11 Advantages of Using Cork Flooring in Kitchens

By: Laura Stephens

One of the more popular environment friendly flooring options used for kitchens today is cork flooring. Your kitchen floor looks updated, warm and inviting with cork flooring. Besides this, there are other benefits associated with kitchen cork flooring.

1.) To the environment conscious, cork flooring is the best flooring option for them. This is because cork is a renewable resource. No tree has to be chopped down for cork; it comes from the tree bark, which grows back within nine years’ time.

This is a much better alternative than hardwood flooring where trees are cut down. A minimum of 30 years is required for the tree to grow large enough to be used again for flooring.

2.) Families with allergies benefit the most from cork flooring as cork is hypoallergenic. It does not absorb any mites or dust and the flooring can easily be mopped of allergens.

3.) Cork flooring is resilient wherein it offers some cushioning when you walk and stand on it in the kitchen. This is advantageous as you will be standing for long periods of time preparing and cooking food.

4.) The chances of anything brittle breaking after falling on cork flooring is also reduced because of the cushioning of cork flooring.

5.) As the kitchen is the most traversed room in the house, being durable, cork flooring is best suited for its flooring.

6.) As cork is water resistant, cork flooring is easy to clean. This makes cleaning the many spills and messes in kitchens very easy. In addition to this, cork flooring is also fire resistant.

7.) Cork flooring has an added advantage of being an insulator that helps with noise and temperature control. It helps keep your room warm in winter, and cool in summer. Its energy efficiency thus helps you cut down your energy bills.

8.) Cork flooring adds multi-dimensional beauty to your kitchen as it is available in various colours and shades. You find flooring with shades from tan to black which you can also mix to create custom flooring of your own. Moreover, as cork flooring comes with light and dark swirls, it effectively hides dirt and blemishes.

9.) As cork flooring is neutral, it goes well with any kitchen design. It creates a beauty and warmth statement no other flooring can come close to.

10.) When compared to other flooring, cork flooring is ‘self healing’. This means that if the flooring suffers a wound on dropping a knife or any other sharp object, the wound quickly heals up.

11.) Cleaning cork flooring is a cinch. You just have to regularly sweep and damp mop it to get rid of dirt and debris. If required, you can refinish the cork flooring as per manufacturer’s instructions.

You can also try lightly sanding cork flooring to rekindle the flooring’s shine. It’s better to coat the floor with a urethane coating after sanding it for longer lasting protection and shine. Additional coatings make the flooring water resistant.

With so many advantages associated with cork flooring, it is better to use cork as your kitchen flooring during your next kitchen renovation.