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About Cork Flooring
Cork is the bark of an oak tree known botanically a QUERCUS SUBER. The Cork Oak is a medium sized evergreen oak tree. Cork tree forests cover the surface of almost 5.4 million acres in seven Mediterranean countries, with the majority in Portugal and Spain. Cork has been harvested for centuries and is one the finest examples of traditional and sustainable land use. Once the trees are about 25-years old, experts use an ancient procedure, which maintains the integrity and health of the tree, to strip the cork from the trunk every nine-years. If the tree is harvested correctly, it can live for about 200 years.
The trunk is slashed vertically on a prominent feature. Simultaneously, with a twist of the ax, the cork is separated from the bark.
The cork is carefully extracted from the tree so that it does not break. The bigger the board is, the more valuable it will be.
After harvesting, the boards are stacked in the forest or near the plant. They stay exposed to open air, sun and rain. The stacking of the bark follows strict rules with the resting period lasting around 6 months.
Resiliency and Comfort
Cork is a unique natural product with resilient properties. One cubic inch of cork consists of approximately 100 million completely enclosed air cells each measuring 1/1000" in diameter. Because of this construction, cork is comfortable on the feet, very quiet, fire retardant, and has a very high insulation value. Cork floors provide dramatic acoustical benefits by absorbing sound waves and cushioning foot steps. The air cells also make cork spring back quickly if it has been dented, which makes it very resilient to impact.
Organic Decor
The look of cork flooring is natural and organic. The random patterns of swirls, dark and light colors, and "coastline" like shapes exude an earthy, biological feel. These shapes vary dramatically from one type of cork to another. From uniform, pebble like designs (like a wine bottle cork) to more modeled and extreme versions.
