A recent study evaluating cork oak wood flooring as a solid wood element for flooring applications, shed light on crucial factors impacting its performance in real-world settings. The assessment from the Construction and Building Materials Journal, who provide original research and development in the field of construction and building materials testing Cork flooring in comparison to Hardwood Flooring. Their testing involved measuring dimensional stability concerning air humidity and liquid water, load-bearing capacity during service, and resistance to abrasion caused by foot traffic. This study utilised boards cut from the stems of five mature cork oak trees.
Here is what they found:
Dimensional Stability Testing:
The findings revealed that cork oak wood flooring demonstrated a moderate movement in service conditions, highlighting its ability to maintain stability concerning air humidity. Moreover, the wood exhibited minimal swelling in response to exposure to liquid water, indicating a mere 2–3% increase, highlighting its resilience against moisture-induced changes.
The Simple Version: Cork Flooring is very Water Resistant.
Load bearing and Durability:
When subjected to loads during service, cork oak wood flooring exhibited promising results. Its hardness measured at 55 N/mm2 highlighted considerable strength, suggesting its capacity to withstand pressure and stresses typically experienced in flooring applications.
The Simple Version: Cork is Highly Durable
Resistance to Abrasion:
The study assessed the wood’s resistance to abrasion caused by pedestrian traffic. The findings concluded that the wood’s wear resistance was noteworthy, leading to the classification of cork oak wood flooring as suitable for various domestic settings, including areas subject to heavy traffic and moderate commercial applications.
The Simple Version: Oak Wood Cork Flooring is Scratch Resistant and suitable for high traffic rooms!
Implications and Suitability:
Overall, the study’s results affirm the suitability of cork oak wood for solid wood flooring. Its dimensional stability, resilience to moisture, load-bearing capabilities, hardness, and remarkable resistance to wear due to foot traffic categorise it as a reliable material. This classification implies its suitability for diverse domestic environments, including those exposed to heavy foot traffic and moderate commercial end-uses.
The Simple Version: Cork is not just a viable choice for your home but an excellent choice, especially is long lasting floors that care for the environment are important to you.
These findings advocate for the use of cork oak wood as a reliable and practical choice for flooring solutions in both domestic and moderate commercial settings.
The assessment highlights cork
oak wood’s performance attributes, positioning it as a robust contender to solid wood flooring.
SOURCE: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/construction-and-building-material