We live in the world, which changed a lot since when we were children. The technological advancement allowed us to understand the way environment functions, and most of us developed a conscience that we have to protect it against plastic and other materials that are killing nature.
That is the main reason why most people want to use eco-friendly materials with an idea to reduce the carbon footprint and everything that comes with it. The future will be based on sustainable materials, which is why you should consider cork products.
One of the best choices and solutions for reducing carbon footprint and using sustainable materials is by using cork, the same one you have seen in wine bottles, for instance. It is the best material to handle insulation, but it has other uses too.
What Is Cork?
It is essential to mention that cork is a bark of Cork Oak Tree, which means that it is an entirely natural material that features impressive properties that will help you along the way.
It is impermeable to gases and liquids, lightweight, compressive and elastic and you will get both acoustic and thermal insulation with it. You can stop worrying because it is not prone to fire and abrasion, and due to its biodegradable properties, you can recycle and renew it once again.
Where Does It Come From?
Remember that cork comes from the trunk of the Cork Oak every nine years, which is essential fact you have to remember. However, manufacturers are not damaging the tree throughout the process, which is another advantage of using it.
Read more on Cork Oak here.
The most significant areas of production are in Portugal, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and France. You can compress it without any additional problem, and it will not lose its flexibility, which is an important consideration when choosing proofing materials.
Characteristics of Cork
- Lightweight – The first thing that we have to mention when it comes to cork is its lightweight that will provide you peace of mind. According to manufacturers, it weighs only 0.16 grams per cubic centimeter, which means that when you place it in water, it will float.
- Compressibility/Flexibility – As soon as you notice that every single cork stopper comes with 800 million airtight cells, you will know what you will get. You will find numerous chemicals inside that are not problematic for human’s even ones with a gaseous mixture that will allow its compression without losing flexibility. At the same time, you can also decompress it, and that will provide your ability to return it to the original shape. Cork features elastic memory, and it is only reliable that you can compress on one side and it will not lose volume on the other one as well. This particular feature is increasing its versatility and allows it to adapt to various pressures and temperatures without affecting its integrity.
- Resistant – Due to ceroids and suberin that you can find inside the cork, it means that it is impermeable to gases and liquids. Apart from that, it is resistant to moisture, and that means that you will be able to reduce decay and oxidation effects.
- Insulation – We have mentioned above that cork is the best choice for insulating your household, especially when it comes to vibration and acoustic as well as thermal insulation. Since their insulation properties are amazing, most people are choosing them instead of other materials. For instance, winemakers use it as wine stoppers, because it is the best material possible for protecting the wine against contamination, and temperature variation. Within the construction industry, it comes with amazing benefits that will provide you a combination of indoor air and comfort, and ability to reduce the energy bills in as soon as you install them. You can use it for waterproofing infrastructure for underlays and foundation as well as final coverings for ceilings, walls, and floors.
You should learn more on how to clean cork by checking out this guide: https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Cork.
Conclusion:
We have presented you a comprehensive perspective on why you should use cork as insulating material.
Of course, you have to remember to learn everything about it and whether it will work for your specific needs, which is why you should directly talk with different people to get recommendations.