I just came across a fantastic discussion of the topic, Popping the cork – Getting to Know Cork Flooring, with an emphasis on the environmental benifits of going that route.

Check it out and be sure to read the interesting comments.

There’s an interesting discussion in the comment thread as well.

I personally strongly considered getting a cork floor in my kitchen when I was renovating.  The reason was that I have a bad neck and wanted a floor that would be forgiving on my back.  In the end I decided against cork flooring because my family is too rough.  My husband is not dainty in the least bit and neither is my teenage son.  They’re both big guys.  Plus I have a seven year old daughter.  I think they would have torn up the floor within a year by moving the chairs back and forth at mealtime.

My friend’s retired mother has a cork floor in her kitchen and she loves it.  (She also has a bad back.)  In that case I can see a cork floor working well – with a retired couple or an unmarried person who’s not planning on having kids in the near future.