Cork Flooring

You hear people talking about genuine wood floors and mention cork in the same sentence. You say to yourself, “Cork? That’s what they put in wine bottles!” That’s true; however, cork has some wonderful properties as a flooring material. And for those people who are into green things and ecology, cork reproduces every nine years instead of 50 or so years for a good-sized hardwood.

Cork comes from the bark of a cork oak hardwood so the tree is not damaged at all. Harvesters leave a protective layer and the tree keeps on growing and the actual cork regenerates. Not bad! As a flooring option, the use of cork is not new. Because it softens footsteps and is a noise insulator, it has been used in churches and libraries for years. With the push on sustainable products, it has been brought into the personal home arena.

Easy Installation

One advantage of installing a ‘floating cork floor’ is that it can be installed over existing hardwoods and tiles. No one has to tear up and out the old floor. Have you ever squeezed a cork back in a bottle? It is porous and flexible. It is durable. Also, the cork oak produces a sort of special sap that is a bug repellent and also has anti-allergen properties. This floor is a natural sound-proofing. Think about how using it in upstairs areas can protect the people downstairs from all the heavy foot traffic.

If you haven’t heard enough, a cork floor can keep you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Old-timely thermos bottles were lined with cork. How does it look in your home? Just browse some of the most popular home decorating magazines and take a look. Or, you could come into our store and look at all the options. There are at least 20 different stain/colors that are available.

Everyone asks about cost. A cork floor can be just as expensive as a hardwood floor. But in some circumstances and depending on the cork you select, it can be just half of the cost of hardwoods. All cork floors do need to be sealed. Just keep that in mind.

Contact Atlas Carpet One Floor & Home today, or visit any of our locations in: 17100 San Pedro Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78232, or 10242 West Loop 1604 N, San Antonio, TX 78254.