What exactly is cork flooring?

It can be found not only in many children's rooms and bedrooms, but it also convinces with its naturalness and a healthy feeling of space. The classic floor covering cork.

Cork - corcho (Spanish), cortex (Latin) means bark, the closing tissue of trees around trunks and roots. The cork known to us is obtained from the renewable bark of the cork oak. Cork oaks grow mainly in Mediterranean countries, such as Portugal. One cork oak can produce between 100 and 200 kilograms of cork, and cork extraction can be repeated at intervals of 8 to 12 years. No trees have to be felled in the process, as the bark is merely peeled off the trunks. Cork, like bamboo, is one of the fast-growing raw materials and is ecologically beneficial. Cork parquet consists of highly compressed compressed cork, which is used as pure cork or as a multi-layer board in residential and commercial applications.

To assess the quality of a cork floor, the raw density is crucial. It should be between 450 and 550 kilograms per cubic meter.

Cork floors give a very natural, cozy and warm feeling in the room and thus guarantee a very high level of living comfort. Cork is warmer to the feet than tiles, more hygienic than textile flooring, more resilient than wood and quieter than laminate. Its elastic surface also makes it extremely easy on the joints.

Precisely because this natural raw material is renewable, it is particularly appealing to environmentally conscious and sustainable customers. Cork floors are also very suitable for allergy sufferers due to their naturalness, as it does not contain any chemical additives. Cork is also antistatic, which has the advantage of preventing dust and therefore mites from forming.

Another advantage of cork is its natural impact sound insulation. For this reason, a layer of cork is often included in other floor coverings to supplement impact sound insulation.

Cork floors are available in different variants. A distinction is made between solid cork (cork tile), prefabricated cork parquet and cork mosaic. Cork granulate is the basis for cork tiles and prefabricated cork parquet, which is mixed using various methods with binders (polyurethane resins, phenolic resins) and then pressed. A short airing time in the production process with polyurethane resin ensures a final product that is harmless to health. The single-layer pressed cork tiles are glued to the subfloor over their entire surface. The prefabricated cork parquet consists of several layers. The layers are formed by cork as the top layer and HDF or MDF as the middle layer. For effortless floating installation, these boards have a special click connection, which does not need to be glued to the subfloor. Cork mosaic, on the other hand, does not consist of granules cast in the form, here we are talking about solid pieces of cork. Prefabricated on a carrier plate, this is then glued to the subfloor over the entire surface. This makes cork mosaic also suitable for wet rooms and outdoor facilities.

Although cork can be purchased untreated, proper surface treatment is still recommended to protect the floor. A distinction is made between oiled, waxed, dyed and sealed, lacquered floors for cork parquet, similar to conventional parquet.

Contrary to what many may expect, cork is not only available in one decor. You can choose between different colors and textures. In addition, thanks to new printing techniques, cork floors with printed decor are also becoming increasingly popular.

The natural thermal insulation of cork creates an optimal indoor climate, which permanently reduces energy costs. Cork is also recommended for use on underfloor heating systems, as it conducts heat well. However, cork should then be glued down over its entire surface instead of being laid as a floating floor, as otherwise air pockets can impede heat conduction.

Cork is also very easy to clean. Regular sweeping and damp wiping is sufficient to remove dirt. For optimal value retention and long enjoyment of your cork floor, it is important to protect and maintain it as well as possible. Therefore, special care products and oils are recommended.