| It is inevitable, almost everyone no matter how long | | | | furniture will leave a permanent mark when it is |
| they have lived in their house, wants to replace their | | | | moved. However with cork, when you remove the |
| flooring at some point. Do you have carpet that is | | | | furniture, the floor with look as good as new.When |
| covered in pet stains, juice, coffee or wine stains? | | | | you drop heavy items on tile floors, they are prone |
| Carpet gets matted down and shows wear patterns | | | | to cracking and breaking. However, with a cork floor, |
| quickly. Alternatively, maybe you have hardwood | | | | the item will not leave a mark. This is an excellent |
| floors that are full of scratches and dents. Linoleum | | | | property if you have small children or are just |
| that is peeling up at the edges and seams and has | | | | clumsy!What About Water?Cork contains a natural |
| rips and tears in it.No matter what type of flooring | | | | substance called suberin. Suberin is a waxy type of |
| you currently have. If you are not happy with what | | | | substance that makes the cork impervious to liquids |
| you are walking on, it can reduce the value and | | | | and the cork will not rot if it is exposed to water or |
| appearance of your home dramatically. If you are | | | | liquid like a hardwood or laminate. This makes cork |
| considering a new floor, you owe it to yourself to | | | | flooring a perfect choice for kitchens or bathroom |
| look into cork flooring as an option.What Is Cork | | | | areas. Cork is the best seal around which is |
| Flooring?Cork has been used in a variety of capacities | | | | evidenced by the use of cork to stop up wine |
| for thousands of years including flooring. Because of | | | | bottles for centuries.If you spill anything on a cork |
| all of the wonderful properties found naturally in cork, | | | | floor, you do not have to worry about staining or |
| it is a perfect choice for flooring, sound proofing, and | | | | any other damage, you simply wipe it up, and the |
| of course in wine bottles.Cork is taken from the bark | | | | mess is gone. Unlike carpet or hardwood where you |
| of the cork oak tree. The cork can be harvested | | | | would have to worry about a permanent stain or |
| after the tree is 25 years of age. And after that, the | | | | discoloration of the floor.What Other Properties Does |
| tree can be harvested every nine years for the rest | | | | Cork Have?Cork is the perfect choice if you suffer |
| of the lifetime. In addition, since each cork oak tree | | | | from allergies or if you have an illness that requires |
| can live to be over two hundred years old, cork is a | | | | your living environment to be very clean. Because |
| renewable resource, making it an excellent option for | | | | cork is a natural barrier to insects, common problem |
| environmentally conscious consumers.How Durable Is | | | | insects such as termites and ants cannot get into the |
| Cork?When you think of cork, you may think | | | | flooring and infest the house.In addition, cork is |
| immediately of wine corks or small cork plugs that | | | | naturally germ resistant which means that no |
| are used to plug bottles of all shapes and sizes. You | | | | allergens can hid in the floor such as with carpet. The |
| may have had the experience of a cork used in a | | | | floor will not absorb dust or allow any molds or |
| wine bottle breaking off into your wine. If this has | | | | funguses to grow. It is easy to clean and is not |
| happened to you, you might be wondering if cork | | | | produced with any harsh chemicals, which makes it |
| really is strong enough for a flooring option.The | | | | the perfect choice for people suffering with allergies |
| answer is a resounding yes! In fact, cork is probably | | | | or any major illness.Can I Install It Myself?If you are |
| one of the strongest flooring options available on the | | | | a do it yourselfer and you like home projects, than |
| market today! Cork is much less affected by impact | | | | cork is definitely something that you can install over a |
| and friction than hardwood, laminate or tile flooring. | | | | weekend. Many manufactures are now producing |
| Therefore, cork can stand up to much more use and | | | | cork-flooring tiles with a glue-less technology. You |
| abuse than any other flooring type.In fact, cork has | | | | simply snap the tiles in place like a floating floor. This |
| an amazing resistant and is extremely resilient to | | | | makes the installation easy and it does not require |
| pressure. If you stand on a cork floor with high heels, | | | | any special tools.The Final DecisionCork is the perfect |
| the floor will make an impression or a dent. However, | | | | choice for flooring if you need something that will |
| when you remove the pressure, the floor will spring | | | | stand up to use and abuse, be long lasting, is |
| back to its original shape almost immediately, and | | | | resistant to water and stains and be safe for the |
| leave no lasting mark or impression! This is handy if | | | | environment. An excellent value for your money, |
| you plan to place any heavy furniture on your floor. | | | | cork will last forever and is only half the price of |
| With other types of flooring such as carpet, heavy | | | | many other popular flooring options. |