Cork = comfort & sustainability
Wood = beautiful & versatile
Therefore, Cork + Wood = all the great things.
It’s a simple combination, but it’s kind of brilliant. By combining the properties of cork with the aesthetic depth of hardwood, TORLYS created a floor covering that strikes a nice balance between form and function: it is beautiful and sustainable, yet aesthetically and functionally versatile.
What is CorkWood exactly? It is a click-together cork plank whose top layer has been embossed to resemble hardwood. It looks like hardwood, feels like cork, but performs like laminate – an impressive hybrid, in our opinion.
Cork Properties
As a cork product, CorkWood is first and foremost, comfortable and supportive underfoot. It is also a natural insulator, which keeps it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Cork is one of the more, if not the most, environmentally friendly floor coverings: cork bark is renewable and harvested with care. It is taken only once every 9 years without felling or even damaging its hosting tree. Corkwood in particular is LEED and FSC certified, meaning it uses sustainable foresting methods and relatively non-toxic manufacturing method
Convenient & Durable
As a click-together product that is often floated, CorkWood can be easily and conveniently installed with little mess or dust. Even replacing a board is painless: using a special tool, the board can be isolated and replaced without disturbing the rest of the floor. CorkWood also has excellent wear-resistance, with an AC4 laminate rating, meaning that the finish wears as well as some laminates. It’s impressive considering that laminate finishes can easily last up to three decades.
Hardwood Aesthetic
When TORLYS designed this brand new product, they sought to solve a fashion dilemma: how can you enjoy the qualities of cork without taking on its aesthetic limitations? As you well know, the texture and porous pattern of cork only lends itself to so many looks. But the same cannot be said about hardwood. So TORLYS thought—why not combine the two?
In keeping with the domestic species trend in the hardwood world, TORLYS chose to emboss the cork with Oak and Walnut grain patterns. They also followed suite with colour trends, emphasizing white, brown, chestnut and grey stain colours. As a result, CorkWood has the charm and aura of contemporary hardwood, but the versatility and comfortability of cork.
Conclusion
If you have any questions about CorkWood or integrating natural flooring materials in your home, send us an email or give us a call. Better yet, if you live in Calgary and you’re in the flooring market, stop by our showroom at 525 58th Aveue SE. The Floorscapes team has as much experience as we do passion: combined, we have over 150 years in the world of Calgary flooring. We offer our knowledge, our expertise and our aesthetic sensibility in order to help you create a space that you will love.
Written by guest author Eric Osborne.
