Cork Flooring - A Naturally Healthy Choice

Cork flooring is more than an environmentally friendly option. It's also a healthy choice for your home and office. Cork is naturally anti-allergenic, and contributes in creating a healthy indoor air quality.

The unique cellular structure and composition of cork create the most challenging characteristics any flooring can have. And technically speaking, it is cork's natural composition that makes it such a remarkably ideal choice for people looking for a healthy environment.

The outermost layer of the cork bark has Suberin, a naturally occurring, waxy and waterproof substance. It is present in abundance in the cell walls of cork tissues while these cells in this outer layer are dead. Suberin is highly hydrophobic and its main function is to prevent water from penetrating the cork surface.

Because of its natural moisture resistance, cork flooring has the advantage over many other varieties of wood flooring in areas where wetness can be a problem. Suberin also helps repel insects, pests and mites. It makes cork flooring an impenetrable barrier for nearly 40 common species of insects including termites. Due to Suberin, cork acts as an antimicrobial material, preventing the cultivation of mold, mildew, fungus and bacteria. Microbes do not thrive in or on a cork floor.

In addition, Suberin is naturally fire retardant and prevents the release of any toxic gases or fumes in a condition when cork flooring might burn. These natural properties make the cork material healthy and safe for adults, pets, children and the elderly.

On a similar note, cork flooring does not absorb pollen particles or dust and does not shed fiber of any kind. Hence, cleaning and maintaining the cork floors is quite easy. Additionally, cork floors do not produce any irritants nor does it contain any harmful chemicals, it's all natural. That's why cork flooring is a great choice for those who suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems.

Moreover, flooring manufacturers now produce cork flooring with surface finishes that put a stop to entrapped dirt, germs or fungus, thus actively contributing to a healthy and hygienic environment.