Cork, A Renewable Resource for an Eco-Friendly Building Material

In recent years, homeowners have increasingly sought out ways to make their homes more eco-friendly. Whether projects are complicated or simplistic, homeowners have a variety of eco-friendly options available to them. Maybe you’ve installed energy-efficient fixtures or swapped incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs, this is a great start. Now you may be wondering what else you can do.

Beautiful new eco-friendly flooring made from cork.
Image source: ModernEnviro.com

A popular home improvement trend that is garnering much attention is cork flooring. Cork flooring is produced by harvesting the bark of a cork tree. But only the bark is used, so the tree continues to flourish even after the product is removed. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency states that even after harvesting, the oak tree will likely live up to 120 years, and can continue to be harvested every dozen years or so. Furthermore, cork is harvested by hand, which eliminates the possibility of heavy machinery that might be harmful to the environment.

Homeowners who have chosen cork often cite its structure as one of its most appealing qualities. Cork flooring is also very appealing to homeowners because of its soft, cushion feel that is comfortable and helps to reduce noise around the home. Additionally, cork helps to trap heat. Air cells within the cork make it act as an insulator. Because of this structure, cork may help you reduce your energy consumption while lowering heating bills.

The benefits of cork have now found their way to the fashion industry. This is a testament to corks longstanding appeal. It has quickly become a great alternative to leather, which is more expensive – and in many ways, less innovative. So for the homeowner who has made the move to a more eco-friendly home, perhaps cork is your next move.

See also:
Flooring options: Which flooring do I want in my home?
How to clean different types of floors
Popular “green” building materials