Cork Flooring Guide

I’ve been asked so many times by may people if they can safely install cork flooring in their bathroom. As laminated cork floors are subject to moisture insertion between the planks, I wouldn’t recommend that solution for the bathroom or kitchen floor. As far as I know, no floors manufacturer recommends this solution either.

However, if you give up the laminated model and go for parquet tiles that glue down, you can use those for your bathroom. The glue will prevent moist from penetrating between the cork layer and the subfloor, where it would develop mold, not good for the health. If you decide for cork tiles, you shouldn’t combine them with in-floor radiant heating systems. Cork is a very good insulator, and your heating system won’t be that efficient anymore, because the cork would prevent the heat to pass through and heat up your room.

Cork flooring tiles are available in various colors and patterns, depending on the manufacturer. For instance, at Ellie’s eco home store, you can have the unfinished cork tiles stained to meet your own custom design scheme. The finish they offer is with a curable oil which is so technologically advanced that makes maintenance and refinishing very simple.

If you live in a block of flats, you may value a lot one of the advantages of cork flooring: excellent sound insulation. Maybe you like to sing in the shower and you don’t want your neighbors have you reported for disturbing their silence. A noise insulating flooring and walls finish can help you safeguard your privacy.

Being slightly less expensive than many hardwood floors, and being easy to install, cork flooring is advantageous for families living on a shoe string budget. Besides, it is very resistant, both to traffic and to chemicals, and it has the property of fire retardation. This can be a significant advantage if you live in an area exposed to those summer fires that affect woods and homes nearby.

Regarding the maintenance, you should be aware that cork is a natural product, therefore its color fades to yellow if exposed to direct sunlight. Cork floors may need more frequent vacuuming and sweeping than other surfaces, because if dirt accumulates, it may accelerate the wear and your floor will soon become scratched and ugly. If you spill something on the floors, you need to wipe it as fast as you can, in order to prevent it to impregnate in the cork fiber. This can be bothering if you use to spill a lot of water while taking a shower. You’d better get yourself a shower curtain or cabin, for preventing such incidents.