Cork Flooring Review: Pros and Cons

Cork flooring’s natural insect repellency, insulative qualities, and soft feeling underfoot are what make it a great option throughout the home.

However, cork flooring isn’t as durable as some other flooring materials and is susceptible to several forms of damage. It’s important to understand the underlying characteristics of cork to make an informed decision on using it in a specific space.

What Is Cork Flooring?

Cork is a natural and easily replenishable material that comes from the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber).¹ To create flooring products, cork is ground up, compressed, and formed into sheets bonded with resins. 

Pros of Cork Flooring

There are several reasons one would choose cork flooring for their home over traditional flooring materials like hardwood and tile. Here are the pros of cork flooring:

• Comfort: Cork’s softness makes it popular for rooms where you will be standing for long periods of time, such as kitchens. The soft surface can also provide a cushion when someone accidentally trips and falls, making it a great choice for children’s rooms and for older residents prone to falling. 
• Eco Friendly: Cork comes from the cork oak tree, and the harvesting process is renewable. The tree’s outer layer is removed without harming it and can only be harvested again after it has grown back. At its end stage, cork is biodegradable and recyclable.
• Natural Insect Repellency: Cork contains a substance that can naturally repel insects.² This also makes cork floors resistant to the growth and colonization of these organisms.
• Insulative Qualities: Cork’s natural insulative qualities for sound and temperature can save you money on utilities while creating a more comfortable atmosphere in your home.
• DIY Friendly: Cork is a popular DIY flooring option, as it’s easy to install and maintain.

Cons of Cork Flooring

Cork flooring has some downsides that might make it a poor choice for certain environments. Here are some of the notable cons of cork flooring:

• Poor Durability: Cork’s durability is lackluster compared to other popular flooring options. This can be a problem if you have pets, as it can easily scratch from cat and dog nails. Additionally, cork is prone to getting divots from heavy furniture.
• Requires Sealing: Cork flooring must be occasionally resealed to protect it from water and other damage. Cork flooring typically needs to be resealed every 5 to 7 years.
• Fading Tendency: If direct sunlight beams down on a cork floor every day, then discoloration may occur and a patch of the floor can end up taking on a different hue than surrounding areas.

Cork Flooring Costs

Costs for cork flooring planks or tiles can run from $3 to $9 per square foot on average, depending on the thickness of the material, the quality of the cork, and the quality of the finish.

Professional installation is fairly economical, adding about $2 to $4 per square foot for a floating floor. A glue-down floor installation will cost approximately double that of a floating floor. This is comparable to what a bamboo floor costs, and slightly less than most hardwood flooring.

Tip

Unlike hardwood or bamboo, installing cork flooring is a fairly easy DIY project, allowing many homeowners to save on professional installation costs.

Cork Flooring Maintenance

Cork flooring is relatively low maintenance when installed correctly, requiring only regular sweeping or vacuuming to remove small grit and dirt particles and damp mopping every so often. However, spills must be wiped up immediately to prevent staining. 

The most difficult part of maintaining cork flooring is occasionally resealing it. The initial finishing process involves sealing the cork to create an invisible barrier over its surface, which offers some protection against water stains and damage. However, sealers are not perfect, and if a room is flooded, cork flooring can warp and discolor. High humidity can also cause the cork to curl or plump, which may cause tiles to pop out or planks to buckle.

Cork Flooring Repair

One of the best things about a cork floor is that you can refinish its surface periodically, just as you can with hardwood, to give it a fresh new look. This involves sanding the solid cork tiles or planks down past the point of any imperfections, and then staining and or re-applying the finish sealer to the surface. This can be done several times, depending on the thickness of the material. Refinishing is not possible, however, on engineered cork flooring, as the surface cork layer is too thin.

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Cork Flooring Designs

Traditional cork flooring has a warm, natural look that works best in spaces with informal, casual decor. However, newer manufacturing techniques have created cork floors that closely resemble hardwood, marble, and even concrete.

Today’s cork flooring can now be used almost anywhere, provided it is kept well sealed. As with vinyl tiles, a skilled installer can create almost limitless looks by using different colors to create custom designs.

Cork Flooring Installation

Installing cork flooring is a relatively easy DIY project. Cork flooring is available in several different forms, with two popular options being traditional glue-down cork flooring and laminated plank cork flooring, which is assembled with locking edges, much like laminate flooring or luxury vinyl plank flooring.

This allows for an easy floating floor installation, which is generally installed over a thin foam underlayment pad. If the cork flooring is not prefinished, it must be coated with several layers of sealer once installed.

Cork Flooring vs. Bamboo Flooring

Cork flooring is often chosen because it’s a renewable resource.¹ Looking for a similarly renewable option? Consider bamboo flooring. Bamboo is made from the fibers of the bamboo grass plant, which continues to grow after the stalks are cut.

While bamboo flooring has a different look than cork, both materials are recognizably different than hardwood flooring, and both give your floor a unique appeal. The main advantage that bamboo has over cork is that it is a much harder material, giving it better resistance to scratches and dents. But bamboo will not have the soft resilient feel underfoot that is offered by cork, nor does it have the sound and thermal insulation properties that cork does.

Top Brands of Cork Flooring

Cork flooring can be purchased economically at most major big-box home improvement stores, but for the best selection, check out the offerings at specialty flooring stores. Here are some of the major suppliers of cork flooring:

• Globus Cork Flooring: This company ships products from its NY factory. It currently offers cork tiles in more than 38 colors in 34 different sizes.
• WE Cork: WE Cork sells several lines of tiles and planks in assorted sizes and styles. There are numerous shades of floating and glue-down flooring products.
• iCork Floor: iCork Floor is a factory-direct distributor of cork products. It sells directly to consumers through its web site, with very economical pricing on both floating and glue-down tiles and planks.
• APC Cork: This is a leading supplier of cork flooring across North America. It offers several lines of floating and glue-down tiles and planks, in 87 styles. APC Cork is available through a network of specialty flooring stores.
• Heritage Mill: This is the brand of cork flooring sold in Home Depot stores, which currently has two different types of floating plank cork products at prices ranging from $1.99 to $3.09 per square foot.

Is Cork Flooring Right for You?

Cork is a good choice if you’re looking for a warm, attractive flooring material that has a comfortable, informal appearance. It’s not the right flooring material if you insist on a perfectly pristine floor, as cork is a somewhat soft material that develops a patina of wear over time. However, if you’re looking for a flooring material that’s more budget-friendly and easier to install than hardwood flooring, cork may be for you.

Cork Flooring Alternatives

If you’re not sure if cork is the right choice for your next project, here are some affordable and durable flooring alternatives.

• Bamboo is renewable, durable, and economical flooring. Although it’s made from a type of grass, it’s used as an alternative to hardwood. 
• Linoleum is renewable, biodegradable, and affordable flooring made of cork dust, wood flour, linseed oil, and pine resin. This durable flooring comes in rolls, tiles, or planks in many designs and colors and feels soft underfoot.
• Laminate is composite wood flooring that’s made to look like hardwood. It’s inexpensive, scratch-resistant, and easy to install.
• Vinyl is water-resistant flooring made from PVC resin that can come in rolls or tiles. It is affordable and easy to install but not environmentally friendly.
• Tile flooring is durable, water resistant, and low maintenance flooring with a lot of design options to choose from, but it is usually best for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. You can find ceramic and porcelain tiles at affordable prices, but tile floors can be difficult to install for DIYers, so hiring a professional can drive up costs.

FAQ

• What happens if cork flooring gets wet?Cork flooring is water resistant but not waterproof, so if a room is flooded, it can warp and discolor. Wipe up liquid spills quickly, allowing liquid to sit on cork flooring too long can stain the tiles and damage the sublayers. Cork flooring is treated with a sealant that protects cork from everyday stains, but when deeper cleaning is needed use a damp—not wet—mop or towel.
• Is cork flooring high maintenance?Maintain cork flooring by vacuuming or sweeping regularly to pick up dirt and grit that can wear down the floors over time. You can also deep clean cork floors with a damp mop or towel by using a mild, pH-neutral floor cleaner. Cork flooring is sealed to protect it from staining and daily wear and tear, but sealant should be reapplied every 5 years for long-term maintenance.
• How long will cork flooring last?Impeccably maintained cork floors can last decades—from 30, 40, or more years—but cork manufacturers’ warranties range from 10 to 25 years.