Eco-Friendly Flooring Options That Look and Feel Great

Posted by in Fuzz Buzz Flooring on 8/28/2013

Many home-owners know about the ecological benefits of choosing bamboo flooring – bamboo is a fast-growing grass that can be harvested again and again without killing the plant – but cork flooring is now becoming an increasingly popular option for the savvy, style-conscious home-owner looking for an eco-friendly alternative to hardwood. Like bamboo, cork is harvested without killing the source plant, but the similarities end there. Read on to learn a bit about cork flooring and the unique benefits it offers.

Bamboo owners know that bamboo floors are some of the hardest and most wear-resistant floors available. On the contrary, cork floors provide a warm, cushiony feel beneath the feet. With a suede-like softness and an almost springy insulating effect, cork floors are the top choice of professional chefs who know that long hours on your feet can be tough on the body. Standing on a cork floor is much better for your feet, knees, hips, and back than standing on a hard, unforgiving surface like tile. This is one of the reasons why cork has become such a popular option for kitchen flooring. Cork also provides an easy-to-clean surface like wood or tile, making it the ideal choice for anyone with serious culinary ambitions. Finally, cork offers rich earthy tones and textures, and is available in a wide variety of colors to suit any décor.

So, what makes cork a green choice? The material itself is actually the outer bark of a special kind of oak tree. Stripping the cork from the tree does no harm to the plant, which continues to grow and produce more cork. The tree will be ready for another harvest just nine years later – compare this to the decades it takes for new hardwood trees to grow after a forest has been cleared. Cork trees live for around 200 years in forests that are passed down through generations of families in the cork business. During its lifetime, a single tree can produce more than 16 crops of cork. After being harvested from the tree, cork strips are cured, boiled, and pressed in a relatively straightforward process that does not use harsh chemicals. Because cork is a composite material, scraps are collected and used in a later batch, so there is very little waste.

Both bamboo and cork flooring provide great looks and durable quality, though each material has its own distinctive look and feel. If you’re interested in learning more about eco-friendly flooring products,contact Home Carpet One – the number one Chicago bamboo and cork flooring provider.