In Sacramento, California - close to UC Davis, a university nationally lauded for its commitment to environmental sustainability - we have a lot of customers committed to purchasing ‘green’ flooring. The products available to these customers are more varied and better constructed than at any time in our consumer history.
At simpleFLOORS, we make it difficult not to be green.
One sustainable choice that we’re questioned about a lot is our Enviro-Cork line. The appeal of cork is its calm, welcoming look and feel. Our choices are natural brown shades, reminiscent of driftwood, that coordinate well with both earth tones and brighter, cooler colors. Use it in rooms where you want a comfortable floor that will mature with your family.
In our Sacramento store, we’re all rabidly against carpet for both health and style reasons. We do have a lot of customers who have a hard time picturing any other type of floor in the bedrooms, mostly because it’s softer and warmer than hardwood. With that basis, I’d especially recommend considering cork floors for bedrooms. Cork is noticeably warmer and gentler on feet and joints than many floors, and also hypoallergenic, antifungal, antistatic, insect-resistant, mold-resistant, fire-resistant, and did I mention environmentally friendly? Because it’s a great insulator, cork flooring can even reduce heating costs in your home! Love it!
Keep in mind that cork choices with natural grains and tones are much better at hiding dust and any wear that does occur. Cork flooring is comparatively easy to repair. Any major damage can typically be filled with a natural-colored putty or just recovered with a polyurethane finish. It also can recover from impact; heavy furniture may leave a mark but once it’s moved, your floor will actually rebound to close to its original condition, typically within 24 hours. And it’s a click-together floor, similar to laminate, so installation is really as simple as possible.
One more thing I’d like to point out is the fact that the Library of Congress, the Mayo Clinic, and the New York City and Boston Public Libraries all have cork floors in busy, open-to-the-public areas, and have for years. Many Frank Lloyd Wright houses, including the iconic Fallingwater, employ cork flooring in a resolution to use sustainable materials evocative of nature. It’s a beautiful, renewable product that’s been time-tested in a variety of settings. Why not your house?
