Cork is Popping Up Green
by Liesl Bradner
A little bark is going a long way in the greening of home flooring. Bark is the core substance in cork, a material which has been used for floors since 1894 and has recently re-emerged as the environmentally friendly choice of flooring for home and commercial use.
“People want something that is green, and with cork you never have to cut down any trees,” explains Tom Banner, owner of Cork USA in Sherman Oaks, California. Cork is harvested from the bark of a tree every nine years and takes seven to ten years to grow back. With an average lifespan of over 200 years, the harvesting enables trees to thrive without harmful chemicals and herbicides.
The benefits of using cork flooring are endless. It’s durable, comfortable, quiet and maintains an even temperature. Unlike carpet, cork is hypoallergenic and antimicrobial, so it does not cause allergies and is naturally resistant to mold, mildew and termites too. And no shocking static electricity can be generated from cork floors. To top it all off, cork floors look beautiful too!
Sibil Eginli purchased her cork floors two years ago at the urging of her two teenagers. “They liked how soft it was plus my son Alex has allergies, and it doesn’t have that varnish smell,” she said. Eginli also enjoys its easy upkeep. “I don’t have to wax it like my wood floors and I don’t like using harsh chemicals,” she adds. “I like our cork floors the best.”
Cork flooring is generally available in 32 patterns and smooth styles resembling hardwood and marble. The flooring comes in two types: A 12 inch tile square that you can glue down or a one by three foot snap on plank system similar to Pergo flooring installation.
Prices are comparable to hardwood floor ranging from $4.99 - $6.99 sq ft. It is easy to maintain with no waxing involved just a simple sweep and mop will clean it up nicely. With a couple coats of poly-urethane recommended for cork floors, they can last indefinitely. Cork is also fire resistant. Because it has millions of open cells and lower density it will not spread flames.
Beyond flooring, cork also has a world of uses outside the usual push pin boards or wine stoppers, such as hats, shoes, belts and ties.