Cork is one of nature’s wonder materials. It is actually the bark of the cork oak tree, most commonly found in Portugal but grown in other areas of the world as well. A great benefit of cork is its sustainability. The bark is harvested without harm to the tree. After harvest, the bark grows back and in a few years the tree can be harvested again. Typically a cork oak will yield twenty harvests in its lifetime- a truly renewable resource.
While cork has been used to manufacture everything from fishing floats to bottle stoppers, it has also been used for over a century as a flooring material. Apart from its naturally warm and intriguing visual appeal, cork has many attractive properties that make it an excellent choice as a floor covering:
- It is naturally warm and comfortable underfoot
- It has natural sound and heat insulating properties
- It offers excellent impact resistance and durability
- It is even naturally resistant to mould, mildew and pests