Laundry room flooring – Does a cork floor work well

Wondering if cork flooring works in your laundry room flooring? We know there are a lot of nay-sayers out there who claim that cork is a inferior material, but the truth is that if you treat a cork floor like a stone/concrete floor then of course it will fail. It takes a lot to trash a stone floor, but cork is wood, and like all woods it does gather wear and tear. However you can take steps to protect a cork floor and reap all the benefits one will bring to your home.

Silver Pine Fusion Cork Flooring Forna Laundry Room In Basement
Silver Pine Fusion Cork Flooring Forna Laundry Room In Basement

A cork floor is a wonderful addition to your laundry room flooring. Why? Because it does more for your body than most other floors. Cork is all natural in the material itself. Most manufacturers produce their cork with a ‘green’ process as well to retain the ‘green’ certification. This means that the additives used, such as the solvent to bind the cork granules, are chosen for their minimal impact on the earth. You get a flooring that is cleaner and made to ensure that it is not toxic to our earth.

Tasmanian Burl Forna Cork Floor Laundry Room With Concrete Wall
Tasmanian Burl Forna Cork Floor Laundry Room With Concrete Wall

As the cellular structure of cork is made up of millions upon millions of air-tight cells this makes it something like foam. It is compressible and thus when walked upon, will have a ‘give’ to it, like cushions. For your feet, legs and back, that means a softer surface that lends support, especially during long periods of standing.

Taupe Leather Forna Cork Floor 3D Rendering Wood Laundry Room Concrete Wall
Taupe Leather Forna Cork Floor 3D Rendering Wood Laundry Room Concrete Wall

Cork is wood, but it does what many hardwood floors can’t. It is water resistant. This means that cork will fight against the damaging properties of water. Suberin, a waxy substance found in cork, gives it the ability to stave off liquid invasion, so cork will not promote the growth of mould or mildew, defends against wood-rot. Because it is wood, it of course is not completely water proof, so if it is exposed or submerged in liquid for long periods of time, it can warp or deteriorate.

White Leather Cork Floor Rendering Wood Laundry Room Modern
White Leather Cork Floor Rendering Wood Laundry Room Modern

To protect against this, we as manufacturer ourselves, suggest that any cork floor you install should be sealed with 2-3 coats of polyurethane. This finishing process will not only seal your floor against liquids, but also helps to keep it strong against any dust and debris that can scratch the surface layer. Be sure to use the sealants suggested by the manufacturer of your cork floor. Remember, they know what works best with their floors as they are the ones who’ve done the testing.

In the laundry room where moisture is present and can be a danger to a cork floor, sealing the floor is a must. Better to protect your investment then to have to make costly repairs later.

For those of you concerned that cork floors dent or scratch easily, this can be an easy fix. Cork is able to compress under pressure, but with the removal of that weight, cork will regain its shape. To help minimize scratches and pressure dents, you can place furniture pads beneath the contact areas, such as each foot of a heavy chair, to offset weight and protect when moving.

As you can see, cork works well in any room, even the laundry room where water is present. It just takes a little know how. Visit us at www.icorkfloor.com today and learn more.