A Little Information On Cork

By Author: Vikram Kumar
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Cork. Not just a bottle stopper. Did you know? It has a thousand and one uses, and it's making a huge comeback as a fabulous flooring material. We're proud to offer our cork flooring to you.

First, here’s a little background about where cork comes from and what it is. Cork is actually the bark from an evergreen oak tree found in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Portugal is the largest producer, followed by Spain. These trees have evolved an almost miraculous ability to regenerate their bark. Scientists believe this was brought about as a result of forest fires. The cork oak developed this unique ability to prevent its own destruction and to be the first to repopulate a burned area.

When a tree reaches 25 years of maturity, its "virgin" harvest is made. Under strict laws, that same tree can only be re-harvested every nine years. The actual harvest entails stripping about two-thirds of its bark each time. Given the average lifespan of 200 years, each tree can be harvested up to 20 times. A new tree is planted when one reaches its final year to preserve the on-going cycle of sustainability.

Eco-responsibility ...
... has become a standard companies are increasingly being encouraged to keep at the forefront of their business models. Fortunately the cork industry is by nature environmentally sustainable and has been for centuries.

Cork flooring can come in the form of tiles, planks, or floating panels. These tiles are formed from a mixture of granulated cork and a binder/adhesive that is compressed at high pressures, "baked" and then cut into the desired squares or planks. Because the granulated cork can be a mix of bark from different trees, each tile will never be exactly alike in color striations. Modern technology allows for various finishes, including glossy wax and slip-resistant wax finishes.

Cork floorsare easy to maintain and can also be refinished to bring back their original look at any time. Two installation designs are currently available. Glue down and floating floors. Glue down tile is exactly as it sounds. Floating panels are slightly different in that they are installed via a tongue and groove system, unlike tiles that are glued down. They consist of a cork backing, processed similarly to the tiles, and then a thin cork veneer is applied to provide several patterns and styles to choose from.

The benefits of going with cork are as numerous as its uses. It rates high for durability and resiliency; cork can take a pounding and remain unchanged. This makes it is great for high traffic or high impact areas (such as gymnasiums). Another attribute is its sound and shock absorbing qualities, which makes cork an excellent choice for schools, hospitals, and especially libraries (don’t believe, check out the Library of Congress, over one hundred years and still going strong). Another plus for cork is that it insulates a floor against extreme fluctuations of cold or heat, which in the long run can save your home or office on utility costs. It's beautiful, able to mimic all the wonders of a hardwood floor with few of its disadvantages, and don't forget, environmentally solid.

So the next time cork pops into your head, think flooring.

Cork has a great shock absorbing properties and Cork flooring Exercise Room is really gentle on the joints. Icork floors has a superb collection of cork floors to choose from.