Cork flooring

Calendar March 15, 2010 | Posted by admin

Categorized | Cork Flooring Articles
Tags : cork flooring, green flooring, hardwood flooring
Why is Cork Flooring Considered Eco-Friendly?

You’ve probably heard that cork is an environmentally friendly product, but may not be sure why. With this post, I’ll just quickly go over some of the attributes that make cork “green.”

First of all, cork is a renewable resource. A renewable resource is something that can be replaced by natural processes at a rate comparable to or faster than the rate of consumption by humans. This renewability is due to the way cork is harvested.

Cork actually makes up the bark of the cork oak tree. The bark is stripped from these trees without damaging them in anyway. Actually, harvesting cork from these oak trees actually encourages growth in the tree, while increasing the amount of oxygen it gives off. Bark is initially harvested when the tree is 25 years old. After that harvesting takes place every nine years. This can go on for quite a while because cork oak trees usually live to be over 150 years. There are plenty of other requirements that a resource has to meet before being qualified as renewable. In the case of flooring, once installed it must meet rigid air quality standards. Also, it must be largely recyclable, which is very true of cork due to how useful its natural properties are.

In my opinion, the one fact that often gets lost in this discussion are the benefits that cork will have in your home. You’re not sacrificing anything in the way of quality or price when you purchase cork flooring. Cork is naturally resistant to mold, moisture and termites—all things that are known to devastate hardwood flooring. It is also provides flooring that is pleasant and warm to walk on. Cork is a terrific green flooring option for your home and I hope that you’ll take a look at some of the products available.

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