We just finished a room addition, and we're trying to decide on flooring. The adjoining room has a tan/brown flecked carpet, and the rest of our house has real hardwood floors (a darker oak color - the real deal from when the house was built in 1880). There's no way we can match the hardwood or the carpet (it's discontinued), so we're looking in to other options. My hubby wanted to recarpet the adjoining room and the new room to make it all the same, but I don't want to spend that much money, especially since the carpet is just 2 years old and in great condition.
The room will be primarily a playroom which is an extension from our family room, so I'm wanting something durable. It also has an outside access door, so I'd like something friendly to outside shoes. I was looking at cork flooring, but I don't know much about it. Is it just like regular cork, spongy and kind of soft? Is it durable enough for kiddos who will be riding trikes, spilling drinks, etc? We also have cats who are not declawed, so I wonder if they will take a liking to it and try to claw it.
I also looked at bamboo flooring, but it just seems to look like hardwood but it's made from bamboo.
If you have experience with either of these flooring options, or if you have other suggestions, I'd love to hear them. We're hoping to pick something out and install it next week.
I love the look of bamboo but honestly it is softer than hardwood and gets dinged fairly easily.
I would probably go with the cork floor and put a rug on it in some corner of the room to create a specific play area in the play room.
I like the recommendations for the cork since it is warm.
We have cork in our master bath. It is soft on the feet and warm (compared to tile). We love it. I do not know how durable it would be for tricycle riding - it may depend upon the finish (we have ours finished to a high gloss which is gorgeous but I would not recommend for kids). The spills do not seem to be a problem. Cork cannot be installed over a floor with radiant heat. If you like a modern style other options would be rubber flooring (really cool, durable, soft and eco friendly) and linoleum (the old fashioned linseed oil stuff, NOT vinyl flooring) - it comes in a huge variety of colors and patterns, is durable (the color goes all the way through), not terribly expensive and is eco friendly. We put in in DS's bathroom (our guest bath).
Have you checked into Pergo - we have it and just love it. Our 4 year old boy has grown up with it and has really been hard on it - but it can take a beating. I don't know how dark it comes but it is great.
My friends put in cork and they love it! They say it is hardy, great for kids, easy to clean, and has a little give. Also, it feels warm in the winter. I would think it is perfect for a playroom! In my next house I will look into cork flooring for sure!
We had the same issue when we remodeled our kitchen and wavered between bamboo and cork. We used bamboo in the kitchen with a dark green stain so that it wouldn't look like we were trying to match the original hardwood in the adjoining room. (Sounds weird but it's really very pretty!) I am not impressed with the bamboo. It scratches very easily - I dropped and broke a dish, and it left dings. The finish is always cloudy, I can't seem to get it clean and shiny. It can be refinished, so we may end up doing that before too long (the floor was installed in 2006). I'd suggest you do some research on the finishes before going with bamboo and find one that's mighty durable.
My neighbor got both. I let the builder talk us out of it. He LOVES his floors and how they are not cold like tile. He also says a cork playroom is quiet, unlike ours. I don't know about the cat.
They are both gorgeous and durable. Pick whichever one you like. Matching rooms is best, however. Too many different floorings in a house looks choppy.
