The #1 Reason to Choose Cork Flooring over Vinyl Flooring

Cork flooring provides the perfect solution to environmentally conscious builds.

As technology advances, we become more conscious of the impact of what we are consuming. But have you thought about the impact of your flooring?

Now more than ever, clients care about the environmental impact of their builds, as we all should. Cheap vinyl flooring will no longer suffice.

Why is cork so environmentally friendly?

Cork is a sustainable material. It is harvested from the cork tree, also called the cork oak. The process is much like that of shearing a sheep. It is harmless to the tree and it will grow back what is harvested.

Cork Tree

Why is cork so much healthier than vinyl?

Vinyl flooring contains PVC. PVC contains many harmful chemicals, like lead and tin. These chemicals are toxic and can evaporate into the air, or leach out. PVC leakage results in the PVC attaching to a variety of particles. Humans are then exposed to it through food, air, and the skin. Cork is PVC-free.

Won’t cork warp and indent, deteriorating the look?

Unlike vinyl, cork is always indenting and recovering. Vinyl will have very obvious indentations, making the flooring look uncomfortable and cheap. Cork is also sound dampening, adding to its luxurious characteristics. 

What if I want a hardwood look?

We recommend Granote’s line of cork flooring, Kenko. It is available in multiple finishes and will give your space that hardwood look. Kenko is lined with polypropylene. 

Kenko Satin

This thin layer (~1mm) of polypropylene protects from indentation while preserving cork’s natural properties, meaning the flooring is quiet and keeps its natural ability to recover. Kenko’s Polypropylene is cured with Electron Beam technology further contributing to its recovery efforts.

Granorte Kenko and other cork products have a wide variety of patterns, colors, and painted finishes. For more information, please contact us at (973) 301-0800. 

This post was written by Summit international’s Brand Manager, Melissa Hawk.

One Apollo Drive, Whippany, NJ 07981 | T: 1-973-301-0800 | F: 1-973-301-0802 | www.summit-flooring.com