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5 CLICHÉS ABOUT CORK FLOORING YOU SHOULD IGNORE

October 12, 2017

The past few years have brought a surge in popularity for various flooring types, including cork. Although it’s been around for more than a century, cork flooring hit its popularity peak in the 60’s and has continued to be a ‘retro’ element in any room. However, with all the fallacies out there about this unique material, you may not even consider the benefits of having floors made from cork.

Consider these top five misconceptions before discounting cork for your next flooring project.

1. Cork is not suitable for commercial installations. Cork has been used in commercial installations across the US and Europe since the early 1900s. Many libraries, university buildings, churches and government buildings have cork floors that are decades-old. Well maintained cork floors can last.

2. Cork flooring is porous, so it will absorb liquids. Though cork appears porous, its unique cellular structure makes it hydrophobic and resistant to liquids. This is best illustrated by cork wine stoppers, which keep liquid in a bottle, and fishing bobbers, which float in water.

3. Cork floors are difficult to repair. Homogeneous Cork, which is the preferred construction for commercial installations, can be sanded and refinished just like solid wood floors.

4. The wine industry is using synthetic cork stoppers since cork forests are disappearing. Natural cork, used in cork flooring, can be made from tree bark, mostly found in northern Africa and Southern Europe. However, the wine industry’s decisions to change to synthetic stoppers are not related to the number of cork forests or other natural resources.

5. Cork floors do not offer better acoustics or thermal qualities than other wood floors offer. Cork flooring has a higher thermal insulation rating (R value of 1.01) and sound rating (53 STC, 56 IIC) than most wood flooring.

Manage your Materials At Trinity Surfaces, it is our passion to provide you with durable, quality material for your latest project. Cork or tile, laminate or marble; you name it, we offer it. For help with starting your next flooring project or to order samples of your desired flooring, contact our design experts at info@trinitysurfaces.com.

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This post was written by Jennifer Horning