Materials

• Cork flooring is made from cork, a renewable wood byproduct. The Re-Nest home remodeling website writes that cork has "a unique cellular structure that is comfortable to stand on, warmer than wood floors and quieter." It consists of a natural material called suberin, which is an important element because this agent has antimicrobial qualities.
  
  

Colors

• You can purchase cork flooring in a wide range of colors -- including the natural grainy orange-brown hues as well as bolder white.
  
  

Forms

• Cork flooring comes in a variety of forms, including square tiles and long panels that you can "snap" together much like hardwood veneer flooring panels. If you choose the latter form, you can glue the tiles directly on your existing floor.
  
  

Wine Cork Flooring

• The Jelinek Cork Group makes cork flooring out of recycled wine corks. If you choose an option such as this, your floor will look like it has been tiled by the tops of wine corks that have been buffered by grout and glazing.