In appearance Cork flooring looks very little like the corks you find in wine bottles. Cork flooring can be found in hues from the lightest ash to the darkest chocolate brown with a lot of texture choices available as well. Cork flooring is considered to be as durable as most hardwoods, and is in a similar price range.
Cork tiles help hold in heat, reducing energy bills, and the slight give they retain even after finishing means they are comfortable to walk on, very easy on the back and legs, making it a great choice for the kitchen, where many of us spend so much time on our feet.
So Cork is a wonderfully eco-friendly choice for flooring but, as it comes from the Cork Oak tree, you may be wondering how that could be? Surely these trees have to be felled and what is so green about that? However, that is not the case, the Cork is harvested from the trees rather than having to chop them down and no harm at all comes to the trees themselves.
The Cork Oak is found all over the Mediterranean, most especially in Spain, Portugal, Algeria, Morocco, France, Italy and Tunisia. Rather than being felled, which is in fact illegal in many of these countries, the Cork Oak is “farmed” to provide the raw material necessary for making cork flooring.
Cork harvesting involves no machinery; it is performed by the skilled hands of humans instead. Only the bark of the cork tree is removed by several sets of highly skilled hands per tree, generally using only small axes and an awful lot of expertise. The bark regrows quickly, which is why cork is such an incredible renewable resource. On average, the Cork Oak tree has a lifespan of 150 to 250 years and it can be safely harvested up to twelve times during that period.
If you are thinking about adding new flooring to your home remodeling “to do” list and are also looking to go green, speak to your remodeling contractor about cork flooring as an alternative to more traditional materials. It may just add a whole new dimension to your home that you had not considered.
Ursula Rose -
About the Author:
http://www.renovationexperts.com
Apc cork flooring is one of the renowned types of flooring. Be it a commercial space or residential, cork floors can be used anywhere. Let us look at some more points related to this type of flooring.
Introduction
Oak trees that are mainly found in Portugal, Tunisia, and Spain are the source of the raw material required to make Apc cork flooring. The bark of these trees is peeled off and processed further to make Apc cork for flooring. This type of flooring is gaining popularity with every day that passes by. People like cork floors as they are resistant to temperature changes. These floors are highly sound resistant and are ideal for flooring offices. Music schools mostly opt for cork floors to get a noise free atmosphere.
Go green with cork flooring
When compared to other types of flooring like pergo laminate floors or wooden flooring, cork flooring is more eco-friendly. Cork floors save the forests from depletion as it is just the bark of the tree that needs to be used. The bark of the oak tree is a vegetal tissue made of a combination of dead cells that are filled with air. The Oak tree’s bark replenishes itself through a natural process and grows again in a period of six to seven years. Thus, by opting for cork floors, you can save the trees from getting killed.
Wood flooring vs. cork flooring
Both wooden and cork floors have their own pros and cons. Although wooden floors are more durable and attractive, cork floors provide the benefit of sound and thermal resistance. Moreover, cork floors are popular for being more environment friendly than many other types of floorings. Cork floors are more suited for places where silence and resilience are given importance over looks. But when it comes to durability, wooden floors are a better option to cork floors.
All types of floors have their own merits and demerits. The choice depends upon the requirement and taste of the customer.
Bob –
About the Author:
For more information visit
http://www.floormyplace.com/
Apc cork flooring is one of the renowned types of flooring. Be it a commercial space or residential, cork floors can be used anywhere. Let us look at some more points related to this type of flooring.
Introduction
Oak trees that are mainly found in Portugal, Tunisia, and Spain are the source of the raw material required to make Apc cork flooring. The bark of these trees is peeled off and processed further to make Apc cork for flooring. This type of flooring is gaining popularity with every day that passes by. People like cork floors as they are resistant to temperature changes. These floors are highly sound resistant and are ideal for flooring offices. Music schools mostly opt for cork floors to get a noise free atmosphere.
Go green with cork flooring
When compared to other types of flooring like pergo laminate floors or wooden flooring, cork flooring is more eco-friendly. Cork floors save the forests from depletion as it is just the bark of the tree that needs to be used. The bark of the oak tree is a vegetal tissue made of a combination of dead cells that are filled with air. The Oak tree’s bark replenishes itself through a natural process and grows again in a period of six to seven years. Thus, by opting for cork floors, you can save the trees from getting killed.
Wood flooring vs. cork flooring
Both wooden and cork floors have their own pros and cons. Although wooden floors are more durable and attractive, cork floors provide the benefit of sound and thermal resistance. Moreover, cork floors are popular for being more environment friendly than many other types of floorings. Cork floors are more suited for places where silence and resilience are given importance over looks. But when it comes to durability, wooden floors are a better option to cork floors.
All types of floors have their own merits and demerits. The choice depends upon the requirement and taste of the customer.
Bob –
About the Author:
For more information visit
http://www.floormyplace.com/
Now this is a common question asked by most people who install a TV out on their deck or in their backyard near their pool, let us put both points forward.
In this age of global warming, the weather from day to day is not guaranteed to be the same, throughout he world there has been freak weather from huge snow falls in Washington D.C. to high flood waters in Portugal, destroying everything in its way.
We will look at three areas that are key problem areas for people when they deploy a TV outdoors and they are;
- Weather
- Theft
- Vandalism
Weather.
With the changing weather, a standard TV screen will not stand up to the snow, sleet or rain, you know what happens if you accidentally spill coffee on the screen – it damages the circuits inside the television set resulting in the screen failing.
Then there is the extreme where bright sunlight can damage the LCD crystals and thus again causing the screen to fail.
One thing is for sure, you would not take you home computer and put it outdoors and leave it there – would you? Because the moment it rains – the damage is done.
The solution would be ideally to put it in a sealed unit that has its own micro climate, so no matter what is happening outside of the case, the electronics are kept at their ideal temperature inside the case.
Theft.
Well most of us have experienced this from time to time, if you haven’t, just imagine you have a $1000 TV set in your backyard, what is stopping someone accessing your backyard in the early hours of the morning and stealing the television?
We read on a regular basis that in a recession as we are, burglaries increase as this is classed as an easy crime to feed the family-sad but true.
Vandalism.
It could be accidental or deliberate, but it does happen, if your children are playing ball in the backyard and Johnny does go wide, the ball hits the screen and the screen needs replacing or at least repaired.
On the other hand if you have had a dispute with a neighbour, what is stopping them from using a catapult to fire stones at the screen? This also goes on and it is down to society.
What is to be done?
Well if you can afford to buy an outdoor weatherproof television set, buy it as this will offer the protection from the weather and vandalism, however it will not protect against theft.
The other option is to purchase an outdoor LCD enclosure, these offer an environment that the temperature is regulated and can be either cooled or heated depending on what the external weather is. Some units come with a front viewing screen that is vandal proof and provides anti glare so the screen can be seen perfectly as well as protecting the screen from the damaging UV rays. They also bolt to the wall, so theft is a little difficult as thieves just want to smash and run.
Or alternatively, you could leave the TV in your backyard unprotected and if the children don’t damage it, or the weather, you may be really lucky and not have it stolen, however I for one would not risk it – would you?
Graham has over 20 years experience manufacturing protective enclosures from computers through to LCD enclosures. He now owns the leading manufacturer of LCD monitor enclosures that supply the outdoor digital signage market.
Continue reading about Do I Need A Waterproof Tv Enclosure For The New Tv?
I think cork has quite a few positive attributes, but at the same time it can be the biggest pain! So what exactly is cork? Cork is harvested from the second layer of trees, under the bark, but before you make it to the hard interior rings. We most likely first interact with cork in a classroom on a regular cork board. Maybe your mom had one mounted on the wall of your kitchen for bills and shopping lists? Nowadays cork is used for flooring as well as tackable surfaces.
Cork flooring is considered a “rapidly renewable” flooring choice because it has a growth/harvest cycle less than 10 years. It is important to keep in mind that over 90% of the world’s cork supply is harvested in Portugal. So while one of the biggest positives of choosing cork is the fast growth, it also has to travel long distances, so the embodied energy of the end product is higher. That is why it is always important to keep in mind that a first choice that reads “super sustainable” from the outside products (like bamboo and cork) can actually have negative impacts as well.
Cork flooring is laid as either as roll goods (normally 6 feet wide) or as 12×12 tiles. The first generation of cork tile was prefinished, meaning each individual tile was finished with sealer before laid on the floor. This caused problems because there was not a final seal to lock out moisture. A few years back, the manufacturers changed their tune and now tiles get one set of sealer after it is stained (cork can be stained a rainbow of colors) before its laid, and then it gets a final seal when laid and in place. It is possible to replace individual tiles but it does not look as smooth.
Another positive attribute of cork is its ability to absorb sound. It is substantially quieter than standard wood flooring but still harder (and louder) than carpet. Just keep in mind that it is a natural material, therefore it is porous and soft. I learned the hard way that providing plenty of surface area on the feet of furniture is important. Otherwise, you can end up with a dimpled floor. There is a lot of opportunity to create intricate patterns and depth with cork – it is soft, so it is easy to cut and install. Just be sure to ask for a no VOC (volatile organic compound) adhesive and sealant!
So cork has many attributes, so good, some not so good. But it is always important to do your own research for your particular application. Good luck getting “corky”.
For more information you can check out www.flooringroup.com
www.design-sherpa.com