Cork. Yep. Good ol' cork floating flooring. It can be 'made' to look like wood, or stone, or flowers, or Hello Kitty. As a cork flooring expert, this is my 'wheelhouse!'. Eco-flooring comparisons are my jam! Don't get me going on bamboo (oiy vey).

Cork flooring was the precursor to linoleum. Linoleum is made from linseed oil (can you see the word "Lin" in linseed?) and cork particles and wood dust (pretty much anything you can sweep up off of a manufacture's floor). The mixture then solidifies and you have linoleum.

Right. Back to my point. You can EAT your cake and have it too. Both linoleum and cork have some basic maintenance to them...that's fine. Cork floating flooring can give 25+ years of life. A linoleum floating floor can offer 25+ years of life. So far they are equal.

Cork floating flooring can be installed in kitchens and entrance ways (sealant must be used). So can click linoleum (seam sealers are needed at time of install). NEITHER one of them can go in a bathroom...BUT you can 'match' the look by using a glue down version in the bathrooms = continuous look throughout 100% of the house!!! How COOL is that???

You can work with a traditional cork 'look'. Or you can go with a 'printed cork' (the cork is coated in white primer and then it is run through a DIRECT INK INJECTION process = biggest photocopier in the WORLD!!!) that gives you ANY look you want (including Hello Kitty...nope...not kidding...it sells REALLY well in Asia!).

If I have intrigued you, feel free to reach out to a former colleague of mine, Anne, at iCork Floor LLC. She will get you some samples.

www.icorkfloor.com

I love their Design Cork. It is out of SWITZERLAND! These are some SERIOUSLY impressive cork floors. They tick all the boxes...without ruining the planet. The Swiss produce the best products in the world (ahem...watches, chocolate, private banking...etc). Their flooring products are the MOST STRINGENT in the world (they are tougher than the Japanese requirements).

Cork Archives - iCork Floor Store

Have a look. Poke through the traditional floating flooring. The favourites are 'Silver Birch', 'Leather', and 'Logan'. All of which are patterned by traditional cork floors. They are instantly recognizable as cork floors - of the HIGH END variety. Anyone who knows ANYTHING about eco-flooring will recognize cork as being the luxury finish that it is...without looking like a hospital.

Another perspective: https://whytile.com/healthy-spaces/#sustainability

I'd love cork but it is quite hard to source where I live and the delays are over half a year in supply (hello from way way up North). I will however get in touche with Anne. Our hearts are set on cork for our future (more permanent dwelling) and we will know to get it supplied way in advance!

Keep it natural, PVC is an eco-disaster ( and it's Eart Day today) LOve cork, as long as it's a good durable product. Try Marmoleum, a version of linoleum, with lots of beautiful colors and patterns. another idea is the "wood look" tile. It's ceramic and that's better than PVC.

What about bamboo? I don't know if it is readily available in your area. I have it here in my Florida home and I am very pleased with it.

Are you in Canada? Look at Cancork Floors. They ship next day! Everything listed on the website is in stock in Vancouver, BC.

www.cancork.com

If you can afford them, have a look at Duro-Design in Laval. Hopefully you can chat with Carman. She's a wealth of information on her floors!

https://www.duro-design.com/en/

Duro is the top of the top! Even I'm envious of their of their cork!

Remember: these are bespoke items. They do not make your floor until you order/pay for it. Lead time will be 2-6 weeks.

And the factories are CLOSED due to Covid!!!! Portugal is closed. Spain is closed. France is open...but their infection numbers are OBSCENE! Italy has closed once again (3rd time).

Ontario should close...but they won't. Quebec is in lock down. The Globus cork factory in New York is closed as well. Have patience.