All of our Cork Floors are glueless and floating. Floating Cork Floors are the easiest type to install and do not require nails, glue or complicated tools. An excellent choice for Do-It-Yourself.
Cork is the outer bark of a cork oak tree known botanically a QUERCUS SUBER. 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. This tree has a lifespan of about 200 years. The trees must be 20-25 years old before they can provide the first harvest of oak. After extracting the cork, a new layer starts regenerating, and nine years have to pass until the next harvest can take place. This harvesting is done in a sustainable manner and does not harm the tree which is never cut down or removed. 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.
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 footsteps. The air cells also make cork spring back quickly if it has been dented, which makes it very resilient to impact. Cork floors do not absorb dust and are resistant to bacteria and fungus.
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. What’s more, New high definition digital printing technology is now being used to imprint the cork surface with designs such as hardwood flooring.