Insulation-wise, it's been solid even through winter—definitely warmer than before. Cork sounds interesting though, shame about durability...
We actually went with cork about two years ago, and durability hasn't been an issue at all for us. Maybe it depends on foot traffic or something? Rubber sounds good insulation-wise, but the smell thing—even if it's just a week—would probably bug me...
We went with cork too, about three years back, and honestly it's held up way better than I expected. We have two kids and a dog running around constantly, and aside from a couple minor dents (mostly from furniture legs), it's still looking pretty good. Definitely warmer underfoot in winter compared to what we had before, which was some cheap foam stuff that flattened out after a year.
I get the hesitation about rubber though...my brother-in-law used it in his basement, and even after airing it out for a week or two, there was still this faint rubbery smell lingering for months. Maybe he's just sensitive to smells, but it put me off considering it for our place. Cork's been odor-free from day one, so that's another plus if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.
We actually went with rubber in our laundry room, and yeah...the smell was noticeable at first. But after about a month, it faded completely. It's held up amazingly well since then, even with heavy appliances shifting around. Guess it depends on the brand or something?
Interesting you mention the smell fading after a month...we tried rubber underlayment in our basement, and honestly, the odor lingered way longer than expected. Maybe humidity or ventilation plays a bigger role than brand? Dunno, just thinking out loud here.
"Maybe humidity or ventilation plays a bigger role than brand?"
Yeah, you're onto something there. Rubber underlayment can be stubborn with odors, especially in damp spaces like basements. A buddy of mine swears by running a dehumidifier and fan combo—said it cut the smell way quicker. Worth a shot, maybe?
