5 Best Cork Flooring Brands

Cork flooring is pretty great - cosy, terrific at insulating a room from noise and from the temperature outside, soft on the feet, and elegant - and as more and more people are finding out about it, its popularity keeps growing. So it’s no surprise that there are a few options on the market!

This article is about the 5 best cork flooring brands presently active. We’ve compiled their most prominent qualities, their fortes and their weak spots. 

Maybe your choice will seem much easier after you’ve read it, or maybe we’ve given you a huge dilemma to think about… In any case, we hope at least you’ll have fun choosing!

● Portuguese Treasures

Cork is not just a type of material; it’s part of a culture and history. Portuguese Treasures has its roots in Portugal, the world’s greatest cork producer. It was established in 2011 and, while now based in Dorset in the UK, continues the tradition of great and passionate craftsmanship from its founder’s native country.

Products are made in collaboration with top experts and artisans, resulting in an offer that is both elegant and varied.

People looking for cork flooring are often attracted by the eco-friendliness of the material, and Portuguese Treasures emphasises sustainability and an approach to construction and design that’s in harmony with nature.

What you should know about Portuguese Treasures:

• Products handcrafted in Portugal, with superb and traditional craftsmanship.
• Besides cork flooring, Portuguese Treasures sells a wide range of cork homewares and construction materials.
• Exclusive designs unavailable in conventional stores.
• Online store that ships across the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other destinations. 
• Approved by thousands of happy customers: 4.9 rating on Google Reviews
• Over 15,000 sales and 2,200 customers reviews on the global marketplace Etsy.

● Jelinek Cork Group

Jelinek is a distinguished and old - over 150 years old, to be more precise - brand of cork and cork products from Somerset that ships to over 30 countries every year. They sell a wide variety of products, not just flooring, and are actively committed to sustainable practices and to the environment.

On the downside, according to reviews, not everyone’s delighted: some people have had bad experiences with returns, bad information, delays, etc.

Main strengths:

• A wide variety of cork products, including floor and wall cork tiles, expanded cork tiles, self-adhesive cork sheets, and decorative cork products.
• Many products seem genuinely eco-friendly / natural: zero VOCs, natural materials.
• Self-adhesive options which simplify installation (less need for the use of glue or professional installers) and promise easier DIY installation.
• Reasonably good pricing for bulk orders: price per unit drops if you order in larger quantities (for example, self-adhesive cork sheets, etc.).

Weaknesses:

• Customer service criticisms: delayed dispatches, lack of communication, failure to inform customers when out of stock, etc.
• Hidden fees / unexpected additional costs: many customers complain about import VAT/customs fees; one of the problems is that the website presents a UK address, but the shipments originate in Poland or elsewhere, resulting in import and handling duties that surprise the buyer.
• Misleading / unclear information on the website: for example, as in the previous point, free shipping may be implied but the actual origin or VAT/duty info may be buried in the Terms and Conditions or not clearly shown at checkout.
• Long delivery times for some items; delays or lack of updates about when orders will ship.
• Returns / refunds problems: some users complain that the company sometimes claims that parts of returns are missing when they are not, or expects the customer to bear the high costs to return to an overseas address.

● Natural Wood Floors

A family-owned business from the UK that has now existed for three generations, Natural Wood Floors isn’t as limited in its offering as the name might have you expecting; it sells a wide range of products. 

Not only that, reviews tend to show that customers are satisfied with their products and professionalism. Some of the weak spots, also according to reviews, have to do with delivery times and with some of the prices.

The advantages:

• Good customer ratings: a Trustpilot score of ~4.1/5 from a handful of reviews, which praise their product quality and customer service.
  
• Large product range: solid wood, engineered wood, parquet, accessories, etc. There’s a showroom (Wandsworth, London) where customers can view samples.
  
• Helpful advice & professionalism: comments say staff are knowledgeable, helpful, and able to explain differences in types of wood, grades, styles.
  
• Competitive pricing relative to perceived quality: some reviewers consider the price adequate for the materials / finish.
  
• Sample service: free (or low cost) samples so potential buyers can see and feel the materials before committing. That reduces risk for customers.
  

And their weaknesses:

• A limited number of reviews: only a small number of reviews, making it hard to assess consistency.
  
• Some mixed reviews complaining about delivery times or logistics. While the product & service seem good, delays or failures in communication around delivery sometimes come up.
  
• Possibly higher cost for premium woods or finishes: customers sometimes expect higher prices, so not always the cheapest option (which is not unusual in this market though).
  
• Perhaps less visible, when it comes to very large-scale or budget flooring, compared to big mass-market stores, so if you’re looking for bargain basement pricing, you may find other options cheaper.

● Capri Collections

Capri offers cork and rubber products in a great variety of styles and installation methods. Based in Pennsylvania, USA, and founded relatively recently - in 2006 - they put great emphasis on sustainability and safe materials. Their prices can sometimes be less appealing.

The positive:

• Sustainability credentials: certifications (Declare Label, GREENGUARD, etc.) that promise indoor air quality, support green building projects, or simply appeal to people who care about eco credentials.
  
• A variety of installation methods & product styles: glue-down, floating clicks, tiles, planks, wall tiles — providing flexibility for many kinds of project / space, making installation easier in some settings, and potentially reducing labour and mess.
  
• PVC-free / reduced use of harmful materials in certain lines. That’s a plus for health, durability, and market demand.

On the other side:

• If you are outside the US (e.g. in the UK or rest of Europe), there may be extra shipping costs, import duties/taxes, and longer delivery times. These aren’t always clearly visible in advance.
  
• Prices may be higher than simpler or less certified cork/rubber flooring providers. This may limit Capri’s appeal for budget-conscious customers.
  
• Limited information / reviews: depending on the region, it might be hard to find local reviews or examples of the long-term performance of specific Capri cork lines.

● iCork Floor

This American, family-owned business emphasises trust and satisfaction, and has a number of happy customer reviews to prove it. They offer a good range of cork products, in different styles and formats.

The fact that they’re based in the US, however, can result in some difficulties and extra costs; besides, their return policy can sometimes suffer from a lack of clarity.

Their “pluses”:

• Offer of many formats: natural cork flooring, design cork, glue-down tiles, floating planks, cork wall & ceiling tiles, underlayment, etc. Also, different styles and colours, thicknesses, finishes. A good range to match different aesthetic and functional needs.
  
• Products meet GREENGUARD Gold certification, indicating ultra-low VOC emissions, which is good for indoor air quality.
  
• Because they distribute directly, they claim fewer inflated costs. That can make pricing more competitive, or at least more justifiable for a premium product.
  
• Free product samples so customers can see and touch the material before buying. This is very helpful when it comes to flooring.
  
• They present themselves as a trusted, family-owned American retailer. They have encouraging reviews. All this helps build trust, along with a returns policy and a focus on satisfaction.

And the “minuses”:

• Customers outside the U.S. might face high shipping costs, import duties/taxes, or longer delivery times.
  
• The conditions around the warranties and returns (installation, maintenance, user error) aren’t always obvious in the advertisements. As with many flooring companies, how easy it is to make a warranty claim or return can vary.
  
• It’s hard to find independent reviews outside their website, especially over long periods. That means long-term reliability might be less documented.