Cork flooring is rapidly becoming more popular, mostly because of an increasing demand for eco-friendly flooring options. Cork is truly a green material; since cork itself is a derivative of the bark of the tree, the success of cork harvesting lies in keeping the trees alive and promoting forest health, rather than cutting them down. A healthy tree means a profitable tree, so these forests are sustained and observed, encouraging growth for decades. These are just some of the reasons you should consider switching to cork flooring in your home.
Did you know…
- A law was passed in the 30’s called “The 9-Year Law”, which dictates that cork cannot be harvested any more frequently than every 9 years. The tree must meet other qualifications as well, such as having a circumference of at least 60cm, and being at least 25 years of age.
- The average cork tree lives to be between 150-200 years old.
- As a tree ages, the better its quality of cork becomes.
- Dom Perignon was one of the first to use cork for stoppers in his sparkling wines, making it a significant discovery that would lead to many other uses of cork.
- Cork flooring is a recycled product- cork floors are made from the “waste” cork that is left from the production of wine stoppers.
- Cork floors are a popular choice to be used in libraries, churches, and nurseries because of its sound absorption qualities.
- Because of cork’s structure (millions of tiny, encapsulated air cells), it greatly reduces heat loss in rooms. Unlike other flooring materials, it maintains an even temperature through these tiny prisms- a temperature that feels comfortable underfoot, and is neither too warm, nor too cold.