How Much Does Cork Flooring Cost

Most of us know that corks are commonly seen on top of wine bottles. They have that special place in the world where they serve their important purpose: to prevent the wine from flowing out of the container. But more than just non-metallic wine bottle stoppers, corks are also made into useful things like bulletin boards, and surprisingly, they are manufactured and used as a flooring material.

Costs of Cork Flooring

Corks, which are formed from the cork oak’s bark, are not typically made into floors, but they have become a trendy alternative to giving you a unique and environment-friendly floor for your home. Unlike ceramic, stone, and wooden floors, a cork flooring is much more comfortable than the most common materials in forming floors. Corks are also a recommended alternative that can beautify your home without burning a hole in your wallet. Although corks remain to be an affordable material, how much does cork flooring cost these days?

Approximately, the cost of cork tiles and planks ranges from $3 to $12 per square foot, that is if you plan to do the flooring installation yourself. If want to install a cork flooring for your 250-square-foot kitchen, then you can spend a total cost of $750 to $3,000. But if you hire a professional floor installer, then the total installed price varies, depending on the size of the area, the complexity of the job, your location, and the time when you need to get the job done.

In most cases, the cost to install cork flooring may run from $5 to $12 per square foot, which already includes the price of the materials and the labor fees. However, the prices can increase around $12 to $20 or higher for each square foot when the flooring has particular colors, shapes, and/or styles. Cork tiles that are simply glued down are lesser than floating cork click planks.

For instance, you want to have a cork flooring for your 300-square-foot bedroom, so the total installation cost may run from $1,500 to $6,000. The price range already includes the materials needed, the labor, supplies, and equipment. If you choose to have the cheaper type of cork flooring, then the cost will not be that high. Otherwise, you get to spend a few dollars more if you wish to have the sophisticated cork.

If you want to include the stairs, you may be charged separately for them. In addition to the total cork installation price, you have to pay around $250 to $300 for the stairs.

Apparently, there are some cork floorings that are coated with wax, which means they have to be re-waxed every six months. In other cases, polyurethane-finished cork floors may need to be refinished after five to 10 years to maintain their seamless quality. As such, you can hire a floor refinisher and spend $1.50 to $4 per square foot. That’s around $450 to $1,200 for a 300-square-foot room.

Characteristics of a Good Cork Flooring

If you think corks only come with a few choices, then think again. Your floors can be one-of-a-kind if you choose the right type of cork flooring. With that said, cork manufacturers provide a wide range of options that can help in bringing out the beauty of the floors. If possible, get to know all the characteristics of a good cork flooring first before you purchase the materials.

1. Density

This significantly determines the overall quality of a cork flooring. If you wish to have a more comfortable, more durable, and more soundproof floors, then get a more dense cork material to achieve your preference. Aside from knowing the quality, the cork’s density also tells you how fast it gets its shape back to its original form.

2. Shape Recovery

Another characteristic you need to consider when buying the material is the cork’s ability to recover its shape (as previously mentioned in number 1). Apparently, there are some corks that regain their original shape much better and a lot faster than other corks, especially after being pressed by a hard, heavy object for a long time. You can check the rating of the cork to find out its shape recovery.

If you want to install a cork flooring on the area where it receives a lot of sunlight, then choose the cork that has UV coatings. Corks tend to lose its appearance when it is constantly exposed to the sun.

3. Appearance

If you are after the aesthetics of your floors, then search for the best cork flooring appearance. Manufacturers make different kinds of patterns and textures that visually look good. When it comes to their hues, corks come in different shades of brown, but there are natural variations that can match the look of your house. If none of the colors suit your taste, you have the option to dye the cork flooring with any color you prefer. You can also choose the shape you like to have for your flooring. It adds more beauty to your floors.

4. Planks or Tiles

The best way to distinguish planks from tiles or vice versa is through their shapes. Planks come in a rectangular shape that usually has dimensions of 12 by 36 inches, while tiles are square with a 12 by 12-inch dimensions.

If you choose cork planks, you can install them without using glue. They usually have a fiberboard core that comes with a cork bark veneer, so you can easily lay them down to the subfloor. Meanwhile, the cork tiles need to be glued down to the subfloor.

5. Finish

This doesn’t literally mean the end. Finish refers to the coating of the planks and/or tiles. Most of the time, homeowners prefer finished cork materials or products that have been manufactured with either a polyurethane or wax finishing. But you can still apply the coating on unfinished planks and tiles by yourself.

Once you have installed the cork floorings, it is ideal to apply the finishing to make your floor seamless or smooth. Finishing is ideal for unfinished planks or tiles, but it can also be applied on prefinished cork materials as well. If the cork floors become dull or have lost their smoothness, then refinishing them will make them look new again.