Natural cork flooring offers a visually appealing, affordable, and durable flooring option that supports environmentally responsible design. When many people think of cork they think of the taupe colored material that plugs wine bottles, but modern designers have created cork-based flooring in every color of the rainbow. You can use cork to realize almost any motif or design that you can picture in your minds eye. So long as a design could be created with ceramic tile, it can now be done with durable, eco-friendly cork. For many years, natural cork flooring has been put to use in buildings that see a lot of foot traffic. From courthouses to schools, designers who are looking for a flooring material that can take a lot of wear and tear often turn to cork. Cork can keep its gentle, cushioning bounce without showing its age for years, even under the roughest streams of foot traffic. The durability of cork has long made it a popular option for public buildings like libraries and schools, but private homeowners are just starting to catch on to this great idea. The harvesting process that produces natural cork flooring is one that is indefinitely sustainable. As long as the bark of a cork tree is only harvested approximately once per decade, the tree can continue to regenerate bark for decades, or even for centuries. This means that unlike oak, redwood, or other trees that must be felled in order to produce lumber, the cork tree can produce a viable construction product while continuing to grow. From an ecological perspective, cork is an ideal material for construction because its use supports and protects earths swiftly vanishing forests. Cork flooring has evolved from merely a hardworking flooring option into a stylish choice that can help homeowners do their part in saving the planet. Conservationists, interior designers, and practically-minded architects can all agree that natural cork flooring has a lot to offer. Given this impressive group of supporters, maybe its time you thought about bringing cork into your home or workplace. Whether youre looking for a great new look, a comfortable new feel, a way to help the earth, or a durable and cost-effective choice, cork may very well turn out to be everything you are looking for. |
