Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is a very eco-friendly solution to any home remodeling project, as it’s made from all organic and renewable ingredients. Not only is it sustainable, it is versatile and beautiful. Pricing is about the same as most other types of hardwood floors. And when you order your cork flooring from The Floor Shop, we ensure that you get the highest quality flooring possible.
One of the main reasons why people like cork flooring so much is that it feels soft, yet firm to the feet. It’s a very quiet floor that does not creak every time somebody walks on it.
Cork flooring is harvested from the bark of cork oak trees. The tree is not permanently damaged, as the bark grows back after approximately ten years. The same crop of trees can be used to produce cork over and over again. Once it is harvested, the cork is pressed and baked at very high temperatures until it forms sheets that are easy to install.
A single cork oak tree has a lifespan of up to 500 years, during which time it can yield 50 or more harvests. Thousands of floors can be produced out of this much cork.
Benefits
Here are some of the benefits you can expect with this type of flooring:
- It’s a great insulator for both cold and hot temperatures, as well as noise. During winter months, it will keep the heat, and in summer months, it will help keep the entire home nice and cool.
Since it’s a highly versatile material, cork floors come in a variety of different patterns and styles to suit any environment. - While it is soft, it is NOT fragile. While it may not be as hard as some solid hardwood, it’s still harder than you might think.
- Floors made with cork are non-slip. It can be installed in places where solid hardwood cannot, such as in bathrooms. While it’s resistant to water, it still may require regular surface sealing in order to prevent water damage. In addition to water, this type of flooring is also fire resistant.
- There is more stability, which means that there is no edge curling to worry about.
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Types Of Cork
Today, cork floors come in a basic form as engineered floating tiles. It comes in three layers, with the top consisting of veneered cork, the middle consisting of a high density fiberboard, and the bottom consisting of an agglomerated cork. You can choose panels, squares, and strips. The panels are the most common, measuring 12-inches wide and 36-inches long. Custom sizes are available.
There are many designs, colours, and styles available. Finishes include UV-curved acrylics, polyurethanes, and proprietary blends that hope up very well against abrasion and moisture.
Cork floors are not all made equal. You don’t want to end up by a cheaply made floor that is less resilient than it should be. One way to tell if the flooring is of high quality is its density, which is labeled by some manufacturers. In general, the higher the density, the better the floor.
