CORK isn’t just for bulletin boards anymore.
Today, the environmentally friendly product is making inroads as the flooring of choice for a growing number of homeowners.
And it’s making a stylish statement at the same time in a range of colours, from creamy sandstone to a dark, sophisticated coffee-bean shade, and bold patterns. There’s Zebra Stone — think zebra stripes, but mixing the traditional colour of cork with a richer brown stripe — and Echo Canyon, which combine lighter cork with deep, espressolike punctuations of colour that make a striking decorating statement.
That dramatic look hooked Keri Ebertz on cork.
“I saw the pattern and fell in love with it,” says Ebertz, who was preparing to redo her kitchen, living room and main-floor bathroom when she saw the Echo Canyon cork sample at the Edmonton Renovation Show early this year. I didn’t even realize it was cork at that time.
Being new to cork, Ebertz had some concerns: mainly how it would hold up in a high-traffic area such as the kitchen. Moisture might also be a problem, she thought.
In fact, cork floors hold up very well, says Kristin Krokis, owner of Edmonton’s Absolute Hardwood Flooring, which installed Torlys brand floors for Ebertz.
“It’s very water resistant,” Krokis says. “Think of using cork in wine bottles — it doesn’t leak. For higher-moisture areas like the front entry, kitchens and half baths, it’s a popular choice. It’s warm, soft to walk on and durable.”
Cork floors are made from the bark of the cork oak tree. The cork is harvested every nine years and doesn’t harm the tree, which can live up to two centuries — the bark grows back.
“Cork has been around for a long time, but in the last 10 years it has been gaining in popularity,” Krokis says.
“Especially in the last five years, it’s been extremely popular.”
Edmonton renovator SeanEskow, who worked with Ebertz on her remodelling project, is also noticing a stronger demand for cork floors of late.
“What I’m finding is that with my last few quotes and renovations that I’m working on, people are choosing cork,” says Eskow.
“One customer specifically asked for cork… . She felt it gave a warm feeling on a basement floor plus she really likes the texture and the softness of it,” Eskow says.
“Another customer chose cork for her living room and kitchen primarily because of the warmth and the (soft) feel of it, and she wanted something different than hardwood, but did not want carpet. It was a perfect fit.”
Cork floors are also hypoallergenic and scuff-and stain-resistant, with textured patterns that easily disguise wear and tear. They’re also a natural insulator and help to reduce noise.
The combination of cork’s hypoallergenic properties, its comfort for walking and its sound-deadening capabilities persuaded Edmonton homeowner Jacquie Touchie to use it in her new home.
Touchie chose a Merlot shade for her bungalow. The rich, wine-coloured cork floor can be found in her music studio, exercise room and bar-wine cellar, as well as in her daughters’ bedrooms, which are all on the walkout level.
She found out about cork while choosing flooring.
“We have a walkout basement with in-floor heat, so we couldn’t put hardwood in, and I didn’t want to go to with the laminate-looking hardwood.”
Before deciding, Touchie did some research. She was worried about durability, especially for the music studio. “My last studio had carpet and it didn’t hold up,” she says.
Now, however, she is more than pleased with the results.
“Not only is it (the cork floor) soundabsorbing, but it’s also cushiony and less stressful on your body when you walk on it,” says Touchie, who also likes the softer feel in the exercise room for floor exercises such as yoga.
The hypoallergenic qualities also caught her attention.
“I wanted hardwood in the bedrooms… because of both my girls,” Touchie says. “They had it in our other house because of allergies. But this time we had to choose something different, and this works really well.
“I’d have to say it even works better for them than the hardwood did. The girls love it. It’s easy to clean and there are no allergy problems.”
Touchie and Ebertz both say discovering cork is one of the best things that happened to their decorating plans.
“I was impressed with the array of colours that it came in and that you could choose the plank style, to make it look more like hardwood, or squares so that it would look like tile,” Touchie says.
Says Ebertz: “It exceeds my expectations — there’s the comfort (factor) and it’s so easy to keep clean, and, of course, the pattern.”
The reactions don’t surprise Krokis.
“Cork is a great flooring to consider when renovating your home,” he says.
The options in cork flooring have increased dramatically, from colour to texture, and its popularity increases as more people learn the benefits of cork.
The warmth and comfort of cork flooring is due to the natural texture of the material. Since cork is 50 per cent air, it is able to acclimate to the same temperature as the air in your home.
— Postmedia News
