Cork floor in kitchen - yay or nay?

[Zinnia]

Anyone got a cork floor in their kitchen/diner and care to share their thoughts? We're planning an extension and I'm going through the usual flooring dilemma (have read a LOT of MN kitchen renovation threads).

Cork seems to tick a lot of boxes - environmentally-friendly, warm, moisture-resistant, forgiving of breakages, looks good - but am concerned about durability in a high-traffic area, and fading in sunlight (we will have veluxes in new room).

Any recommendations for UK suppliers also welcome (I know about Colour Flooring but would be great to hear about others).

For context, no pets and DC old enough not to wreak havoc in theory.

I'm thinking something like this... TIA

My parents had a cork floor in the bathroom when I was a child. It needed resealing regularly but looked fab and loved how warm it was. They eventually covered it with carpet . Might have to investigate it for our bathroom now.

We got our cork from these guys

www.corkfloor.co.uk/flooring/emotions-cork-flooring.aspx

They were quite helpful and I'm sure we had samples from them. I'm not sure why we went with the emotions range - maybe they were waterproof to some level, I honestly can't remember. But I do know I emailed them, told them where I wanted to floor and they gave advice.

It’s a no from me, I’ve friends who put it in a bathroom recently and I can’t say I’m feeling any love for it, and wouldn’t have it in my kitchen, think there is much nicer flooring options available.

@Zinnia, are you any further on with your cork floor explorations? We hope to start our kitchen extension in September, so I need to get my husband onside soon...

I'm afraid not! Our start date has gone back to early August, and it's an extension so floor unlikely to be going down until November. We have more or less settled on the cork though, probably the original one I linked to which is from Colour Flooring and called something else but appears to be identical to the Wicanders sample I got from another supplier (they call it "Wise" I think, is essentially waterproof, low sheen, etc). Did some internet sleuthing and it's all definitely from the same factory in Portugal at any rate.

DH and my kids are all keen on the samples I got too, which is nothing short of a miracle. I can't wait to have something warm and tactile on the floor instead of the granite tiles we have at the moment.

Good luck with your persuasion tactics. My DH is also keen on the price v. engineered wood, if that helps. And installation is much cheaper as the one we're going for is a floating floor so literally just clicks into place.

We had Scandinavian cork flooring (planks) in our kitchen/diner. It was expensive and needed sealing occasionally. It looked fabulous, was warm and we loved it for the first couple of years. Unfortunately the dogs claws scratched it in some areas and it started to disintegrate. We would have it again if we didn’t have pets.

That's good to know @PielFerry, thanks! No pets here, although we have vaguely considered getting a cat so should have a think about that. Your old floor sounds like what I'm after. Don't suppose you have any photos you're willing to share??

@Zinnia

That's good to know *@PielFerry*, thanks! No pets here, although we have vaguely considered getting a cat so should have a think about that. Your old floor sounds like what I'm after. Don't suppose you have any photos you're willing to share??

It was in our old house and it was installed about 16 years ago. I’ve got this photo but it’s probably more dog than floor! 😊. The cats claws never seemed to damage it like the dog claws did.

[quote HBGKC]@Zinnia, are you any further on with your cork floor explorations? We hope to start our kitchen extension in September, so I need to get my husband onside soon...[/quote]
Did you see that episode of Your Home Made Perfect where Laura Jane specified cork on the kitchen floor? Watch for about 12 minutes, starting at 15 minutes, if you don't want the whole programme.

Thanks @senua, I shall check that out!

@Zinnia, yes I'm hoping to install the floating-style cork flooring myself (well, with a lot of help from my brother and father), in order to keep costs down. We'll be doing a lot of the second fit & decoration ourselves

I have had cork flooring, laminate and now Karndene. I wish I hadn't bothered with the first two. The cork and the laminate got damaged very easily.

The warmth aspect is a big consideration in draughty old British houses!

I haven't ever had a home with cork on the floors, and I would imagine it needs sealing somehow, but on walls, yes, and it was a good insulator and good at sound deadening.

My friend had bamboo in his kitchen, and it was lovely- nice appearance, warm underfoot, environmentally friendlier. Lasted well too.

@senua I did see that episode! Was very excited about the cork. Quite sad they didn't end up using the stunning cork wallpaper she suggested though. Laura is an amazing architect.

@PielFerry thank you, that's pretty much exactly what we're going for. Nice dog too. Also reassuring to hear cats may be OK.

@porridgecake I know lots of people really love LVT but I'm not a fan I'm afraid. Apart from anything else it's not great environmentally.

@LostInTime I have considered bamboo but I don't really like the way it looks on floors for some reason. Am seriously considering bamboo kitchen doors on the other hand! Even Ikea do them now.

@HBGKC good luck with the DIY, suspect we may well end up doing the same with the eye-watering cost of this extension

Sorry to revive an old thread but I wondered how you were getting on @HBGKC and @Zinnia. Hope your building work is going well.

If you did opt for cork I’d love to see photos and hear what you think of it! Due to start my renovation in February and moving into a caravan in the garden for the duration…

Many thanks

Thanks for reviving @juno76
I'm interested on the updates as well. After reading this I'm thinking that cork could be good and nice and warm for a garage conversion...

Resurrecting an old thread in the hope that the OP has installed lovely cork flooring and will come back to tell me all about how it's worked out!

Failing that - has anyone installed cork flooring in the last 2 years and would like to share their wisdom with me?

Jumping on this resurrection because I’m hoping to be having a cork floor too and want some real world feedback. The people at colour flooring company assured me that it would be fine, one to them has dogs and teens and cork in their kitchen no problem… but they are sales people 🫤

We have a cat, so I understand your concern LATBOGT.

I'm wondering if the ones that click together and have a wooden core are as good as solid cork tiles, even though they're more expensive 🤔

After a great deal of deliberation and indecisiveness, I recently had all 50m2 of my new extension covered in stick-down cork tiles. I have underfloor heating which is why I chose these (although I also liked the fact that they are 100% cork). I was concerned that the joins wouldn’t be as flush or consistent as the clic clack style but mostly I’m pleased with the results. I recommend Granorte - I got a better price by going direct to the importer based somewhere in Shropshire. They were really helpful (a lovely Scottish woman called Catherine). They’ve only been down for a week and I haven’t yet put the underfloor heating on but they coped well with dogs and even a toddler on a scooter at the weekend (I coped less well!).

@juno76 that's gorgeous. Looks really MCM. I really want cork flooring in my kitchen but when we bought our house there was a relatively new kitchen and extension so I'm just waiting for it to get worn out (we have 3 DC and cook a lot so are pretty hard on kitchens) before we redo it.

@juno76 that looks lovely!
I’m planning on going with the sadly more expensive click option which is completely cork.
We don’t have pets and any visiting dogs will not be allowed in the kitchen!

I love the modern cork floors, great choice. So many benefits and cork forests in Portugal are ecologically important so cork customers are important so land owners continue to grow them.
I think they look lovely. I would have cork in a great beat but it doesn't go too well with my ufh

Where did you get your yellow bar stools please @juno76 ? 🙏

So glad your cork floor looks great. We've had it down in the bathroom for 9 years and I love it still.

Thanks all! I’m really pleased with it so far.
The bar stools are from John Lewis and are in the sale - £39 each which is the cheapest I’ve seen bar stools for and they’re really comfortable and well made!