The secret of cork covering's popularity among consumers lies in its eco-friendliness and high performance qualities
Before delving into the operational features of cork covering, let us briefly consider the method of obtaining cork itself. It is obtained from the bark of the cork oak, which grows in the countries of Southwestern Europe and North Africa. The main countries involved in the production of cork covering include Spain, Portugal, Algeria, and Morocco.
Since cork covering insulates a room well, the cork-producing countries, located in the warm southern hemisphere, export it to northern countries. It is an excellent material in terms of performance and eco-friendliness, a new generation material used not only for wall finishing but also for flooring.
Cork covering has quite a few advantages over other materials, therefore it can be used as often as metal or plastic. By the way, the latter is inferior to cork in terms of eco-friendliness. Moreover, plastic tends to heat up, which cannot be said about cork. Of course, plastic is inexpensive and lightweight, but why use it if the market provides a natural material with the characteristics inherent in plastic?
If we compare cork with wood in terms of wear resistance, several advantages should be highlighted immediately. First, cork covering withstands moisture perfectly. Second, cork is not afraid of gasoline, oil, or any other chemical solutions. Third, cork floors do not emit electrical charges, as often happens with carpet. For this reason, cork covering does not attract dust, which causes a lot of trouble for allergy sufferers.
The cellular structure of cork is similar to that of polystyrene, foam plastic, and mineral wool. However, we want to emphasize once again that cork covering is natural. Its fine-grained or marble-like lamellar material perfectly blocks drafts, noise, and moisture. Meanwhile, cork comes in different wood colors, each suitable for a different interior style. The diverse advantages and types of cork covering for walls have made it a leader among finishing materials.
High wear resistance, textural diversity, warm coloring – all this makes cork covering a universal material for flooring in any room, be it a cold balcony, a high-traffic living room, or, say, a damp bathroom. Since cork is hygienic and easy to maintain, its covering can be useful in living areas with a high risk of contamination (for example, a children's room, kitchen, or dining room).
Today, interior designers try to use cork as a finish for furniture parts. Another very fashionable solution is cork for ceilings and walls. With the spread of cork materials, consumer demands are growing.
Previously, it was impossible to please every connoisseur of cork covering, since this finishing material was very expensive. Now cork is produced by cutting veneer into chips, which are pressed into cork material. The new method allows for the production of cheaper but high-quality cork covering for consumers in our country.