Cork is fine as far as I have ever heard in all those locations. Its basically antmicrobial,durable etc. It is usually floating floor so it seems a bit loose if you will. Not sure if they recommend glueing it or not. The trick is finding color /pattern you like. Try reading more supplier sites for their suggested room locations

We decided to do cork floor in our kitchen and hope to have it finally installed in a few weeks. There are some really nice patterns out there. I do recommend looking at the planks in person because some have a bevel edge and some just lock in together which creates two very different looks.

You do have to be conscious about water puddles but it is easy to stand on.

I would only do a glue down cork in a bathroom and seal it really well.

We've had it in our kitchen for years and haven't had a problem with water issues at all.

I would be more concerned in a bathroom if you are looking at planks where water can get in between the boards.

We have the floating floor, planks in our kitchen/family room. They have only been down since December, so I can't say I've had them forever, etc. I do love them. There are so many people on GW who will tell you that if you have a flood in your kitchen they are going to be ruined. Well, I wonder what would happen to the people with hardwood in their kitchen if they have a flood? Also, wouldn't your cabinet bottoms get ruined if they were in a flood? So, rather than going with a cement floor with a drain (which I guess wouldn't be a problem with a kitchen flood), we chose the cork. I did call the manufacturer of the one I was interested in, and ultimately purchased (US Floors-Natural Cork) and they highly recommended it for the kitchen, but not so much for the bathroom. I suppose there is just too much water splashing out of tubs, etc. Of course I guess it depends on which bathroom--I would use it in my master bathroom because it is just adults using it, but I don't think I would entrust my children to the task of making sure not to leave big puddles.

The tongue and grooves of our planks are triple sealed, just like the rest of the plank. We did not have to seal our floor after installation.

You can always get a sample, and abuse it. I remember someone saying they put their sample under water for 3 days, and it was fine. Try walking on it with high heels, etc.

Here's a picture of mine--the kitchen is still in progress:
{{!gwi}}

We have cork in 2 bathrooms, and after 4 years I still love it. Easy on the legs, warm to the touch, and really beautiful (we used two different patterns, I still can't decide which one I like best). Two words of caution, however, dust and dirt, hair, etc., sits on top of cork, so you will SEE it - be prepared to vacuum or mop everyday for it to look its best. Second, don't let anyone tell you that cork can withstand flooding. We originally had cork in our basement bathroom as well, but had to replace it last year after the basement flooded. The water got under the cork tiles, and completely lifted the edges. We replaced with tile (just in case we ever get a flood again :( On the other hand, regular dampness in a bathroom is no problem (and I have 3 kids)

marja - what kind of cork flooring do you have? Can you post a picture?
Sorry to hijack - I'm considering cork for my kitchen too.

beekeeperswife-I love your floors! What collection and what color is your flooring? thanks!

Thanks mbarbie. My floor is by US Floors, Natural Cork. They are the Narrow Plank, New Dimensions. The color is Corte. They seem to photograph really red, but they are more brown in person, with red undertones.

Beekeepers...Great kitchen and nice floors !

marja, it's funny you say that about showing the hair and dust. What I love best about our cork is that it hides the dirt so well (yup, that's the kind of housekeeper I am - if I can't see it, it's not there). Are yours a very dark colour?

We put cork in our kitchen about a year before we moved. I loved the way it looked and felt. It was wonderful. However, I do agree that I had to clean it a lot because the dog hair showed on it terribly. This was probably due to the color of it and not it being cork per se. I would also note that I wore shoes with stiletto heels one night during a dinner party, and the heels left little round depressions all over the floor. Three weeks later, the depressions were still there if you looked really close. I am not sure if they ever fully went away. I still loved the floor, but it is something to think about if you need perfection. Get the floors and get rid of high heels!

c'mon beekeepers! you're holding out on us! your kitchen looks fabulous and i want details. PLEASE could you tell me where you got your pulls? are they polished nickel? and what's going on with your counter top? is it granite or marble? sorry to hijack the thread ...but inquiring minds NEED to know!

kateskouros--you are so funny. I think it's funny that you want to know about my pulls. They are Amerock, I got them from Coolknobsandpulls.com. They are satin nickel. I have 3 different sizes in my kitchen. The pulls are only on drawers, I have crystal knobs on doors, of course I have to show you one that is "showing off" on a sunny day--I think I remember what the sun looks like...

And the counter, it's granite, Bianco Antico. ahhhhh. I love it.

Here are 2 more photos of it:

Thanks for the compliments, I really need to get this kitchen finished.

Here is a link that might be useful: my pulls

We had cork floors for 18 years in kitchen, dining room, entry way and bathroom (same material/color). I loved it and it wore well. It was light colored and almost impossible to see dirt/hair on (we have a shedding dog). After awhile there were very slight raised ridges between tiles that probably was due to washing and letting water soak in. These slight ridges were probably only noticeable to me.

When we remodeled, we didn't get cork because we felt like we needed a change and we couldn't find the right color of cork for our new cabinets. I would definitely get cork floors again for the areas you are considering.

My preference would be for the floating installation. If you or someone decides to remove the floor, this would definitely be easier to take out. I have a friend who just installed a high end glued down cork floor. Can't remember the reason, but she also would get a floating one next time.