Eco-Friendly Flooring

Sample Cork Floor from Globus Cork Inc.

For those looking to remodel their homes in the near future, or for others who are looking into buying a new domicile, look at your feet. Not at your shoes, but what resides beneath them. There are many different materials that have and are being used for flooring, though few of them are “green” and they often destroy parts of our environment. There is however, a variety of floor, one whose relative you can find throughout the wine drinking world. Far from being a new invention, the use of cork as an ecologically friendly alternative to other flooring products has begun to catch on.

The process of creating a cork floor is simple, the excess material from the creation of cork wine stoppers that appear in many wines all over the world is used. In essence, a cork floor is already a recycled product that causes no harm to the trees from which it comes. The cork tree is trimmed every 9 years for its bark, leaving the tree unharmed and living. In addition to the non-impact on the environment, cork is a natural fire inhibitor, due to the substance Suberin. For those who enjoy the odd pyrotechnic show, or bonfire in their living rooms, cork is certainly the way to go for flooring.

Cork floors come in a variety of colors and are usually made in tile form. Cork is a naturally very durable surface, and is both soft and flexible underfoot. For those looking to improve the insulation in their homes, cork is the natural solution due to its properties of insulation. Cork floors lose less heat than floors made of wood, vinyl and ceramic. Cork floors are resistance to termite damage as well as rotting due to the Suberin, a waxy substance which finds a home in cork.