Cork Flooring

Discover Cork Flooring Options in Portland, OR

Cork proves just how beautiful environmentally friendly flooring can be. Able to mimic stone, leather, ceramic, and metal, cork allows you to get a different look in a room while offering a plethora of benefits. Cork floor provides a comfortable cushion underfoot because it “gives” when compressed and is a natural insulator, so your feet are never cold.

Durable, hypoallergenic, and easy to maintain, let our experts help you choose the right cork flooring for your life and style.

Why Cork as a Surface Material?

Cork comes from the outer bark of the cork oak that grows in the Mediterranean basin, much of which comes from Portugal, the site of the world’s largest cork oak forest.

Every nine years after a tree turns 25, the cork bark is harvested without harming the tree — making it sustainable and eco-friendly. In fact, the harvesting of the cork bark helps the oak tree stay healthy and grow new bark, contributing to its longevity (a cork oak tree has an average lifespan of over 200 years!).

The magic of cork comes from its unique makeup. Inside the cork is a variety of gas-filled pillows that give it its elasticity and compressibility. The properties of cork make it an excellent option for flooring:

• Softness: it is very comfortable to stand on
• Quiet: no need to tiptoe, cork is quieter to walk on than hardwood or laminate
• Resilient: cork’s ability to bounce back means most objects won’t leave impressions when they fall
• Non-slip: cork keeps your feet on solid ground
• PVC-free: cork will not harm the environment
• Naturally hypoallergenic and antimicrobial: for better living indoors

Types of Cork Flooring

Our manufacturers have been providing affordable cork-based flooring since 1868, combining innovation with durability and performance to give families flooring for all of life’s real moments.

Cork is available in two installation methods: glue-down and floating click-together formats. Some collections come with a waterproof click system.

Regardless of the installation method, cork flooring is inspired by nature. It comes in a variety of patterns and stains such as stone, whitewashed, rich dark leather, or hardwood that is ideal in any room.

Stone Essence, for example, is a floating multi-layer cork floor system inspired by stone and tile looks, that offers walking and standing comfort, and thermal and acoustic insulation.

Its multilayered structure offers walking comfort, shock absorption, noise reduction, and perfect floor temperature. Furthermore, cork is highly resistant to wear and is certified for low emissions.

Where to Use Cork Flooring

Cork flooring has a warm and natural look that works anywhere you would use a wood floor.

It can bridge the gap between informal spaces to more modern designs. In fact, it was the material of choice for Frank Lloyd Wright in many of his famous homes. You’ll even find cork floors in the Library of Congress, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and other famous buildings.

How to Select Cork Flooring

Cork flooring has a range of options including a variety of stained color choices and patterns. For active families, cork offers noise reduction, keeping the hustle and bustle of kids and pets to a minimum.

Given how super versatile cork flooring is, you’ll want to consider the following when selecting your cork floor:

• Sunlight: direct sunlight on unstained, natural cork causes fading so it isn’t a good option for south-facing sunlit rooms.
• Hypoallergenic and antimicrobial: because it naturally repels dust and is comfortable to walk on with bare feet cork is a good option for bedrooms.
• Colors: you’ll find a variety of cork colors and textures to choose from – from natural hues to stained options – to match your home’s style.
• Texture: cork texture varies from small-grained to burled. Small-grained has a smooth, sophisticated look while burled cork flooring is strikingly unique. And you’ll find many options in between.

How to Care for Cork Floors

Maintaining a cork floor is similar to caring for wood flooring:

• Sweep or vacuum regularly
• Use only recommended wood floor cleaners

Cork flooring is an excellent surface for bedrooms, great rooms, and family rooms.

Cork Collections You’ll Discover in the Classique Showroom

• Corkwise
• Duro Cork
• Stone Essence
• Wicanders
• WE Cork
• Woodwise
• Zandur Cork Collections

How Selecting Cork Flooring Works

At Classique, our mission is to provide expert guidance and installation services to homeowners from start to finish.

Visit our showroom in southeast Portland, where a Classique Floors + Tile expert will assist you with every step of your cork flooring journey. From selecting the perfect cork style and finish to planning, scheduling, and completing installation, we’re here to make your vision a reality.

Classique is a full-service company, meaning that with us you can:

• Explore the benefits of sustainable cork flooring
• Look through a variety of cork textures and colors that suit your home
• Assess your cork flooring project every step of the way
• Count on us to order all materials and manage full cork installation

Schedule a free consultation to come into our showroom to meet with an expert and start your cork flooring project today!

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