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I’m not quite sure what it takes to create a “national” holiday anymore. It used to be we had the Federal holidays and a few others that were recognized nationally like Earth Day and Valentine’s Day, etc. But did you know that September 27th is National Crush a Can Day? Now November 15th is America Recycles Day and Earth Day is nationally recognized on April 22nd. But National Crush a Can Day is new to me… However, we love anything that raises awareness of recycling and making the Earth a greener planet, so hurray for National Crush a Can Day!
In other Green news, cork has found a new niche in building materials and it is taking off across the country! Cork particles are now being used as a replacement for traditional insulation. We have touted our own horn with cork wall coverings and even cork floor tiles as added insulators of both sound and temperature, but cork boardstock insulation is becoming a leader in green construction materials for handling insulation needs in attics and walls. The same cork granules used in cork flooring and cork wall tiles are used for the insulation process. However, these granules go through a little different process. They are subjected to super-heated steam process that systematically causes the granules to expand and bind together. Once complete, the cork is sliced into insulating boards and installed in various sizes and thicknesses. The cork, as we all know, is biodegradable and will not introduce harsh toxins into your home.
If the price tag for cork insulation frightens you, first think about the long term health and environmental benefits; these are certainly priceless qualities that outweigh the actual price. But, we are realists here, and if the total is too steep, do consider our cork flooring tiles and cork wall tiles as an alternative for added insulation within your home for a much lower comparison price tag. We have a wide variety of product colors and options to brighten your space and keep you temperate year round!
We love sharing up-to-date cork news, views, and product reviews with you. Please let us know if you have any questions with which we may be able to help you. You are welcome to call our cork experts at 1-888-955-2675, email us at amcork@amcork.com, comment here or on our FaceBook page. Thanks for your support valued customer!
Harvesting natural cork is a tricky operation. One has to abide by many laws that have been put into place to protect the cork oak trees and their surrounding habitat. Cork can only be harvested at a certain time of the year and only every nine years. The tree must be at least twenty-five years old before it can even begin to be harvested. This nine year cycle will continue for approximately two hundred years before the tree has been spent.
Cork is traditionally harvested from the quercus suber, commonly known as the cork oak, from early May to late August. This is when the tree extractors, or workers/harvesters, can easily separate the bark from the cork oak without damaging or causing permanent damage, thus maintaining the trees’ regeneration capabilities.
These tree extractors harvest the cork by hand utilizing a sharp axe. They make two cuts on the tree, one horizontally and another vertically. The extractors must make these cuts without damaging the underlying cork cambium. This is the tissue that lies below the bark of the cork oak. This tissue is what is responsible for the secondary growth of the cork oak, or rather its regeneration of the epidermis.
Once the extractors have made these defined cuts into the cork oak bark, they must push the axe handle into the rulers, or the vertical cuts to release the cork oak bark safely from the tree. The larger portions of the cork oak bark are called planks and are carried from the cork oak forests by hand as the forest areas are rarely vehicle accessible. The cork is then stacked and left to dry for several days before being transported to a facility for processing.
Harvesting cork bark with these specific processes are what protect the quercus suber from deforestation. It is what protects the ecosystem of many endangered species. It is what makes this beautiful material a renewable resources and allowing it to exist for many generations to come!
It has been said that a man’s home is his castle. Dorothy even told us there’s no place like home. And we, no doubt, feel most comfortable in our own home, surrounded by our luxurious cork flooring and wall coverings. However today, we wanted to bring you some unconventional home trends that we have seen recently with cork materials. These homes remind us that no one but you can say what makes a home a home to you!
The Japan Times showcased a cluster, or rather, a neighborhood of house boats located in Washington’s Gangplank Marina. The article itself is rather entertaining, spotlighting not only the interior decorating trends seen on many of the houseboats, but also on life itself within the marina. Eve Bratman brought her love of green design to her 42-foot vessel. She describes her 400 sq. ft. living area décor as “eco-chic”. “ ‘We’ve got cork floors, wood accents, continuity of light … and new Energy Star appliances,” as well as sustainably harvested wood and no volatile organic compound paint.’ ”
In only slightly larger living quarters, we find a new trend in housing – shipping container homes. And these owners are also focused on bringing in green decorating trends to their small, but sometimes luxurious spaces. Some of these homes are the epitome of renewable energy and recycled beauty. Tiny House Talk showcases a container home where cork flooring is installed in the home, recycled gray water is used in the toilet for flushing, a hand held shower heated by a gravity fed solar hot water heater, and solar power are just a few items in the home’s décor that are energy and conservation efficient. This tiny home even boasts a miniature pool attachment!
If you've seen any cool cork designs in your area – whether interior or exterior – we’d love to have you submit pictures and comments to us! And don’t forget to post it to our Facebook page and “like” it to stay up to date on cork news and trends worldwide!
Have you wondered about how cork is harvested? Do you worry about heavy machinery chipping away at a natural habitat? Well have no fear! The cork tree is a renewable source of material, as the actual tree is never cut down. Only the outer bark of the tree is carefully removed by hand to ensure that the core of the tree and the tree itself is never harmed. Strict laws govern how cork can be harvested and when it can be taken.
All AmCork cork floating flooring and wall covering products are all natural cork and made by harvesting only the bark of the cork oak, the tree itself is never felled. The bark requires periodic harvesting in order to preserve the longevity of the tree. Bark is harvested about once a decade from the cork oak, and with regular and proper bark harvests, the trees live for more than a century.
Cork is an eminently renewable resource harvested from the living bark of the Cork Oak. The properties of cork are derived naturally from the structure and chemical composition of the inner cells. Each cubic centimeter of cork’s honeycomb structure contains between 30 and 40 million polyhedral (14 sided) cells (over 100 million cells per cubic inch). Cork is harvested in a steady cycle that promotes healthy growth to the tree over its expected lifespan of over 200 years. Though the Cork Oak "Quercus suber" can flourish in many climates, the conditions that favor commercial use lie in a fairly narrow swath that cuts through Western Europe and Northern Africa along the Mediterranean coast.
Read more about how cork is harvested and watch an amazing video on the harvesting of the cork oak bark. We thank you for your interest and encourage you to ask any other questions that may be on your mind. We are here to help you in your selection of the perfect cork flooring and wall covering options for your home and office!
We would love to hear from you on any corktacular projects where you may have used cork for a portion of, or for the entire project. You can share with us either by commenting here, or by posting to our Facebook page. We have a few ideas we are currently working on including a decorative photo hanger and DIY cork boards for pinning. As soon as the DIY cork pin boards are complete, we will update and post them on our blog and FB pages as well as construction instructions. In the meantime, please share your creative DIY projects with us and our readers by posting photographs and/or descriptions of what you have done with our products. Whether it's a unique flooring pattern or creative wall coverings, corky counter tops, or smaller individual projects that encompass cork in any fashion, we invite you to brag about it. We can’t wait to see what cork wall DIY projects you have been up to!
Are you following us on Pinterest? If not, hop on over and find great images of our products, as well as emerging trends in the interior decorating world with cork, cork project ideas, crafting with cork, and much more! We will also keep you up to date on Specials and Sales here too! We look forward to seeing you there - Happy Pinning!
