should consider the benefits of cork flooring for your flooring needs. Cork flooring is known to be an excellent insulator, helping to keep the warmth and the cold in the house where it belongs. If you are looking at creating an energy efficient home, cork flooring is the floor covering option for you.

VARIETY

Whatever you need as far as flooring goes; chances are that you will have that option in cork flooring. You can buy cork flooring in just about any color and you can buy the cork flooring in planks like hardwood flooring or in tiles like linoleum or vinyl flooring. Cork flooring comes with a vinyl topcoat or a natural topcoat; either one is fine but people choose the vinyl-covered option for easier cleaning. This option is a bit more expensive than the natural, unfinished cork.

Whichever way you slice it, cork flooring is an excellent option for any person who is looking for a relatively inexpensive option for flooring in the home. Cork flooring not only more comfortable and insolent than regular flooring or carpeting, but it gives you the freedom of expression and versatility that vinyl and laminate flooring offer, with twice the quality. If you want a good, long lasting floor you should consider investing in cork flooring.

Installing and Maintaining Flooring More Easily (Cork Flooring)

Cork Flooring
by Ray J. Walberg

A lot of people out there when thinking of cork flooring, visualize a bulletin board. But that's not reality. Available at a large number of shades and color ranging from light to dark, the cork flooring has a beautiful material and texture. Custom designed to fit any type of interior décor; cork flooring comes at a variety of patterns and textures that includes pergo flooring like wood grain and marble patterns.

Advantages of Cork Flooring

A good insulating material, cork flooring keeps your house cool in summer season and warm in winter. Cork flooring brings down the energy bill in your home during winter due to its energy efficiency, which is more than that of discount wood flooring or Armstrong laminate flooring. Cork flooring also brings down the noises in another floor or room, as it's a good sound insulator.

In addition the material of cork flooring feels softer than stone or wood flooring, Bellawood or ceramic tiles. Your feet will feel wonderful on the cork flooring itself. A good place to put the cork flooring is in the kitchen. It's the place where you probably spend most of your time standing. Chances of breaking your brittle utensils if you drop them are lower than on stone flooring or tiles. Its resistance to fire is definitely an added bonus.

The cork wood tree's bark is used to make the cork and it is environmentally beneficial. These trees can mainly be found in Portugal and Spain. Without harming or cutting the trees, its barks are simply stripped away thus it doesn't affect the number of trees in anyway. The bark that has been stripped is replaced by new ones and in about nine years gets ready for the taking again.

Cork Flooring Installation

Cork flooring can be installed easily. The material is either glued or nailed during installing. Cork flooring can be done over concrete or wood. Making sure that the sub floor is dry is an essential criterion. To control moisture and prepare the surface, it's always helpful to apply a sealer. Cork tiles are easier to install as they can be simply peeled away and stuck again.

The adhesive can be spread with the help of a paint roller on the sub floor and the tiles can be placed next. The seams are hardly noticeable and one can use sharp knives to cut angles or corners for the perfect fit. Roll a 100 pound weighted floor roller on it once the tiles are properly placed. The floor roller can be rented from any tool-renting place. For added protection a clear urethane can be placed on the tiles as it helps to make the floor more water resistant.

Cork Flooring Maintenance

Maintaining cork flooring is easy as it's pretty easy to clean. Clear away the dirt by a sweep of broom and mop it with a damp cloth when required. After some years the finishing might start to wear off. Lightly sand the floor with floor sanders. After sanding thoroughly, give a urethane coating for floor protection. To make the floor more water-resistant add several urethane coating.

Cork Flooring – Floors From Generation to Generation

Cork flooring
By Rob Jones

More and more, consumers, retailers and wholesalers looking to source quality flooring are looking for balance tool. They all want to find practicality and look, measured with environmentally-responsible products and processes. Cork flooring, which has been around for centuries, makes striking this balance very easy indeed. Cork flooring are harvested from the cork oak, particularly in Portugal and Spain where the species flourishes, cork flooring stands as a shining example of a renewable source in flooring. The bark of the cork oak is harvested by hand. The process is heavily regulated to protect each individual tree from long-term harm. This means that the source for your cork floor, a flooring alternative that remains to be both decorative and practical for many reasons, is not endangered. Each cork oak tree is harvested on a nine-year rotation. Only mature cork oaks are harvested in order to protect future generations. For a “green” flooring option, cork flooring is worth your attention. And this is before any benefits of aesthetics and practical uses of cork flooring come into play!

How cork is processed for flooring and other products
Once the bark of the cork oak tree is removed with the use of hand-held implements, it is boiled। This allows the bark to become more malleable, easily shaped into a variety of forms. The versatility of cork as a material is thus demonstrated even as it is processed. The primary use for cork is that for which it is literally synonymous – “corks”, for the wine industry, and other similar bottling industries. The cork is pressed into large sheets, and the corks are “punched out”. The remaining cork is ground, and further molded into large blocks. At this point, the cork is baked to further increase its durability. The cork is then cut to standardized sizes, and sorted according to color. The last stage is sealing these cut-down cork pieces with a layer of polyurethane or wax. The cork is then ready for use as flooring (cork flooring), or many other uses.

Nothing Goes to Waste
As you can see, cork flooring stands as a flooring option that is very concerned with the conservation of the species on numerous fronts. Each individual cork oak tree is allowed to reach maturity before it is harvested for its bark. Even then, the bark is not harvested for any length of time less than nine years, to allow appropriate re-growth and general health of the individual cork oak. When the cork oak bark is processed for flooring and other uses, all of the bark is used to the greatest extent possible. The stages which make it a durable flooring option only stands to make its use that much more robust. Increasing the life of the products made from cork means getting the best use out of the natural resource of the bark used to make it. With cork, and with cork flooring, consumers and sellers gain the benefits of quality flooring. Along with this, they also gain the knowledge that their choice in “green” flooring contributes to an ongoing effort in creating renewable products.

Cork flooring

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Jones

Cork Flooring May Be the Answer to Your Leg Pains

CORK FLOORING
By Tom Turner

Cork flooring could possibly be one of the most creative ideas to ever come along. There is very little waste in cork flooring and the process for creating it is very sound. No tress are destroyed which makes for some very happy people. Cork flooring may not be fit for every room, but it is surely worth looking into. This article will examine cork flooring and some of the benefits of this material.

Many people may not realize that cork flooring is a recycled material by way of a process using the waste from wine cork stoppers. The cork waste is recycled and then processed into cork flooring. Most cork flooring manufactures will use all natural water based products to process and create the cork flooring material. So, it is a very natural flooring material and this may be very attractive to people who are concerned about the environment.

How Did God Make It (cork flooring)?

Cork is harvested from the bark of oak cork tree. You will mainly find this tree growing in the Mediterranean. The discovery of the benefits of cork was well known to the Egyptians and Greeks. The Egyptians used cork for olive bottle stoppers to keep it form spilling. They also used it for corking their wine bottles as still practiced in today’s society. Cork used to be harvested as fast as possible, but that all change in the 1930’s when a laws was passed that states you must wait 9 years between harvest periods for a cork oak tree bark.

Walk Lightly

The amazing thing about cork is the structure that it has naturally. That is why it makes a perfect material for cork flooring. The durability of cork flooring makes it the perfect choice for schools, court rooms, and other high traffic areas. The work place is a very common place to find cork flooring material because it can be much easier to walk on and less stress on your feet and legs.

Cork flooring

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Turner

Introduction to Cork Flooring

Cork Flooring
By Damian Sofsian

Cork flooring is made from the bark of the cork oak tree, native to Southern Europe, especially Portugal, where the bark is collected by hand. Cork flooring is a very durable, resistant-to-moisture, and anti-static flooring material. Cork flooring is environmentally sound and, as a result of stringent harvesting rules, a renewable resource of a very high order.
For the kind of foot traffic that a home or office floor will have to endure, cork flooring is very resilient. Cork flooring also comfortable to walk on, and its soft surface is able to take the impact of footfalls. Cork flooring is well known for retaining heat and cold, which makes it a very practical flooring solution. Another reason why cork flooring is gaining popularity is because it is keeps the sound from walking to a minimum.

Cork flooring is a one-of–a-kind ornamental material because each tile comes with its own unique speckles and spirals. Cork flooring is first formed into sheets and then baked. This process creates understated variations in color, making room for creativity while laying the floor. Cork flooring is considered ideal for quiet interiors because it emits no sound from footfalls. When complete insulation from sound is an absolute necessity, like in a sound-studio for example, then cork flooring is ideal. Flooring made from cork is aesthetically pleasing, environmentally friendly, and helps in creating an atmosphere of serenity. Cork flooring is also water resistant, and that makes the cork flooring is ideal for use in the bathroom and kitchen.

The cellular nature of cork is such that it has millions of fourteen-sided cells that keep the heat in, create a cushion-like surface that is easy on the feet and the ears, and, perhaps most importantly, is durable. Moreover, due to these qualities, when a plate is dropped on it, it will not break, but simply bounce, making no noise in the process. While soundless flooring is gaining in popularity, creating the perfectly noiseless flooring solution is not easy. Cork is the closest that one can come to noiseless flooring because it keeps the echo from footfalls and the sound of dropped objects to a minimum.

Cork flooring

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damian_Sofsian