When it comes to the construction industry, the number of cork applications are spread far and wide. The near impermeability of cork combined with its elasticity makes this material perfect for countless applications within and outside of the construction industry.
Cork is light, resilient, elastic, boasts insulating properties, wear resistant, is naturally fire retardant, and offers hypoallergenic properties. Let’s take a look at how Frank Lowe has helped contractors explore, pursue, and create with new cork applications in the construction industry.
Air Cushioning & Insulation Cork Applications
Over recent years, the increase in the price of oil and oil derivatives has inspired contractors and those within the construction industry to turn to the more energy and cost efficient cork for insulation. Cork boasts a unique cellular structure where air is a major component. Because of cork’s air cushion design, it offers one of the highest levels of thermal insulation available.
Different types of cork materials are commonly used in insulation for ceilings, floors, and walls. For instance, whenever it’s used for floating floor cork applications, the cork material acts to reduce noise and provide thermal insulation simultaneously between the two levels.
How good of an insulator is cork? The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) relies on the lightweight nature of cork for it’s amazing properties. Cork applications are trusted and used as insulators for NASA space shuttles.
Cork Flooring Underlayment
As briefly mentioned, cork works as a remarkable underlayment — the material that goes underneath flooring to provide support and stability. Floor underlayment made with cork applications has become the premier choice due to the material’s unique structure and benefits to homeowners, including:
Cork for Interior Decoration
Once the home or property has been constructed, the warm, natural tones of cork can be used to enrich any interior. Cork construction applications can include walls, floors, and ceilings. The versatility of cork means it blends well with any type of furniture as well as other decorations.
Since cork can come in a vast range of colors, interior designers have more options than ever. And while cork looks amazing, it provides a substantial amount of sound insulation and thermal insulation — with minimal maintenance.
Cork Flooring Tiles
Cork flooring tiles are often used indifferent densities, thicknesses, and finishes. These versatile cork flooring tiles can feature a range of finishes, including:
Regardless of how the cork flooring tiles are finished, they offer a level of warmth, quietness and comfortability. Because cork flooring tiles are naturally non-slip and resist humidity, they are especially important for bathrooms and kitchens. At the same time, cork flooring tiles are a long-lasting and luxurious solution for bedrooms and living rooms.
You can even find cork throughout the checkerboard flooring in the Library of Congress. The original floors of the Reading Room feature a checkerboard pattern of dark brown and light cork with marble borders. The balconies also have checkered floors.
Cork Countertop Applications
Cork can be used for countertop underlayment as well as the countertop. Aesthetically pleasing, hypoallergenic, safe, durable, environmentally friendly, easy to install, and cost-effective; cork countertops have become one of the preferred alternatives to conventional countertop options.
Cork’s inherent resistance to moisture makes it ideal for wet kitchen areas or surfaces next to a sink. At the same time, the heat resistance of cork makes it much less vulnerable to hot pans and pots – but surface scorching can still happen. And cork has self-healing properties, which makes it much more forgiving than bamboo counters or wood counters to scratches and cuts.
Explore, Pursue, and Create with Frank Lowe’s Construction Cork Applications
At Frank Lowe, we pride ourselves in helping our customers look at old problems through new lenses. If you’ve never considered how cork could be used to help you create better homes and buildings, we would love to help you explore, pursue, and create.
Since there are no one-size-fits-all cork solution, we will use our decades of expertise to understand your needs and goals. Then we will work closely with you to suggest the best cork materials, — whether it’s our composition cork or cork-n-rubber material.
Contact Frank Lowe today to learn more about the many cork applications in the construction industry and how you can take advantage of our cork die cutting services.
