Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 Jan 07, 2008 4:17 pm I have been perusing flooring websites and came across cork as an option. I remember my father having cork floors put into part of our house when I was a child, and it was quite fashionable then. Of course, it lost favour pretty well by the mid-eighties.
So, is it coming back into fashion in the 21st Century? Does it still look like it did 30 years ago? I always thought of cork as warm for a hard floor covering, and would consider it over timber and tiles if the cost was not too exhorbitant. Actually, what is the compararble cost of cork flooring to other types? Fiona Re: Cork Flooring 4Jan 07, 2008 5:34 pm Fiona,
I'm not sure about some of your questions. I expect businesses that fit and seal timber floors are likely to also do the same with cork. My suggestion is forget about what is supposed to be 'fashionable'. Its not the most sound way to choose floor-coverings. A floor-covering should be attractive, but primarily functional and practical. Cork fits the bill. Most natural cork is sealed, having a nice honey tone to it, that blends in well with most timber finishes. It can also be treated to give other tones such as creamy or pink tones. I just think cork is one of the most overlooked and under-rated floors that are available. Prices should be reasonable, I would think. Ash. Re: Cork Flooring 5Jan 07, 2008 6:05 pm Man another thing that we got rid of in the last house.....we jack-hammered up all the cork and replaced it with solid timber...
Must say though, in a 30 yo house, it still looked pretty good, but didn't suit that "vision" of mine.... Re: Cork Flooring 7Jan 07, 2008 6:17 pm Yeah, but that was 7 years ago, so at the beginning of the "timber floor trend"... sort of????
But hey, the house's resale value was a clear indication that we made the right decision.... The only thing, even though the original cork was sealed, it still showed the old water marks that ended up a darker colour..... Re: Cork Flooring 10Jan 07, 2008 6:44 pm Cork flooring died out slightly….. but is still popular with some.
It is softer under foot than timber or tiles, and lasts a long time if looked after! Carpet Court still sells it. If you decide to do it, get the basic one…..a lightish colour. It will go with everything. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Cork Flooring 11Jan 07, 2008 11:19 pm These are from a US based site, but gives you an idea of what can be done with cork. Its an incredibly versatile and practical surface!
http://coloredcorkfloor.com/pics.html http://coloredcorkfloor.com/colours.html Re: Cork Flooring 13Jan 27, 2008 3:43 pm Can you recommend a good "cork" flooring store in Melbourne?
I have to say I was impressed by the photos Ash supplied and would consider it. When reselling the house, would cork flooring fair better or at the very least equal to tiles? Many thanks, Alison Re: Cork Flooring 14Jan 27, 2008 4:00 pm I dunno, but I think the enormous potential for cork flooring has not yet been exploited or realised in Australia. There are lots of creative things that can be done with cork.
An idea for the forward thinking entrepreneur maybe? Just think of all that bark going to waste as we open our screw-top wine bottles! Ash. Re: Cork Flooring 15Jan 27, 2008 5:38 pm Of course, my husband is now saying, "Not cork! Timber or mainate, but not cork!"
So it looks like it won't be cork, although I'll be just as happy with timber/laminate floors. Thanks for the pics again, Ash....if I had it my way I'd probably look seriously into cork as an option. Fiona Re: Cork Flooring 17Jan 27, 2008 7:08 pm I just mentioned cork flooring to my husband & he screwed up his face & furrowed his brows...i think i'll have to show him Ash's pics to convince him about its viability....for now he is thinking wine & corks and thinks i'm half mad ...which i prolly am Re: Cork Flooring 18Jan 27, 2008 7:16 pm blessedpeople I just mentioned cork flooring to my husband & he screwed up his face & furrowed his brows...i think i'll have to show him Ash's pics to convince him about its viability....for now he is thinking wine & corks and thinks i'm half mad ...which i prolly am The real MADNESS is the sheep like mentality of the masses that follow trends with little to no consideration of the practical value of different surfaces. They fail to see beyond their nose, and lack the intelligence to discern how something will perform in real life. Too many people with their faces buried in the fancy home magazines and their choices dictated by absurd market forces. 1000000% definitely add insulation. I have in my home and it makes a big difference minimising sound transfer. Insulation is pretty cheap and definitely worth it 2 6173 Engineering timber is certainly a less fuss option, times cheaper to supply and install and better withstands humidity. 1 15884 Hi there, I'm a conplete newbie to this, but I'm looking to put a floor down in my 6x9m shed. It's currently sitting on a 100mm thick concrete perimeter (dirt floor… 0 6432 |