We all know that cork is 100% recyclable and that it is also 100% sustainable. It is a wondrous material that is so critical for the Earth and its inhabitants. The big question then becomes, how do I, as a responsible citizen of plant Earth and a lover of cork, because of course, it is in all my rooms, on the
floors and
covering the walls, how do I go one step further and make sure than I am part of the cycle of sustainability of this material? In short, how do I recycle my
cork products?
There are sustainable living initiatives across the globe to recycle cork products, and many new ones are springing up each day. Many focus recycling cork wine stoppers, but other local initiatives can also help you recycle your
cork flooring and
cork wall covering products as needed. These products are obviously kept in the home much longer than your average wine bottle stopper, so the immediate and popular need is for cork wine stoppers. No cork that has been harvested from the cork oak tree is ever wasted. 100% of the material is used in a multitude of products; even the cork dust is used to generate energy. If it can be that concise when it is harvested, we can be just as responsible as consumers.
Cork Re-Harvest has been collecting cork wine stoppers since 2008. They also educate the public about montados and biodiversity, as well as raising awareness of the threatened extinction of endangered animals that find refuge in the forest areas of Portugal and Mediterranean areas of similar climate and biodiversity. In addition to their sustainable recycling efforts, Cork Re-Harvest strives to keep their organization’s carbon footprint low so as not to completely undo the good they are trying to accomplish through the recycling cork program.
In December of 2012,
American Airlines announced their creation of the Sustainability Alliance. In this Alliance, “organizations will identify opportunities for innovation in airport operations, resulting in economic and environmental benefits for American, DFW Airport and their customers.” In 1989, the American Airline flight attendants began their first recycling initiative by recycling aluminum cans from the passengers. Since this programs inception, over 12 million aluminum cans have been recycled – enough to fill 4 Boeing 737s! This recycling initiative has been expanded since 1989 to additionally recycle paper, plastic cups and bottles, and corks from wine bottles.
These are just a few of the recycling initiative programs that have gained notoriety within the United States. There are many programs worldwide, from the Girls Guides program founded in 1992 in Australia to NABU in Germany. These recycling programs are committed to keeping the environment clean and supporting the cork industry across the globe.
Our best advice, if you are looking to recycle cork in your area, is to first contact your local recycling initiative, usually found through your waste municipality. Once you have exhausted your local resources, you may want to check out
www.earth911.com for more cork recycling options or one of the initiatives we mentioned here today. And if you feel inspired, start a cork recycling program in your city! Contact your local restaurants and resorts to ask them to donate their cork wine stoppers to your program. Ask your friends and family to donate theirs too. Then YOU will be the local guru on how to recycle
cork flooring and
cork wall coverings as well! It may start small, but don’t all things in the beginning? Your impact certainly won’t be small though; it will last for generations to come!
If the home is where the heart is, then the kitchen is the life source of the home. Many times, our family is gathered in our kitchen more than any other room in the house. The enjoyment of cooking together and gathering around the table to enjoy the fruits of our labor, the memories made by baking cookies with the kids or making a special Father’s Day breakfast, all begin in the kitchen. And with all the traffic our kitchen sees on a daily basis, we needed
flooring that could not only withstand the wear and tear of so many feet, big and small, but we needed something that would be easy to clean and maintain. We didn’t want to eliminate our quality time in the kitchen with something as boring and dirty as cleaning.
Cork flooring is an ideal kitchen finish! It can withstand the heavy foot traffic and adds comfort to those feet with its springy cellular nature. Cork’s ability to be mold and germ resistant also lends itself perfectly to the kitchen atmosphere. And we love the fact that cleaning our kitchen floors is easy breezy lemon squeezy with just an occasional damp mopping and a regular sweeping to keep the dust bunnies and dirty sneakers from dirtying up our fun times in this room.
Did you know that the floor isn’t the only place to use cork
in your cork home decor? It can also be used as
insets on cabinet faces and on countertops as well. We even took our
cork wall tiles and cut them to size to line our cabinet interiors! It cushions the glasses and dishware and just adds a little more oomph when you open the cabinets to retrieve something and see the keen lining you so easily installed yourself.
Don’t sacrifice beauty for functionality! Find both in
cork floor tiles and
cork wall tiles.
Call today to find out how you can makeover your kitchen so that it becomes the focal point in a home you already love. We are looking forward to
talking with you soon!
Everybody loves a good
sale! And what better way to save than one that
saves you green in more ways than one? Check out our
Specials page today to view the most up-to-date pricing on select
cork floor tiles and
cork floor planks; then check back often as our
sales are constantly changing and being updated as inventory allows. Some
discounts as much as 20% off retail cost. Sometimes you will even find cork flooring
underlayment sheets and cork flooring
underlayment rolls on
sale to add to your
saving needs and assist with your install!
We pride ourselves in being able to bring you the highest quality
cork products for sale on the market today, but also in offering these
products to you at the best
price. We all know how a single room or even an entire home make-over can cause our
budgets to soar pretty quickly off track. In that vein, our desire is to bring you a
product that will last for decades to come, and not break your pocket book.
According to the
Encyclopedia Britannica, the make-up of the vascular tissue and secondary tissues is the same as vegetables with an inner tissue forming the “meat” of the tree or vegetable and the outer tissue forming the “bark” of the tree or protective skin of the vegetable. (However, this does not justify having the bottle of wine for lunch because you could eat the cork – you said it was a vegetable! I am quite sure it’s not on the Surgeon General’s list of healthy foods.) So what does this mean for you – the consumer? This cellular nature is what makes cork such a remarkable product and so versatile in many different facets of your life. The spongy qualities, the hypo-allergenic properties, and the self-healing structure of cork are all possible only because of this unique spongy cellular nature of cork.
This is one of the many reasons
cork has been used for centuries and seems to gain even more recognition with each passing day in our current culture as an important environmental and healthy selection for materials. We have mentioned numerous times how
cork flooring and
cork wall tiles are this up and coming trend, but really, they are a mainstay in home décor and design and have been around for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans reference the use of cork as the primary method of stoppering wines and oils to maintain their freshness and to help in the transport of said goods, as well as footwear and roofing materials. In the 1600s, Dom Perignon developed his “methode champenoise,” replacing wooden stoppers with cork ones in the production of his wines and champagnes. The popularity of this improved format grew over the next two centuries to include using cork stoppers for maintaining the quality of food products as well as wines, oils, and other liquids. And now we have brought it into our homes in a more direct fashion with
cork floor tiles and
cork wall tiles.
The commercial consumption of cork for the purpose of
flooring needs and more recently
wall covering needs has been emerging for well over 100 years since the early 1900’s. It has been found in many of our historic buildings throughout the United States in government buildings, libraries, and churches just to give a few examples. Cork’s insulating properties were a heavy determining factor at this time to maintain a temperature as well as keep noise levels to a minimum in these public places. In the 1970’s, cork flooring really took off in the residential market as a viable material for
flooring that was easy to install, maintain, and accessorize that even made the flower child happy with its eco-friendly nature. Since then, cork has been on an upward trend.
And that brings us to now; where your
cork flooring and
cork wall tiles are 30 million years in the making since they began flourishing in the Mediterranean climates of Portugal. They have been protected through legislation conservation since 1209 to protect them from deforestation. The harvesting of the cork oak bark actually helps sustain the trees longevity. So, as you contemplate whether or not to install
cork flooring or
cork wall tiles, think no more! It is the right choice both for you as the consumer, and for the environment. It is a material that people have been using for centuries and as the old adage goes – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! We have only continued to improve it for our clients because as you can tell – it certainly ain’t broke.
Cork, as we have discussed throughout this blog, is becoming a way of life. Our company, AmCork, offers products for your flooring and wall covering needs. Our variety of cork floor tiles and cork wall tiles reflect many different styles and varying degrees of sophistication. But cork, as a natural material, is showing up in lots of other stylish places outside the home that we didn’t expect. It’s becoming an integral part of our society. From hospitals to catwalks, cork trends are taking root!
Nike launched the new Lebron X Cork on February 23, 2013. Have you seen this shoe? Never would I have expected Nike, a company for hard core athletic gear and athletes, to successfully brand a cork shoe in the market, but it’s pretty snazzy for sportswear. Nike stated, “This shoe shares many of the same characteristics as the original, with one key difference: an upper constructed of genuine cork. It’s a shoe fit for a king.” We couldn’t agree more!
Further evidencing the fact that cork is beginning to infiltrate the fashion world at the speed of light are the number of high-end designers using this material in their collections. Check out this amazing clutch from Judith Leiber or this handbag by Christian Louboutin! Both are unique and show off the simplicity of cork partnered with tremendous style. Manolo Blahnik offers their high priced BB Polished Cork Pumps, showing that cork can complement and "polish" off any outfit. Donald J. Pliner has offered an entire collection of his shoes and accessories centered around cork.
The neutrality of the cork shown by these fierce fashion designer in their collections can transcend from the runway into your own home today. Choose a lifestyle of comfort and tranquility; these environmentally beneficial products lay at your feet (literally) for your shopping pleasure. You only have to select what color and texture palette you desire to begin placing this trend in your home today. Our cork floor tiles and cork wall tiles are easy to order through our e-commerce store and can be combined with any additional products you will need for installation. Unsure what you may need to complete your project? Contact one of our cork experts to discuss your personal needs today. We are eager to help you!
I cannot think of a single place where having cork wall tiles adorning your walls would be bad thing… Except maybe a tiger’s enclosure at the zoo! Otherwise, the opportunities to utilize cork, not only as natural flooring, but as wall and ceiling tiles as well, are vast. As building materials go, cork wall tiles are considered one of the more “green” or eco-friendly products on the market as the cork tree is never cut down; only the outer bark is harvested for cork products.
Cork wall paneling, as shown here, are offered in a variety of patterns, textures, and colors. Enough to suit anyone’s fancy! These cork tiles for walls will not only give you the benefits that we will discuss in a moment, but also beauty. Your rooms will be transformed with the addition of cork wall tiles. The dimension and sophistication they can add to the simplest of rooms is extraordinary!
For allergy sufferers, hospital’s and doctor’s offices, bathrooms, and anywhere else a hypo-allergenic quality is needed, look no further. Cork naturally resists and repels mold and mildew when properly maintained. Its cellular nature keeps allergens to a minimum. Gone are the days of the white wall cleanliness; style does not need to be forsaken for health as cork wall tiles lend themselves to both cleanliness and class. Carpet and wallpapers can release micro-fibrous allergens to the air in your home or office increasing allergy problems for those who suffer from them – cork does not.
Another excellent and natural benefit of cork wall tiles is their organic insulating properties. As with cork floor tiles, cork wall tiles also act as an insulator against temperature and sound. Cork paneling makes for an excellent choice for recording studios, hotel rooms, and hospitals where privacy is needed, boardrooms and offices to dampen the volume level. Even commercial or home movie theaters could benefit from cork’s natural sound proofing abilities. Furthermore, temperature insulation will reflect in your energy bill as it decreases the need for your thermostat to work as hard in any season in order to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout your home or office space.
As a growing trend, Houston Lifestyles & Home states that “cork wall tiles are highly versatile and add a sustainable element as well as natural feel to any room.” Additionally, you don’t have to use cork on all your walls to reap the benefits. Even in small doses, cork will absorb sound and add drama to an otherwise simply painted wall with little effort. You can even use it as a glorified cork board! Check out this photo as an example of a homeowner using cork wall paneling on two sliding doors to separate two spaces in one - Genius!
However, the bedroom is the pinnacle of cork for me. I love the gorgeous colors and textures the cork tile wall paneling can bring to a bedroom; completely changing the look and feel of a room; bringing drama to a bland, flat wall. The insulating properties from both the wall tiles and floor tiles keep the room temperate while you sleep or relax. Cork wall covering design ideas will keep distracting clatter to a minimum by blocking abrupt or loud noises. And, you won’t have to get out of a cozy bed on to cold hardwood or tile floors with cork floor tiles either thanks to these insulating properties. And if you are an allergy sufferer, you will decrease the allergens considerably, especially at night when you are sleeping and have less control over how and what you breathe in. Your bedroom instantly becomes the sanctuary you always dreamed it would be with cork wall tile insulation. Cocoon yourself away. Just add cork!
We have all heard and talked about the eco-friendly benefits of using cork products throughout your home, specifically cork wall tiles and cork floor tiles. But with this invasion of new flooring and wall covering options, many wonder – how do we clean cork flooring damaging it? Really, cork floor maintenance is very simple and we will give you 15 ways today to keep your cork flooring and wall tiles looking factory fresh every day and keep the dust bunnies out of your house too!
1. If you spill it, clean it. And don’t wait too long either. Just like with carpet or any other porous floor covering, you need to clean up spills within a quick time frame whenever possible. It is true that cork has a moisture barrier, but that only goes so far. Don’t test the limits! Clean it up as soon as possible with a dry towel or paper towel.
2. Use area rugs in high traffic areas to keep the dirt from being ground into your flooring and to save your back from sweeping multiple tiles a day. At the very least, we recommend that you use small rugs or mats at entry ways to dust the dirt off your feet before entering from the outside. The garden lives outside, not in your flooring!
3. Be sure those mats do not have rubber or non-porous backing that can trap moisture under them and affect the life of your cork flooring. Try to find coverings that compliment both the beauty of your cork flooring and the life of it too! We suggest something that is well ventilated from top to bottom.
4. Do NOT use harsh chemicals when caring for cork floors. Damp mop your cork flooring often, but make sure that it doesn’t remain saturated with water or cleaning supplies for too long. Note, we said damp mopping. Be sure you do not use a saturated mop when cleaning cork floors. Gently wring out your mop before using it to clean. Check with our AmCork specialists upon purchase to see what products they recommend to keep your floors beautiful and clean.
5. With the cork tile installation, you worked from the inside of the room to the outside. When mopping, we recommend that you do the opposite – work from the outside in. This keeps you from mopping all the dirt you just picked up into the cracks and crevices along the wall.
6. In addition to regularly using a damp mop, run your vacuum on its floor setting often to keep the dirt and dust at bay. This is something you can easily do several times a week and most of the newer vacuums have a bare floor setting. I know I use mine on that setting more than any other and it works like a champ!
7. If you want to clean in silence or only need to tidy up a small area, sweeping works perfectly well too! Keep your dust pan handy and sweep, sweep, sweep! It’s so easy you could probably even convince your children to do it for you!
8. Wipe down cork wall tiles with a damp hand rag on an occasional basis. You should not need to clean the walls as often as your floors. You may want to alternate a damp rag with a light chemical solution cleaning every once in a while. But if you have used our cork wall tiles in your kitchen backsplash area and cook a lot of spaghetti sauce, this will be an important hint.
9. Use furniture pads under your furniture. This helps with not only keeping any possible indentation from heavy pieces to a minimum, but it also helps you move furniture a little easier to clean under and behind it – See? We are saving you time and energy already! Plus your allergies will thank you for a proper cleaning!
10. Use those handy duster wands for weekly clean up on your walls. Just run it across the cork wall tile surfaces and collect your bunnies! This works great in the wall corners and around the base boards too.
11. When selecting a cleaning solution, be sure to keep your mind on our planet and select something that has a low impact on our environment. The marketplace is beginning to have many eco-friendly cleaning products available without having to search for them. You selected this type of product for a reason. Don’t let it stop at your feet!
12. On occasion, you may need to buff your cork flooring to remove scuff marks and bring back its natural shine. Again, we highly recommend you speak with one of our AmCork specialists when purchasing your cork product about how and when you may need to do a full service cleaning like buffing.
13. Have four-legged friends? This may increase your cleaning a bit more. But it would be the same with wood or tile floors too. Just be sure to sweep on a regular basis to keep both your floors and your fur-babies happy!
14. Love your cork floors and cork wall tiles and they will love you in return for many, many years to come. In addition to avoiding harsh chemicals, avoid harsh cleaning tools as well. Never, ever use steel wool, scouring pads, or anything else with a harsh abrasive on it. Remember – love them and they will love you too!
15. And lastly, enjoy your gorgeous cork wall coverings and flooring! The more you appreciate what you have in your home and the benefits you are reaping from them, the more likely you are to want to keep them in good repair. Plus, all your friends will want to visit more often after you install our products, so you will want to keep it showroom fresh to show them off to your fan club!
Talk about promoting corkboards!! We love our social media friends and want to be friends with you too! Check us out on Facebook and Pinterest today. Pin our cork boards on your board or friend us for up-to-date information and news on cork flooring tiles and cork wall tiles you can use. This is also a great way for you to post pictures of your home or office renovations with our cork products or ask us questions. If you are wondering about our cork board materials, chances are, somebody else is too! We are excited to meet and hear from you!
I love libraries. I love the smell of books. I love seeing antique and collectible books held in air tight glass display cases. And I still love the hunt for a great first edition! In the advent of the digital readers through iPads and Kindles, as well as the direct shipping to your door of any book you ever wanted through Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Borders, and many more, the love of the library and of actual paper printed books seems to have gone to the wayside. But I wanted to tell you that the largest library in the United States LOVES cork! Only heightening our current love of libraries!
The Library of Congress as well as the Interior Library of the Department of Interior most notably use cork flooring in their designs. The list of cork benefits befitting such public places is obvious due to both the acoustical benefits of cork flooring, and also the hypo-allergenic properties as well. Cork is a natural insulator, both for soundproofing and temperature. A quieter reading room is a happier reading room. The Department of Interior goes into great detail about the art and architecture of its Interior Library. “The original floors of the Reading Room are a checkerboard pattern of light and dark brown cork with marble borders. The Balconies also have their original cork floors with marble borders and bands between sections. Within each section is a cork border and large cork tile.” The images show the beautiful checkerboard display throughout the library as well as the definitive green cork borders. In many of the New York City Public Libraries, conservators have tried to retain the original cork tile flooring from the turn of the century for floor sound insulation.
So, next time you are in your local library, whether your city is large or small, young or old, check out the flooring. You may just find the comfort under your feet holds a wealth of history and is a superb flooring choice. Cork flooring is extremely easy to maintain and will hold up in high traffic areas for many years to come. If you are searching for a cork soundproofing flooring solution on your next commercial or residential project, we highly recommend the use of cork floor tiles. You can also add to the enjoyment and beauty of the room by adding cork wall tiles. I am sure we will see sound dampening panels and floor sound insulation popping up in many public establishments in the next few years for further sound absorption and cleanliness.
Cork is bouncing back into the market at a feverish rate because of its many benefits, both to your health and to your home, as well as the environment. This type of
flooring is extremely beneficial for high traffic areas due to its hardy and enduring nature. The self-healing properties, which we will discuss later, make it a wonderful flooring and wall covering alternative to tile, carpet or hardwood.
And while there are many pros of cork flooring we will consider, we will also discuss the cons of cork today. Obviously, we are big proponents of cork throughout your home or office, but we want to be fair and give the full spectrum of information to our customers.
Cork is harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree,
quercus suber, which is found native in southwest Europe and northwest Africa. All of the cork distributed by Amcork is harvested from the cork oak trees of Portugal. The cork oak grows to approximately 66 feet in height, although it can become more stunted in its native environment. It also supports a diverse ecosystem. In Portugal, it is home to the Iberian Lynx, an endangered species. The tree’s bark is the only part of the tree to be harvested every 9 to 12 years. The cork tree itself is never felled. The trees live approximately 150-250 years, as the harvesting of the cork oak bark is highly regulated in order to maintain the renewable properties of the tree.
The naturally spongy nature of
cork tile flooring allows for it to not only cushion your footsteps, but also absorb heavy foot traffic without showing as much wear as carpet. Along with giving you a little spring in your step, our cork floor tile is also a proven insulator, both of sound and temperature, so your toes can quietly stay cozy as you make that midnight bathroom run on a cold winter’s eve.
From a commercial point of view, the acoustic insulation is a prime choice for cork flooring and cork wall tiles. Restaurants are starting to look to cork for its insulating properties allowing both the noise in the customer area to become absorbed, but also in the kitchens - dropped dishes and glasses have less chance to break with the spongy characteristics of cork!
Its hypoallergenic properties are also overwhelming, making cork advantageous for those who suffer from allergies. This is true for both the cork flooring planks and the wall tiles. Cork is innately resistant to mold, mildew, and even invasive microorganisms. This also makes cork a prime choice for commercial areas that need to remain sanitary such as hospitals, assisted living homes, doctors’ offices, and much more.
The rainbow selection of colors, patterns, and styles that are found in cork products can be vast, but choice is the name of the game, keeping it as a leading pro in the “pro/con” lists. This color spectrum comes from both man-made and natural designs. Decorators will find high end patterns and dramatic colors, while others looking for a clean palette can find a simple selection that blends seamlessly with an existing décor.
Now we would be remiss to you, our reader and customer, not to mention the few cons of cork, and I do mean few! Cork is naturally resistant to moisture, but if drinks or any liquid is spilled, you must pay close attention to cleaning it up in a timely manner to avoid the eventual absorption by the cork. Also, cork can be sensitive to light. The gorgeous coloring you selected for cork flooring panels may fade over time if it is installed in a room with full sunlight, though this is typically rare. There is also the cost to consider. While cork may be more expensive per square foot in the beginning with installation costs to consider as well, it will increase the value of your home over the long run. It’s naturally spongy nature can also be put to the test with heavy furniture and sharp objects. While cork is self-healing, we highly suggest that to increase the longevity of your cork flooring, that you use furniture pads to eliminate the possibility of permanent indentation. And, keep the knives away from the cork flooring as they may accidently gouge a piece upon impact.
Each room should be considered when thinking of installing cork flooring tiles or cork wall tiles. Consider the natural lighting in the room, the furniture to be installed, and how the room will be used in general. Overall, we feel that the pros of cork flooring installation in your home or office far outweigh the cons. The increased value of the property, your own health and the health of our planet surpass anything bad you may find about the product.
If you have any questions about your personal cork needs or cork flooring benefits and advantages, please send us your queries or call us toll free at 1-888-955-2675. We would love to talk with you. Until then, uncork your natural design talents and creativity, and let us help you reinvent your home or office and possibly even the way you live!
