Cork Flooring

Natural Cork Flooring


Carpet Kingdom in Portland, OR, offers natural cork flooring. Read more below on the brands we offer and visit our showroom. Call us today at 503-256-6918.

Natural Cork


Cork is a renewable and all-natural flooring choice. Cork also provides excellent sound absorbing properties. Cork is available in either direct glue tiles or floating planks. Both provide rich patterns and colors that give your project a warmth that comes from using a natural product. Cork has been used as flooring for decades and can be a long lasting and stylish choice.

If you need samples or have a question regarding discount carpet, please email or call us at (503) 256-6918 today, and one of our experienced sales reps will be happy to assist you. Carpet Kingdom has been a carpet wholesaler for more than 47 years. We offer wholesale carpet prices to all. 

Brands we carry


 WECork


Cork is the bark of an oak tree known botanically a QUERCUS SUBER. It is an evergreen which grows in commercial stands only in areas bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Of the important cork producing countries, Portugal supplies approximately 50%, Spain 25%, and the balance is divided between Algeria, France, Morocco, Italy and Tunisia. As early as 2,500 BC cork was used as fishing floats in ancient Egypt, and in 400 BC cork was also commonly used as stoppers for containers as well as soles for shoes. One of the many famous users of cork was, according to history, conqueror Alexander the Great. A cork piece once saved him from drowning when crossing a turbulent river.


In these days of increasing concern for the environment, cork remains the only tree which can regenerate itself after each harvest. The cork bark is stripped off 2/3 of the tree. The first time is when the tree is approximately 20 years old. A thin layer protective inner bark gives the cork oak the unique ability to protect itself from the debarking process. The stripping requires great skill as the inner bark must not be damaged by the specially designed hatchet used for the stripping.

The first bark is called "virgin" bark. It has a very irregular exterior surface of grayish color. This bark is suitable for grinding into various granule sizes used for cork insulation and composition cork, but it has also become very popular for the manufacturing of decorative items.


The subsequent stripping of the tree will take place every nine years until the cork oak is approximately 150 years old and is replaced by a young one. The bark which grows out after the "virgin" bark has been stripped is called "refugo" bark. It looks entirely different as it has a much smoother surface which is brown. The first crop of "refugo" is mostly used for grinding purposes. The following stripping consist of better qualities with fewer and more closed pores (grains) and the major part is used for the production of cork stoppers or other items requiring a better quality or finer looking appearance.


After the stripping process, the bark remains in the forest for some days to dry or perhaps to be inspected by potential buyers. To purchase cork bark is not an easy task as the quality does not only vary from forest to forest and from tree to tree, but from the same tree depending on the exposure to sunlight.

Once in the factory area, the "refugo" bark is boiled to make it easier to scrape off part of the woody outer layer and to make the bark more elastic in order to flatten it out for boiling – should it be sold later on. Thereafter, the bark is sorted into various thicknesses which in their turn are sorted into many different qualities to determine a sale price and/or suitable manufacturing use.


Cork is a unique natural product with remarkable properties unmatched by any other natural material. One cubic inch of cork consists of not less than 200 million completely enclosed air cells each measuring l/1000" in diameter. Each minute cell is 14 sided to avoid empty spaces between cells.

Visit Website

QU-Cork


Cork consists of a tight web of up to 40 million cells per cubic centimeter. The cell membranes retain gas, giving cork its capacity to float, insulate and re-expand quickly after compression. Cork is natural, recyclable and biodegradable. No natural or man-made material replicates its properties.



Cork retains unique qualities of flexibility, elasticity and compressibility. Its extreme resilience, impermeability, lightness and insulating efficiency make it ideal for a large number of flooring applications. Cork is hypoallergenic, mildew, moisture, dust, and pollen resistant. Cork is anti-static, it is recommended for use where computers and electronic equipment are used.


Cork can be used anywhere in the house (below and above grade) because it is flexible, water-resistant, soft and warm.

Visit Website

Wicanders Cork


HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM WICANDERS CORK FLOORING

Fast & Easy Installation

Whether you choose the floating or stick-down option, WICANDERS floors are quicker and easier to install than ever before. With the improved CORKLOC-design and increased sizes of the stick-down range, a WICANDERS floor saves time and reduces installation expense.


Durability

With their unique cork structure and tough resilient surface finishes, WICANDERS floors are as durable as you’ll ever need them to be. A WICANDERS floor withstands years of wear and still looks as good as the day it was first laid.


Silence

The cork inner structure in all WICANDERS floors is guaranteed to cut noise. The cork reduces sound transmission between and within rooms, creating a quieter, and therefore peaceful, environment in your home.


Comfort

The unique characteristics of cork also ensure that a WICANDERS floor is more comfortable to walk and stand on. Cork’s shock-absorbing properties relieve strain on your feet, joints, legs and back.


Warmth

The unique qualities of cork offer benefits other floors can’t match. The natural thermal insulation properties make WICANDERS floors very pleasant to the touch, even with bare feet as they provide an optimal floor temperature all year round.


Health

WICANDERS floors come with surface finishes that put a stop to entrapped dirt, germs or fungus, thus actively contributing to a healthy and hygienic environment.


Easy Maintenance

The specialized surface finishes of WICANDERS floors make them easier for you to clean and maintain. A vacuum cleaner and a mop are all that is required to keep WICANDERS floors looking as good as new.



Environmentally Friendly

Cork keeps trees alive! WICANDERS floors are made with natural products and in the case of cork, an outstandingly ecological material, thus providing an environmentally friendly flooring solution. Mindful of today’s need for conservation, WICANDERS floors are a true environmental alternative.

Visit Website

Call For More Information on our CorkFlooring Today

503-256-6918
Share by: