1. CORK CASE STUDY
MEGA INTERIOR & CONSTRUCTION LTD
DATE: June 26, 2016
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2. Introduction
Holding dynamically diverse properties, cork, by nature, is commonly utilized in
the creation of a number of products we use daily. When most people think about
cork, they often turn their minds to that pesky plug that stands between them and
the contents of a wine or champagne bottle. Other uses are flooring, textiles,
clothing, jewelry and crafts.
Sustainability: unlike harvesting wood products, the collection of cork is done
without destroying a single tree. Taken from the bark of a cork oak tree, cork can be
collected from an individual tree multiple times throughout the tree’s life.
Harvesting can occur after a sapling reaches 25 to 30 years of age. Or any time
after the trunk reaches a circumference or roughly 70cm. Cork trees are slow
growing and can live upwards of 170 to 250 years. Since the harvesting occurs every
9 to 12 years, each tree can be harvested up to 16 times in its life.
Cork is nature at its best! Warm, comfortable and quiet under foot, it is no wonder
why cork is fast becoming popular as a floor covering again, particularly with our
range of stylish designer colours.
Cork reduces noise, cork is hypoallergenic, cork is low on emissions, cork is easy
to clean. Nature played her part in creating a wonderful material and Mega Interior
& Construction Ltd takes care of the rest by adding world-class technical
innovations. The result is a comfortable, durable, natural floor you’ll love to live on.
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3. Benefits of cork flooring in sustainable building:
▪ Thermal Insulation – cork historically was used in refrigeration applications, such
as in the walls of freezers
▪ Impermeability – Since the inter-connected pockets of air are truly so tiny and
microscopic, cork is considered impermeable yet breathable – which is why it’s
desirable for corking wine.
▪ Give – the pockets of air compress and then expand again, never collapsing within the
product core, giving the cork resilience and memory. It has excelled for use as flooring
due to the softness under foot, as it is often recommended for people with back pain
who stand on a floor for an extended amount of time.
▪ Design Flexibility – the beauty of cork is that it can be cut in numerous ways that
enable veneers with different aesthetics to create highly decorative surfaces. Cork
conglomerate, a recycled cork material, is also readily available. Cork conglomerate is
often used in conjunction with veneers.
▪ Buoyancy – Cork floats, and has been used as buoys, floating decoys, and as runners
for pontoons and other water craft.
▪ Slip resistance – cork, due to the softness and bounce-back, is very slip resistant, and
has been used extensively on the deck of naval ships.1
▪ Beauty – cork offers a natural beauty and organic feel to anywhere that needs a solid
floor.
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4. Imagine your perfect floor... Stunning
appearance, naturally warm & comfortable,
soft and quiet underfoot, yet resilient and durable enough
Easy maintenance and outstanding environmental
long list of benefits afforded by Cork products.
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