Manufacturers are able to supply better quality materials that are eco-friendly and cost effective with the introduction of advanced technologies. Cork tiles are available in different colors with natural attractive grains and are being used more and more in homes and office establishments around the world. The product is not only durable but is also hypo-allergenic as it resists mold, insects and mildew.
Most of the cork oak forests are found in Italy, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Algeria and France. The cork tree will undergo its initial harvest once it is about 25 years old. The first stripping of the bark is referred to as a virgin harvest. The cork bark has an irregular and hard structure. Once it is stripped, the tree will begin regeneration, after a period of about nine years the same tree can be stripped again. Secondary cork is the name given to the cork bark when it is stripped for the second time. After the initial extractions, the subsequent stripping is referred to as amadia. Each tree produces several hundred kilograms of cork at harvesting time. Careful process and extraction on each harvest insures that the tree is not harmed or damaged in any way. These oak trees are never felled and last for over 500 years. The renewable properties of this product make it a friend resource for the environment.
Cork Wall Tiles are not recommended for use as floor tiles. If your walls have been treated with paint, you will need to apply two layers of Universal Paint Primer to the walls before gluing the tiles.
Cork glue down tiles are also can be used as cork wall, but cork floating flooring would not be able to use as wall tile since. Cork floating flooring comes in the Uniclic flooring (each plank is 5 pounds…most walls cant handle that amount of weight).
Forna cork tiles, whether wall tile or flooring tile, come in 1ft x 2ft sheets. The are NOT pre-glued. You would require a water based contact cement to glue them to the wall(s). You would first put the glue on the back of the tiles (with a roller or a paint brush) and then apply glue to the wall (clean wall, no paint). You would then need to wait upwards of 40-60 minutes until the glue (on both the tiles and the wall) are dry to the touch (should not stick to finger when touched). You would need to be careful to apply glue to an area of the wall that you can cover inside of one hour.
Once the tiles are in place, you are done. As a wall treatment, you do not need to coat the tiles in polyurethane. That step is only required for tiles used on a floor.
Have an office or room where acoustics are important, introduce cork products as they provide a natural-made sound barrier and prevent vibration. Check the internet for online dealers who offer cork flooring products and wall tiles. Make sure that their products are certified and tested by companies such as ECO Institute, SGS or CARB. Distributors may offer you great discounts on the regular retail prices and provide samples if you want to see the end product. Most of the floor systems are easy to install.
It would be advisable to hire a professional to undertake the job of laying glue-down cork tiles for the floor. The dealer will guide you on the installation process and answer all your queries. It is possible to effectively control echoing and enhance acoustic effects in a room with good quality cork wall tiles. They are not as expensive as other wall treatments and can be aesthetically designed to make a room come alive. If you wish to affect even more dramatic savings, you can purchase tiles that have been discontinued and sold in lots. These can be arranged to produce good designs with effective colors that will make the room look larger and brighter.