Cork Flooring

Cork wall and flooring finally makes its South African debut and I'm going to be the first to say that this is one product that is guaranteed to be a success!

 

 

Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak tree. It is a renewable and sustainable resource, making it ideal in terms of the ever increasing demand for conservation of natural resources. In cork oak plantations the first cork bark will not be harvested from a tree until it is 25-30 years old, as only then it is considered a fully grown tree. The process of stripping off the bark in sections is a traditionally manual one dating back many hundreds of years.

The tree is not damaged and the bark regrows completely, taking on a smoother texture after each harvest. Harvesting only occurs once every nine years and a cork oak can live for 150-200 years, so it can be safely harvested up to 20 times during its life cycle. It is a truly inexhaustible and natural resource.

There isn't a man-made material that can match cork, nor is one ever likely to take its place. Cork's structure is very similar to that of a honeycomb: each square centimetre is composed of 40 million cells. These cells, as well as the spaces between them, are filled with a gaseous mixture similar to air.

That is what makes cork so remarkable. The unique structure and composition of cork creates the three most important characteristics in its application as flooring:

Fast and Easy Installation
Whether you choose the floating or stick-down option, cork floors are quicker and easier to install than ever before.

Durability
With their unique cork structure and tough resilient surface finishes, cork floors are as durable as you'll ever need them to be.

Silence
The cork inner structure in cork floors is guaranteed to cut noise. The cork reduces sound transmission between and within rooms, creating a quieter, and therefore peaceful, environment in your home.

Comfort
The unique characteristics of cork also ensure that a cork floor is more comfortable to walk and stand on. Cork's shock-absorbing properties relieve strain on your feet, joints, legs and back.

Warmth
The unique qualities of cork offer benefits other floors can't match. The natural thermal insulation properties make cork floors very pleasant to the touch, even with bare feet as they provide an optimal floor temperature all year round.

Health
Cork floors contribute to a healthy and hygienic environment.

Environmentally Friendly
Cork keeps trees alive! Cork floors are made with natural products and in the case of cork, an outstandingly ecological material, thus providing an environmentally friendly flooring solution.