Are you thinking of changing your floor material? Well, here is all the information that you need to know. Cork flooring has been here for a long time but it is now recognized due to its benefits.
Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is a natural material. It is made from the bark of the cork oak tree. and it’s a naturally sustainable resource since it regrows after each harvest. The cork tree, Quercus Suber, is used to collect cork. Cork is essentially a collection of dead cells that is extracted. When the tree is twenty-five years old, the first harvest occurs. The bark can then be collected every seven to fourteen years after that. The majority of trees will continue to generate bark for another 150 years or more.
How is cork harvested?
Cork harvesting is done by hand with a tiny, razor-sharp ax. There is a special ax that was created to harvest cork. Extractors are highly trained craftsmen that are frequently passed down from generation to generation.
What is the process of cork harvesting?
Harvesting occurs only in the middle of the summer, when the cork tree’s bark separates from its live tissue. The extractors know how much force they can apply to cut through the bark without causing damage to the living tree. They made horizontal cuts slightly below the tree’s limbs and towards the trunk. The ax has a wedge on it, which is used to pry the tree’s bark off.
How is cork flooring made?
Cork stoppers for wine and champagne bottles are made by pressing the bark of the cork oak tree. Wine stoppers made of cork. The waste and leftover material from the industry is used to create flooring. It is crushed after adhesive resins are applied. Slices of cork or granulated cork are crushed and molded into sheets bound with resins for flooring goods. Also, it is laminated around a fiberboard core or solid throughout. Traditional cork flooring is made up of glued-down solid cork tiles. Cork laminate planks are a relatively new type of cork flooring.
However, The bottom layer of the laminated cork planks is compressed cork, and the top layer is medium-density fiberboard (MDF) or high-density fiberboard (HDF) with top-quality cork.
Planks have lock edges to put together a floating floor. A thin foam is used to install floating flooring.
On the other hand, Some cork flooring is made from recycled bottle stoppers. Cork is also used to make other items such as coasters, fashion accessories, and boards.
What is the best way to maintain cork flooring?
You need to install the cork flooring correctly with the number of layers of cork sealant. Keep your flooring clean by sweeping, mopping and vacuuming it. Cork flooring is not hard to maintain, it just needs a little care. To avoid any discolouration and wrapping of your flooring you should clean it. Sometimes, exposing your flooring directly to the sun can cause fading color therefore try to protect your flooring from sun.
However, Scratches from cat and dog nails are especially dangerous since they can harm the floor if it isn’t properly sealed. If you have a pet, cork flooring is not the ideal option since their claws can scrape and harm it. Then bamboo flooring is a better option. Planks and tiles can be refurbished by sanding them down to the flaws and then replacing them. Engineered cork boards cannot be sanded because the cork’s top veneer is too thin.
Is Cork flooring the best option for you?
If you want a warm, appealing, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly material for your home’s floor, cork is a perfect choice. If you prefer a more rustic aesthetic, go with natural cork, or select from a variety of various types to match your home’s interior decor.