Architects & Designers Look for Form and Function
As a Architect or Designer, your objectives vary by client and project. While some may prioritize sustainability and using environmentally friendly materials, others may prioritize aesthetics. Still others may be looking for energy efficiency, durability or have other objectives. Understanding the benefits of available materials is key to meeting expectations. Likewise, finding materials that deliver on a wide range of benefits is invaluable. In light of this, what value does cork bring to Architects & Designers?
Benefits of Using Cork
In terms of design and style, cork flooring offers a spectrum of light, natural, and dark colors, with patterns varying from simple to elegant. Visuals include not only cork, but also hardwood and tile (see Commercial Grade Cork Flooring for more info).
The practical benefits of cork are numerous, and its natural properties are truly impressive. Cork is known for being:
Sustainable
- A 100% sustainable and rapidly renewable resource.
- Made from the bark of the cork oak tree, so trees are never cut down.
- Our floating floor HDF is Eucalyptus, another green and rapidly regenerating product.
Healthy
- All flooring products tested and certified.
- Many are GreenGuard or GreenGuard Gold certified, and/or CARB 3 compliant for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
- Our natural resin urethane binders and water based finishes ensure a green, optimally performing, healthy environment.
Acoustic
- Reduces sound transfer between floor and echo within rooms.
Insulating
- Provides natural thermal insulation.
Comfortable
- It's resilience is like walking on air.
The last three benefits or cork - those of being acoustic, insulating, and comfortable - are all due to cork's cellular structure being composed mostly of air, with over 2 Million enclosed air cells per cubic inch!
Our cork is produced mostly in Portugal, and entirely in the Mediterranean region, where the world's best quality cork is grown.
Proven Durability of WECORK Flooring
WECORK products have been used for commercial flooring projects including hospitals, universities libraries, art galleries, hotels/inns, and restaurants to name a few. Incredibly durable, cork flooring is still performing in commercial applications installed many decades ago.
Some notable examples of withstanding the the test of time include:
- Dayton Art Institute
Installed all the way back in the 1930’s, this is still in use today. Over 1 million visitors have walked on this floor! - Mayo Clinic
In the 1970’s, world-famous Mayo Clinic in Minnesota installed nearly 70,000 sq. ft. or our cork flooring in their extension! What better endorsement could a product receive?!
Most of our glue-down and floating floor collections come protected by Greenshield aluminum oxide. They have excellent wear resistance, and carry a 5 year commercial / 20 year residential wear layer warranty. But as demonstrated in the examples above, our cork floors can last decades longer even in commercial settings.
On the other hand, our Serenity Collection of floating floors is exceptional! It combines cork flooring with a high definition, 3-pass, digital print technology that reproduces the essence of wood, tile, or cork on a cork substrate. Our patented hot coating finish gives it increased durability, resulting in an extended 10 year commercial / 25 year residential wear layer warranty.
Applications of Cork
Your use cork is limited only by your imagination! Our cork flooring portfolio of commercial and residential applications show a wide variety of usage. In addition to adding beauty and character to rooms, some of the practical ways Architects & Designers utilize WECORK products include in:
- Office Spaces – for comfort and sound control, creating a sense of space
- Multi-dwelling Units – for insulation and reduction of sound transfer between units
- Restaurants and Bars– for adding sound control, and cleanliness
- Concert Venues and Churches – for acoustics and comfort
- Libraries – for sound control
- Home Gyms & Yoga Studios - for comfort, warmth, and healthiness
- Virtually every room of the home! See our homeowners page for more
When considering the possibilities, one innovative flooring option you surely don’t want to miss is our innovative and versatile Corkoleum. This is our easy-to-install, water-resistant cork flooring in a roll. This glue down flooring has a top layer of decorative cork backed by cork and recycled rubber, making it highly water resistant and eco-friendly. It comes unfinished and can be stained to any color.
Specify WECORK in SpecLink by RIB!
WECORK is now in SpecLink, the most trusted commercial construction specification software! No other specification software helps you work smarter, and collaboration features for remote teams allow you to create specs up to 70% faster.
Specifying WECORK Underlayment
WECORK’s underlayment solution, named “WECU” (wee see you), offers economic and effective solution for sound control and stress crack prevention under ceramic tiles and hardwood floors. Our Soundless+ is the highest density underlayment on the market.
It’s important to note here that not all cork underlayment is the same. Cork tree quality differs, and not all cork products are created equally. WECORK’s WECU uses 100% Mediterranean cork granules and high quality, non-toxic binders. This is not true for generic imitations. When specifying WECORK underlayment, you can have full confidence knowing that our WECU products will meet and exceed building requirements, and deliver on performance.
The convenience of WECORK underlayment is that it allows Architects and Designers to reap the benefits of cork’s physical properties when the flooring is made of another material. A sampling of WECORK commercial underlayment projects include hotels, condominiums, and other properties.
Applications for Cork Wall Coverings
As an added bonus, our bark and brick cork wall coverings offer a simple way to transform any room into a cozy retreat or a warm sanctuary. Cork wall coverings and character to a room, and they also improve sound control and acoustics. This is especially practical for home theaters or media rooms.