Cork flooring feels almost rubbery to walk on as it is flexible, creating an “airy” comfortable feeling. Further, cork’s ability to absorb impact means you’ll end up with fewer broken plates if, like me, you occasionally drop one while emptying your dishwasher. (If you have young, accident prone children, this feature will serve you and your wallet well!) But cork also retains its original shape, meaning you can safely place furniture on it without fear of denting.
Cork comes in a variety of hues and tones, including red, green and black, so you can easily match your kitchen colors..
Cork is made from tree bark, so no trees are actually destroyed when producing it, meaning one step on your new cork floor is one step toward safeguarding the environment.
Cork doesn’t reflect sound as much as other, harder kitchen flooring. This means that it will fight noise pollution in your house, which, if you have kids, is a valuable quality!
Bamboo is actually not tree wood. Rather, it’s a grass. As a result, deforestation isn’t necessary for you to enjoy a bamboo floor. Essentially, by walking day in and day out on bamboo, you’re being environmentally conscious.
Bamboo is generally yellow or golden in tone, with natural grain marks. This coloring will literally brighten up your kitchen, lifting your mood when you enter it. But, given the limited color choices, bamboo might clash with your existing kitchen colors, so make sure you view it in the store before purchase. Further, you can choose the grains in your bamboo flooring to run either horizontally or vertically along the plank, which is the building block that bamboo flooring usually comes in.
Bamboo might look weak in the wild, leading you to believe it wouldn’t make a durable addition to your kitchen. However, believe it or not, bamboo is really stronger than oak. Thus, you don’t have to worry. Bamboo is strong enough to stand up to the challenge of your family and furniture.
If you want a natural and exotic look for your kitchen, then consider cork or bamboo. But keep in mind, it’s often more expensive than traditional flooring material. But if price isn’t that great of a concern for you, they could each give you a kitchen worth showing off.