Wall coverings have been around since approximately 200 BC when the Chinese began gluing rice paper to their walls as a means of expression and decoration. Wall coverings have since ranged from wallpaper, tile, tin, carpet, stone, and many other creative materials of expression. We have witnessed trends ranging from simple and understated to bold and textured cork accent walls. And in recent years, we have witnessed the modernism of
cork wall coverings.
Cork, harvested from the Quercus suber (the cork oak), has gained popularity in recent decades for its many health and environmentally conscious properties. Not only is it hypo-allergenic, but it is also highly self-sustainable and subsequently helps decrease the carbon levels of our current environment. This miracle material can be found in all facets of life; from fashion to
interior decorating; from health and lifestyle to the food industry. There are few places in our lives that one would be hard pressed not to find cork in some form or fashion.
At
AmCork, we love promoting only the highest quality
cork floor tiles and
cork wall tiles. These products are lovingly selected for our customers by our team of cork experts so that when they are installed in your home or office, they are the finest reflection of your decorating vision. Our
cork wall tiles are highly versatile and can create a unique, attractive look in any room. We suggest
cork wall tiles for noisy rooms, or for rooms, such as bedrooms or baby nurseries, where peace and quiet is most important. They can also be highly efficient in office and restaurant settings so that the entire world is not privy to your personal conversations.
We have also seen a surge in the use of
cork wall tiles in the medical industry primarily for their hypo-allergenic properties.
Cork is naturally resistant to mold and mildew making it a premium choice in “sick” environments. By naturally blending the health conscious properties of cork with its sound absorbing qualities, this organic product seems like a no-brainer when deciding how to decorate or renovate your next home or office project.
All of our cork board sheets are made from recycled cork materials and are used in
cork wall coverings and cork ceiling tile applications for the purposes of sound absorption and thermal insulation. The product is self-healing from push pins just like a regular cork pin board. It also adds immense beauty to any room. We also offer
decorative cork boards that are manufactured with our
cork wall tiles and can be purchased
here. These cork board wall panels will surely add class to any office setting!
All products are easy to install. Our
cork board products are a highly durable and are easy to maintain and repair! Different
cork wall tiles can be
combined together to create unique wall pattern designs or allowed to stand out singularly as their own natural graces lend themselves to an attractive look for any room. Check out our selection of over 20 decorative
cork wall tiles today. Contact our expert team with any questions you may have or use our easy e-commerce store to order now! We are happy to help you discover the natural beauty of
cork wall coverings!
Photo credit: HGTV
One of the most innovative and unique ways we have seen our
cork products being used in recent years is within the teaching and home office community with the advent of
decorative cork boards. You will see them in many “quick décor” stores and their corresponding websites like Pottery Barn, Etsy, and Office Depot. We decided to dissect one of these boards to see how their cork stood up to our own product. Upon removing the wood frame, we found little cork and mostly wood. The 1/8 inch thick cork sheeting on the surface of the decorative cork board was really that – just decorative.
Cork has amazing self-healing properties, lending itself naturally to the push and pull of
bulletin boards. The pins never leave a permanent mark in the cork, leaving the board looking polished and complete at all times. However, like with most products, the more you have, the better it is! Meaning, the more cushion the cork has in thickness, the easier it will be for the cork to demonstrate this self-healing property.
So, you may be asking what this self-healing property is all about. Is it miraculous? No. Just natural. Think of the cork stopper in a bottle of wine. When you remove it, it expands after being pulled from the bottle neck. I have never been successful with “restoppering” a bottle of wine exactly how it was originally package once I have opened it. Initially, the cork shrinks or contracts to fit the size needed in the wine bottle neck, and then expands to its original form and size once freed. The same proves true with the cork wall tiles and decorative cork boards. The cork allows for the space the high pressure item (the pin) needs when inserted, but when removed, the cork naturally expands back to its original form. Covering the hole, and allowing for the self-healing to occur.
We offer our
cork wall tiles in an array of colors and styles that allow you to select a quality product that will serve not only as a decorative bulletin board for your home office or mudroom needs, but also bring a sense of style to a typically generic type of product. Our 12”X24”
cork wall tiles are sold in cartons of 11 tiles or 22 sq feet of cork. This high quality product will also give you the benefit of acoustic and thermal insulation wherever installed, making your home office even cozier!
And if you don't have that "do-it-youself crafty gene" in your body, we have partnered with another company to bring you our specialty
decorative cork boards for your home office made with our highest quality cork products! Our new
decorative cork board inventory offers you beautiful frames with a variety of cork tiles to compliment any room you choose. Our decorative push pin boards vary in sizes from 30X30 to 40X30 and come complete with gorgeous custom frames and mounting hardware. We are so sure you will love the attention to detail we put into every
cork board we make - we even guarantee it!
Take a look at our selection of
decorative cork boards and cork wall tiles today and choose from over 20 different color and style patterns, all designed to meet your needs with the highest quality product available. Send us a picture on our
Facebook page of your innovative
decorative cork board once you have installed it and we will post it here for others to be inspired by!
We all know that cork is 100% recyclable and that it is also 100% sustainable. It is a wondrous material that is so critical for the Earth and its inhabitants. The big question then becomes, how do I, as a responsible citizen of plant Earth and a lover of cork, because of course, it is in all my rooms, on the
floors and
covering the walls, how do I go one step further and make sure than I am part of the cycle of sustainability of this material? In short, how do I recycle my
cork products?
There are sustainable living initiatives across the globe to recycle cork products, and many new ones are springing up each day. Many focus recycling cork wine stoppers, but other local initiatives can also help you recycle your
cork flooring and
cork wall covering products as needed. These products are obviously kept in the home much longer than your average wine bottle stopper, so the immediate and popular need is for cork wine stoppers. No cork that has been harvested from the cork oak tree is ever wasted. 100% of the material is used in a multitude of products; even the cork dust is used to generate energy. If it can be that concise when it is harvested, we can be just as responsible as consumers.
Cork Re-Harvest has been collecting cork wine stoppers since 2008. They also educate the public about montados and biodiversity, as well as raising awareness of the threatened extinction of endangered animals that find refuge in the forest areas of Portugal and Mediterranean areas of similar climate and biodiversity. In addition to their sustainable recycling efforts, Cork Re-Harvest strives to keep their organization’s carbon footprint low so as not to completely undo the good they are trying to accomplish through the recycling cork program.
In December of 2012,
American Airlines announced their creation of the Sustainability Alliance. In this Alliance, “organizations will identify opportunities for innovation in airport operations, resulting in economic and environmental benefits for American, DFW Airport and their customers.” In 1989, the American Airline flight attendants began their first recycling initiative by recycling aluminum cans from the passengers. Since this programs inception, over 12 million aluminum cans have been recycled – enough to fill 4 Boeing 737s! This recycling initiative has been expanded since 1989 to additionally recycle paper, plastic cups and bottles, and corks from wine bottles.
These are just a few of the recycling initiative programs that have gained notoriety within the United States. There are many programs worldwide, from the Girls Guides program founded in 1992 in Australia to NABU in Germany. These recycling programs are committed to keeping the environment clean and supporting the cork industry across the globe.
Our best advice, if you are looking to recycle cork in your area, is to first contact your local recycling initiative, usually found through your waste municipality. Once you have exhausted your local resources, you may want to check out
www.earth911.com for more recycling options or one of the initiatives we mentioned here today. And if you feel inspired, start a cork recycling program in your city! Contact your local restaurants and resorts to ask them to donate their cork wine stoppers to your program. Ask your friends and family to donate theirs too. Then YOU will be the local guru on how to recycle
cork flooring and
cork wall coverings as well! It may start small, but don’t all things in the beginning? Your impact certainly won’t be small though; it will last for generations to come!
If the home is where the heart is, then the kitchen is the life source of the home. Many times, our family is gathered in our kitchen more than any other room in the house. The enjoyment of cooking together and gathering around the table to enjoy the fruits of our labor, the memories made by baking cookies with the kids or making a special Father’s Day breakfast, all begin in the kitchen. And with all the traffic our kitchen sees on a daily basis, we needed
flooring that could not only withstand the wear and tear of so many feet, big and small, but we needed something that would be easy to clean and maintain. We didn’t want to eliminate our quality time in the kitchen with something as boring and dirty as cleaning.
Cork flooring is an ideal kitchen finish! It can withstand the heavy foot traffic and adds comfort to those feet with its springy cellular nature. Cork’s ability to be mold and germ resistant also lends itself perfectly to the kitchen atmosphere. And we love the fact that cleaning our kitchen floors is easy breezy lemon squeezy with just an occasional damp mopping and a regular sweeping to keep the dust bunnies and dirty sneakers from dirtying up our fun times in this room.
Did you know that the floor isn’t the only place to use cork
in your cork home decor? It can also be used as
insets on cabinet faces and on countertops as well. We even took our
cork wall tiles and cut them to size to line our cabinet interiors! It cushions the glasses and dishware and just adds a little more oomph when you open the cabinets to retrieve something and see the keen lining you so easily installed yourself.
Don’t sacrifice beauty for functionality! Find both in
cork floor tiles and
cork wall tiles.
Call today to find out how you can makeover your kitchen so that it becomes the focal point in a home you already love. We are looking forward to
talking with you soon!
Everybody loves a good
sale! And what better way to save than one that
saves you green in more ways than one? Check out our
Specials page today to view the most up-to-date pricing on select
cork floor tiles and
cork floor planks; then check back often as our
sales are constantly changing and being updated as inventory allows. Some
discounts as much as 20% off retail cost. Sometimes you will even find cork flooring
underlayment sheets and cork flooring
underlayment rolls on
sale to add to your
saving needs and assist with your install!
We pride ourselves in being able to bring you the highest quality
cork products for sale on the market today, but also in offering these
products to you at the best
price. We all know how a single room or even an entire home make-over can cause our
budgets to soar pretty quickly off track. In that vein, our desire is to bring you a
product that will last for decades to come, and not break your pocket book.
According to the
Encyclopedia Britannica, the make-up of the vascular tissue and secondary tissues is the same as vegetables with an inner tissue forming the “meat” of the tree or vegetable and the outer tissue forming the “bark” of the tree or protective skin of the vegetable. (However, this does not justify having the bottle of wine for lunch because you could eat the cork – you said it was a vegetable! I am quite sure it’s not on the Surgeon General’s list of healthy foods.) So what does this mean for you – the consumer? This cellular nature is what makes cork such a remarkable product and so versatile in many different facets of your life. The spongy qualities, the hypo-allergenic properties, and the self-healing structure of cork are all possible only because of this unique spongy cellular nature of cork.
This is one of the many reasons
cork has been used for centuries and seems to gain even more recognition with each passing day in our current culture as an important environmental and healthy selection for materials. We have mentioned numerous times how
cork flooring and
cork wall tiles are this up and coming trend, but really, they are a mainstay in home décor and design and have been around for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans reference the use of cork as the primary method of stoppering wines and oils to maintain their freshness and to help in the transport of said goods, as well as footwear and roofing materials. In the 1600s, Dom Perignon developed his “methode champenoise,” replacing wooden stoppers with cork ones in the production of his wines and champagnes. The popularity of this improved format grew over the next two centuries to include using cork stoppers for maintaining the quality of food products as well as wines, oils, and other liquids. And now we have brought it into our homes in a more direct fashion with
cork floor tiles and
cork wall tiles.
The commercial consumption of cork for the purpose of
flooring needs and more recently
wall covering needs has been emerging for well over 100 years since the early 1900’s. It has been found in many of our historic buildings throughout the United States in government buildings, libraries, and churches just to give a few examples. Cork’s insulating properties were a heavy determining factor at this time to maintain a temperature as well as keep noise levels to a minimum in these public places. In the 1970’s, cork flooring really took off in the residential market as a viable material for
flooring that was easy to install, maintain, and accessorize that even made the flower child happy with its eco-friendly nature. Since then, cork has been on an upward trend.
And that brings us to now; where your
cork flooring and
cork wall tiles are 30 million years in the making since they began flourishing in the Mediterranean climates of Portugal. They have been protected through legislation conservation since 1209 to protect them from deforestation. The harvesting of the cork oak bark actually helps sustain the trees longevity. So, as you contemplate whether or not to install
cork flooring or
cork wall tiles, think no more! It is the right choice both for you as the consumer, and for the environment. It is a material that people have been using for centuries and as the old adage goes – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! We have only continued to improve it for our clients because as you can tell – it certainly ain’t broke.
Cork, as we have discussed throughout this blog, is becoming a way of life. Our company, AmCork, offers products for your flooring and wall covering needs. Our variety of cork floor tiles and cork wall tiles reflect many different styles and varying degrees of sophistication. But cork, as a natural material, is showing up in lots of other stylish places outside the home that we didn’t expect. It’s becoming an integral part of our society. From hospitals to catwalks, cork trends are taking root!
Nike launched the new Lebron X Cork on February 23, 2013. Have you seen this shoe? Never would I have expected Nike, a company for hard core athletic gear and athletes, to successfully brand a cork shoe in the market, but it’s pretty snazzy for sportswear. Nike stated, “This shoe shares many of the same characteristics as the original, with one key difference: an upper constructed of genuine cork. It’s a shoe fit for a king.” We couldn’t agree more!
Further evidencing the fact that cork is beginning to infiltrate the fashion world at the speed of light are the number of high-end designers using this material in their collections. Check out this amazing clutch from Judith Leiber or this handbag by Christian Louboutin! Both are unique and show off the simplicity of cork partnered with tremendous style. Manolo Blahnik offers their high priced BB Polished Cork Pumps, showing that cork can complement and "polish" off any outfit. Donald J. Pliner has offered an entire collection of his shoes and accessories centered around cork.
The neutrality of the cork shown by these fierce fashion designer in their collections can transcend from the runway into your own home today. Choose a lifestyle of comfort and tranquility; these environmentally beneficial products lay at your feet (literally) for your shopping pleasure. You only have to select what color and texture palette you desire to begin placing this trend in your home today. Our cork floor tiles and cork wall tiles are easy to order through our e-commerce store and can be combined with any additional products you will need for installation. Unsure what you may need to complete your project? Contact one of our cork experts to discuss your personal needs today. We are eager to help you!
I cannot think of a single place where having cork wall tiles adorning your walls would be bad thing… Except maybe a tiger’s enclosure at the zoo! Otherwise, the opportunities to utilize cork, not only on your floors, but on your walls as well, are vast. As building materials go, cork wall tiles are considered one of the more “green” or eco-friendly products on the market as the cork tree is never cut down; only the outer bark is harvested for cork products.
Cork wall paneling, as shown here, are offered in a variety of patterns, textures, and colors. Enough to suit anyone’s fancy! These cork tiles for walls will not only give you the benefits that we will discuss in a moment, but also beauty. Your rooms will be transformed with the addition of cork wall tiles. The dimension and sophistication they can add to the simplest of rooms is extraordinary!
For allergy sufferers, hospital’s and doctor’s offices, bathrooms, and anywhere else a hypo-allergenic quality is needed, look no further. Cork naturally resists and repels mold and mildew when properly maintained. Its cellular nature keeps allergens to a minimum. Gone are the days of the white wall cleanliness; style does not need to be forsaken for health as cork wall tiles lend themselves to both cleanliness and class. Carpet and wallpapers can release micro-fibrous allergens to the air in your home or office increasing allergy problems for those who suffer from them – cork does not.
Another excellent and natural benefit of cork wall tiles is their organic insulating properties. As with cork floor tiles, cork wall tiles also act as an insulator against temperature and sound. Cork paneling makes for an excellent choice for recording studios, hotel rooms, and hospitals where privacy is needed, boardrooms and offices to dampen the volume level. Even commercial or home movie theaters could benefit from cork’s natural sound proofing abilities. Furthermore, temperature insulation will reflect in your energy bill as it decreases the need for your thermostat to work as hard in any season in order to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout your home or office space.
As a growing trend, Houston Lifestyles & Home states that “cork wall tiles are highly versatile and add a sustainable element as well as natural feel to any room.” Additionally, you don’t have to use cork on all your walls to reap the benefits. Even in small doses, cork will absorb sound and add drama to an otherwise simply painted wall with little effort. You can even use it as a glorified cork board! Check out this photo as an example of a homeowner using cork wall paneling on two sliding doors to separate two spaces in one - Genius!
However, the bedroom is the pinnacle of cork for me. I love the gorgeous colors and textures the cork tile wall paneling can bring to a bedroom; completely changing the look and feel of a room; bringing drama to a bland, flat wall. The insulating properties from both the wall tiles and floor tiles keep the room temperate while you sleep or relax. Cork wall coverings will keep distracting clatter to a minimum by blocking abrupt or loud noises. And, you won’t have to get out of a cozy bed on to cold hardwood or tile floors with cork floor tiles either thanks to these insulating properties. And if you are an allergy sufferer, you will decrease the allergens considerably, especially at night when you are sleeping and have less control over how and what you breathe in. Your bedroom instantly becomes the sanctuary you always dreamed it would be with cork wall tile insulation. Cocoon yourself away. Just add cork!
We have all heard and talked about the eco-friendly benefits of using cork products throughout your home, specifically cork wall tiles and cork floor tiles. But with this invasion of new flooring and wall covering options, many wonder – how do we clean cork flooring damaging it? Really, cork floor maintenance is very simple and we will give you 15 ways today to keep your cork flooring and wall tiles looking factory fresh every day and keep the dust bunnies out of your house too!
1. If you spill it, clean it. And don’t wait too long either. Just like with carpet or any other porous floor covering, you need to clean up spills within a quick time frame whenever possible. It is true that cork has a moisture barrier, but that only goes so far. Don’t test the limits! Clean it up as soon as possible with a dry towel or paper towel.
2. Use area rugs in high traffic areas to keep the dirt from being ground into your flooring and to save your back from sweeping multiple tiles a day. At the very least, we recommend that you use small rugs or mats at entry ways to dust the dirt off your feet before entering from the outside. The garden lives outside, not in your flooring!
3. Be sure those mats do not have rubber or non-porous backing that can trap moisture under them and affect the life of your cork flooring. Try to find coverings that compliment both the beauty of your cork flooring and the life of it too! We suggest something that is well ventilated from top to bottom.
4. Do NOT use harsh chemicals when caring for cork floors. Damp mop your cork flooring often, but make sure that it doesn’t remain saturated with water or cleaning supplies for too long. Note, we said damp mopping. Be sure you do not use a saturated mop when cleaning cork floors. Gently wring out your mop before using it to clean. Check with our AmCork specialists upon purchase to see what products they recommend to keep your floors beautiful and clean.
5. With the cork tile installation, you worked from the inside of the room to the outside. When mopping, we recommend that you do the opposite – work from the outside in. This keeps you from mopping all the dirt you just picked up into the cracks and crevices along the wall.
6. In addition to regularly using a damp mop, run your vacuum on its floor setting often to keep the dirt and dust at bay. This is something you can easily do several times a week and most of the newer vacuums have a bare floor setting. I know I use mine on that setting more than any other and it works like a champ!
7. If you want to clean in silence or only need to tidy up a small area, sweeping works perfectly well too! Keep your dust pan handy and sweep, sweep, sweep! It’s so easy you could probably even convince your children to do it for you!
8. Wipe down cork wall tiles with a damp hand rag on an occasional basis. You should not need to clean the walls as often as your floors. You may want to alternate a damp rag with a light chemical solution cleaning every once in a while. But if you have used our cork wall tiles in your kitchen backsplash area and cook a lot of spaghetti sauce, this will be an important hint.
9. Use furniture pads under your furniture. This helps with not only keeping any possible indentation from heavy pieces to a minimum, but it also helps you move furniture a little easier to clean under and behind it – See? We are saving you time and energy already! Plus your allergies will thank you for a proper cleaning!
10. Use those handy duster wands for weekly clean up on your walls. Just run it across the cork wall tile surfaces and collect your bunnies! This works great in the wall corners and around the base boards too.
11. When selecting a cleaning solution, be sure to keep your mind on our planet and select something that has a low impact on our environment. The marketplace is beginning to have many eco-friendly cleaning products available without having to search for them. You selected this type of product for a reason. Don’t let it stop at your feet!
12. On occasion, you may need to buff your cork flooring to remove scuff marks and bring back its natural shine. Again, we highly recommend you speak with one of our AmCork specialists when purchasing your cork product about how and when you may need to do a full service cleaning like buffing.
13. Have four-legged friends? This may increase your cleaning a bit more. But it would be the same with wood or tile floors too. Just be sure to sweep on a regular basis to keep both your floors and your fur-babies happy!
14. Love your cork floors and cork wall tiles and they will love you in return for many, many years to come. In addition to avoiding harsh chemicals, avoid harsh cleaning tools as well. Never, ever use steel wool, scouring pads, or anything else with a harsh abrasive on it. Remember – love them and they will love you too!
15. And lastly, enjoy your gorgeous cork wall coverings and flooring! The more you appreciate what you have in your home and the benefits you are reaping from them, the more likely you are to want to keep them in good repair. Plus, all your friends will want to visit more often after you install our products, so you will want to keep it showroom fresh to show them off to your fan club!
Talk about promoting corkboards!! We love our social media friends and want to be friends with you too! Check us out on Facebook and Pinterest today. Pin our cork boards on your board or friend us for up-to-date information and news on cork flooring tiles and cork wall tiles you can use. This is also a great way for you to post pictures of your home or office renovations with our cork products or ask us questions. If you are wondering about our cork board materials, chances are, somebody else is too! We are excited to meet and hear from you!
