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Cork Info

Cork in the winter garden

23 Nov 2022 By administracja

If you live in a glass house or have a second living room where you feel like outside all year round, you should think about using cork parquet or panels in it! The tiles for the conservatory should also perfectly harmonize with its home atmosphere.

After all, tiles for the winter garden or other floor coverings must not only be aesthetic, but also meet functional requirements. The floor covering must be able to withstand the extreme temperature fluctuations in the conservatory.

Cork tiles make the room cozy and easy to clean. They meet high requirements where not every floor covering will work. If it gets cold in the winter garden, ordinary parquet or laminate will not work as well as a cork floor.

Traces of water can damage the floor and frost damage cannot be ruled out. Carpet for the conservatory is not so durable and easy to clean.

PVC floors as they can quickly become slippery when wet. Cork floors come in the form of panels and cork parquet and are laid or glued to the floor. It is a natural material, it perfectly insulates thermally and acoustically and is friendly to people allergic to house dust.

The care of a cork floor is similar to that of wooden floors. Regular sealing with wax is recommended so that it is not exposed to climatic influences

Cork Info

How to install a cork roll on the wall

31 Oct 2022 By administracja

Lining the cork on the wall is not difficult. Of course, it’s not complicated if we do it the right way

https://cork-shop.co.uk/category/cork-rolls/

The necessary materials are a cork roller, spatula or brush and contact or water glue.
Before gluing the cork, each wall should be primed. And dry it; the wall must not be wet.
Using a spatula or a brush, spread the glue on the surface of the roll and the wall to be glued.

The glue should be applied evenly, leaving no empty areas, as it may later become bulges from a loose stopper (which can be removed by gently piercing the bubble and introducing a small amount of glue under the surface with a syringe).

Both surfaces of the cork and walls should be dry and even. When gluing, be especially careful because the glue dries up very quickly, so high accuracy is required. The roll is best applied to the glued surface by 3 people. 2 people roll out the roll and the 3rd presses the roller evenly with the roller so that it sticks to the wall on its entire surface.

If you do not want to stick the cork directly to the wall so as not to damage it or because it seems easier to you, do it on a board of any other material and then screw it to the wall.

Contact glue is slightly more powerful than water glue and is suitable for various types of walls, even metal ones. On the other hand, it has a strong smell that disappears completely within two days.

If there are children or allergy sufferers in the house and the surface to which we want to stick the cork is an ordinary gypsum or reinforced concrete wall, it is better to use a water glue that binds by evaporation of water.

A popular idea for people who want to combine the insulation, decorative and functional functions of cork is to buy a cork roll and stick a selected pattern of 3mm wall cork tiles on it.

Thanks to this solution, we will not only insulate and decorate the walls of our house, but also gain a cork wall on which we can hang important things to remember or decorate it in any way.

Finally, we present a video presentation that shows you step by step how to install a cork roller at home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agCRW8VoWUU

Cork Info

Cork in contact with food – legal aspects

17 Oct 2022 By administracja

Cork in contact with food – legal aspects. As a completely natural material, cork is intended for contact with food in the light of European law. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with our offer of cork washers and the list of legal acts in which you can find confirmation that the EU law allows cork to be completely safe in contact with food.

https://cork-shop.co.uk/category/cork-pads/

All materials that come into contact with food are subject to two European legal acts:
• Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, also known as
framework regulation or FCM (Food Contact Materials) regulation

Materials and articles intended to come into contact with food must be accompanied by a written declaration confirming that they comply with the provisions applicable to them.

The written declaration enables easy identification of materials, articles or products from intermediate stages of manufacture or substances for which it was issued.

• Regulation (EC) 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practices for materials and articles intended for
food contact, also known as GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) regulation

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/PL/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02006R2023-20080417&from=EN

Therefore, any material considered to be FCM will have to comply with this legislation.

The regulation concerns, inter alia, cork. Below is the link to the full text of the regulation:

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32004R1935

Art. 16 – Declaration of conformity
Materials and articles intended to come into contact with food must be accompanied by a written declaration confirming that they comply with the provisions applicable to them.

The written declaration enables easy identification of materials, articles or products from intermediate stages of manufacture or substances for which it was issued.

• Regulation (EC) 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practices for materials and articles intended for
food contact, also known as GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) regulation

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/2023/oj

Therefore, any material considered to be FCM will have to comply with this legislation.

Other documents of EU law to which the cork regulations relate are “Policy statement on cork stoppers and other materials and products made of cork intended to come into contact with foodstuffs”

https://www.edqm.eu/documents/52006/326251/Policy+statement+concerning+cork+stoppers+and+other+cork+materials+and+articles+intended+to+come+into+contact+with+ foodstuffs +% 28Version + 2 + dated + 05.09.2007% 29.pdf / a9a93369-d5a7-a890-9803-2223303f6678? version = 1.1 & t = 1643300608883 & download = true

And the ISO ISO 633: 2019 document to which the above document refers

https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:633:ed-3:v1:en

Cork Info

Cork museum in Spain

28 Sep 2022 By administracja

Cork museum in Spain. The Museum of Cork Identity in San Vicente de Alcántara (right on the border with Portugal) shows the production, manufacture and life of this material. The Museum of the Identity of Cork is located in San Vicente de Alcántara, and this is because the Rayano commune is characterized by the production, especially the production of this material: the cork industry appeared almost two centuries ago in this commune and the cork became a key element in its life and culture.

The Greeks and Romans already used cork to cover amphorae, “and even in the Middle Ages in Germany coffins were made of this material because it was a good preservative,” notes Laura Brixedo, director of the Cork Museum of Identity, a center that opened its doors in 2008. to spread a culture that revolves around its production and processing.

“It is located here because it has been the economic base of the city since the mid-19th century. Today, many people in San Vicente work in corks and 35 factories registered in our district, and that is influencing our culture, ”he continues. Brixedo examines how this tradition was transferred to Catalonia – “Girona, cradle of industry” – and from there to the rest of the Iberian Peninsula.

When the Catalans realized that in the triangle of Andalusia, Extremadura and Portugal, “there was the best cork” and, like the Englishman John Robinson, he decided to open a new factory in San Vicente de Alcántara that employed hundreds of workers. It was in 1858, and just three decades later, with the advent of the railroads, the sector experienced an economic explosion.

In the galleries of the Museum of Cork Tradition, you can view the cork under a microscope and appreciate its elongated and hollow cells, learn that suberin is a substance that prevents oxidation of wine after applying a cork made of this material, and other scientific curiosities.

But also to show how this sector defined the culture of San Vicente. “Our popular festivals revolve around corks. On the night of January 21, on the eve of our patron, we celebrate Los Mascarrones and rub each other with burnt cork. And on Corpus Christi, we make carpets on the street from colored sawdust, salt and cork shavings, ”recalls the woman, emphasizing how this material is present in the everyday life of every home.

“Our grandparents and great-great-grandparents used cork to make troughs they used in slaughterhouses, lunch boxes, and even castillejos, a kind of high chair for babies.” A craftsmanship that still survives in this town of Badajoz, which uses this material to create all kinds of personal memorials as to why the cork was, is and will be the main character of life in San Vicente.

In another part of Spain, while in the city of Santiseben del Puerto, there is another cork museum where we will see mainly the products of old craftsmen, cork figurines and learn more about the history of cork in this part of Spain. Below you will also find a video showing a short film promoting the museum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLUC-AdPWEo

Cork Info

Cork stoppers for gardens in jars

02 Sep 2022 By administracja

As part of another curiosity closely related to cork, we would like to present you the so-called glass gardens have been popular on the English market for a long time. The last such interest was in the West in the 1980s and 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of them were sold annually. Now they are definitely experiencing a renaissance.

https://cork-shop.co.uk/category/bottles-stoppers/

Glass gardens were created as a means of transporting plants over long distances by ship. In the Victorian era, when the production of glass on an industrial scale became cheaper and easier, growing plants in glass containers quickly became an extremely fashionable activity. The good news is that bottle gardens are relatively easy to create and don’t require a lot of maintenance.

To begin with, carefully fill the jar substrate with lava gravel and spread it evenly. Hold it at an angle and let the gravel slide down the sidewall, otherwise you may break the glass.

Spread the activated carbon evenly over the lava gravel to prevent mold. Carefully fill the next layer with vegetable substrate.

Carefully and evenly compact the plant substrate by hand, then use your fingers to dig 3 small holes (for 2 small plants and moss). Remove the plants from the pot by pushing them to the side and placing them upside down and placing them in the holes.

To begin with, carefully fill the jar substrate with lava gravel and spread it evenly. Hold it at an angle and let the gravel slide down the sidewall, otherwise you may break the glass.

Spread the activated carbon evenly over the lava gravel to prevent mold. Carefully fill the next layer with vegetable substrate.

Press down carefully, but firmly on all sides. Place the tallest plant at the end, as centrally as possible, so that there is plenty of room in the glass for hands.

After the smaller plant and moss have been planted on the outer walls, a hole is dug in the center and the tallest plant is placed there. Then use your fingers to beat the plant medium down at the edge of the glass.

Carefully place the decorative stone in the open area and press lightly. For even distribution in the glass, the mini plant, moss and decorative stone should form a triangle around the center plant.

When you put the soil in, properly water it and equip it with a cork on top, the glass jar will create its own microclimate.

It works by recycling the moisture through the container, which evaporates and hits the glass housing, then as it cools down, the water drops back to the soil, completing the cycle.

While you will want to display your glass garden to appreciate its beauty more, make sure it is exposed to direct sunlight as the glass will accumulate heat.

When you put the soil in, properly water it and equip it with a cork on top, the glass jar will create its own microclimate. It works by recycling the moisture through the container, which evaporates and hits the glass housing, then as it cools down, the water drops back to the soil, completing the cycle.

While you will want to display your glass garden to appreciate its beauty more, make sure it is exposed to direct sunlight as the glass will accumulate heat.

Cork Info

Cork slabs – use in construction and at home

26 Jul 2022 By administracja

Cork slabs – use in construction and at home. The European Union is the largest producer of cork (over 80%). It is most common in the western Mediterranean countries, of which Portugal stands out the most (over 50%) as the world’s largest producer and processor.

Cork trees are extremely well adapted to the climate of southern Europe and North Africa, they prevent soil depletion and the emission of large amounts of carbon dioxide. They are also home to many unique plant and animal species. It has an average density of about 200 kg / m3 and a low thermal conductivity.

The cork boards that we offer are used, among others, in as thermal insulation of floors and walls, in the footwear industry as shoe soles, as cork boards or in modeling.

https://cork-shop.co.uk/category/cork-sheets/

They protect or limit moisture condensation on the surface of walls and ceilings. In the field of acoustics, we deal with the so-called acoustic correction by acoustic absorption and reduction of reverberation time (echo reduction) in certain environments, as well as sound reduction by impact (drums).
In the anti-vibration field, where denser and thicker plates are used, they are specially used as vibration dampers on the machine supports, in order to reduce the transmission of working vibrations to the structures on which they are based, the same is done with the insulation of foundations.

Cork slabs also have a functional and decorative function in everyday life. In addition to pinboards in the home office and school, very often the entire wall is used as a wall for pinning important information.

Cork slabs - use in construction and at home

Most often, such a solution can be observed in the office of large companies, where good work organization is important and many things should be remembered. However, this solution is also gaining more and more popularity in children’s rooms and in the home offices of adults who work remotely.

Cork boards are often a material used to cover various parts of furniture. A thin layer of cork can be used to cover the table top, sliding wardrobe doors, the inside of a drawer, or the fronts of cabinets or chests of drawers. A cork top made of a thick cork board is also often an element of ecological tables, the advantage of which is, for example, the muffled sound of falling objects, cutlery or the natural resistance of cork to moisture and stains from various liquids.

Cork Info

Cork hive cover for bees

11 Jul 2022 By administracja

Cork hives are an innovative approach to bee breeding that promotes the health of bees while providing all the benefits of modern beekeeping. Wild honeybees typically colonize tree hollows – voids left in trees by woodpeckers, fungi, or other accidents. These depressions have thick, rough walls and are usually about 40 liters in volume. The most commonly used material in this case is expanded cork, although technical cork is also used. In Portugal, you can also often meet the so-called cylindrical cork hives made of cork oak bark.

Cork hives mimic those on trees as much as possible. Natural, additive-free cork cladding provides insulation for four inches of wood, yet is lightweight. Rough interior walls encourage bees to coat their home with immune-enhancing propolis. The hive’s small size is ideal for supporting bee health, as confirmed by researchers such as Thomas Seeley.

Cork hives have all of these bee-friendly benefits and much more, while also being adapted to the Langstroth frames used by conventional beekeepers. The research of Italian scientists has shown that cork hives have a more regular course of the daily internal temperature than wooden counterparts, more efficient winter thermoregulation, shorter time needed to restore the hive temperature after opening (in relation to the breeding chamber).

In the case of the latter, the temperature drop during the extraction of frames (5 min) was smaller in cork-wooden hives as compared to wooden hives. Due to the lower heating needs, less honey was consumed by the families during the winter months, with an average of 3.5 kg of honey per hive saved under Mediterranean conditions. Below is a link to a full description of their research: https://oppla.eu/casestudy/20812

The results of Italian research suggest the use of cork to build modern, but at the same time traditional, wooden and cork hives. This could contribute to greater economic and environmental sustainability of multifunctional Mediterranean pastoral systems, but also to a reduction in the amount of fossil fuel-based insulation materials, especially where winter temperatures may be lower than those experienced in this study.

The use of cork in the construction of modern hives seems to be promising and may constitute an interesting synergy between beekeeping and forest management with cork oak. Considering the mild environmental conditions in the experimental site, interesting prospects for increasing honey production under more severe climatic conditions can be expected.

Cork Info

Product packaging made of cork

14 Jun 2022 By administracja

Product packaging made of cork. Innovative cork material is used in packaging design and more. This is how the story of this ideal material for sustainable packaging designs began. Cork materials come mainly from the Mediterranean region. The cork oak, from which the cork is obtained, is native to south-western Europe and north-western Africa and is one of the most common tree species in Portugal.

Portugal produces 61%, then Spain almost 30% and Italy less than 10%. No trees are damaged during cork extraction. When uncorking, the outer layer is removed. After extraction, the cork oak simply produces a new layer of bark. This process can be repeated every 9 years. Just as we collect wool from sheep, the trees will be uncorked and will produce it for 150 years.

What makes cork an amazing natural raw material, ideal for ecological packaging?

Cork has unique properties and textures. It’s a natural plant tissue – like a hive of microscopic cells surrounded by gas and covered with polymer and wax. These elements give it rigidity, impermeability and resilience, making it an excellent choice for sustainable packaging design.

Our current technology has not been able to mimic this in the lab. Just a tiny piece of cork, similar to a sugar cube, contains about 60 million of these air-filled cells, making it a unique material like layers and layers of microscopic bubble wrap.

Cork is a very effective insulating material with excellent shock absorbing properties. Because of this, it has an excellent property of protecting the contents, making it a very suitable packaging material. It is fireproof and does not produce toxic gases. A non-slip surface can be created by simply cutting the surface. Its high flexibility and impermeability is one of cork’s best-known characteristics.

However, cork is not wood as it is dead tissue, it is indifferent to the substance meaning no taste or smell is released. This great hygienic value is appreciated in many creative industries. Using cork for sustainable packaging design can be an ideal solution for many types of products.

Cork is a raw material, 100% reusable, 100% recyclable, 100% natural, eco-friendly option, packaging design idea that stands out on the shelf. The possibilities are endless, and what we don’t often hear about materials, the recycling process never ends. Now it’s time for innovation.

From the original cork to wine bottles, we can now see the cork packaging used Bottle design, food packaging, wine labeling, cosmetic packaging and more. In a world where eco-friendly packaging solutions are increasingly in demand, this versatile material is the perfect option. A packaging made of cork, a purely natural material, also sends a strong message to the target group.

Cork is now being transformed into unique designs ranging from furniture to tableware to lighting products. There are countless uses for cork. Cork material might be an unconventional approach, but it’s 100% eco-friendly. It offers creative freedom to product designers, packaging designers, and innovators in general. You can use this material for food packaging, wine labels or boxes. Despite this, it easily attracts customers’ attention.

Cork Info

Warming the truck with a cork

06 Jun 2022 By administracja

Warming the truck with a cork. Cork is a durable, breathable, insect-resistant, fire-resistant, mold-resistant and renewable raw material. So why not use it as vehicle insulation as well? The same question was asked by a German couple of travelers 3 years ago and decided to implement their idea. She described the whole process on her blog https://nebendemweg.de/

Cork as an insulating material was first used in historic wooden hulls of ships. Until now, cork material has been used in motorhomes and vans, but it was not the main insulation material, so the idea of a pair from Germany is pioneering. They used contact adhesive to make the cork withstand all vibrations from the vehicle.

The cork panels on the truck floor will withstand even walking in dirty shoes after multiple layers of paint have been applied. Cork insulation remains breathable so there is no risk of thermal condensation.

The decisive factor in selecting the appropriate type of cork was the cork’s thermal conductivity. Depending on the variant, it is from 0.04 to 0.06 W / (m • K). This unit means Watts per meter and Kelvin. A lower value therefore means worse thermal conductivity and therefore better insulation. plastics with a thickness of at least 20 mm are used for insulation in the construction of expedition vehicles.

The choice fell on a 25mm technical cork. The boards and gluing are best done by two people, which is a much faster and more convenient solution than working alone. Before actually starting work, we recommend several adhesion tests on a given substrate. The glue sticks to the walls so well that the pieces of cork can only be removed with a chisel.

https://cork-shop.co.uk/product/cork-sheets/cork-sheet-25-mm-coarse-grained/

By far the most time-consuming job is measuring and fitting the cork boards. The table saw was most practical for long straight cuts or bevels. The recesses were cut with a fine metal saw blade. The fit or rework went well with sandpaper and a cutting knife.

The application of the cut panels is best for four hands. It is no longer possible to slide or slide the cork as soon as the glue sticks. This is first applied to the cork board and the wall with a 4mm velor roller. At a processing temperature of 15 to 27 ° C, the glue dries until it is no longer white, but transparent.

As with laying cork as flooring, freshly glued panels still need to be hit with a white rubber mallet (black leaves stains). With contact adhesives, the adhesive strength is no greater the more adhesive is applied, but depends on the pressure. It was also important to fit and install the cork panels at a similar temperature. The cork can be painted, however two coats of paint were needed before the color evenly covered the cork. The bostik sealing plug can be used for the joints between the panels. This mass is much easier to break into cracks.

https://cork-shop.co.uk/product/expansion-joints/dilatation-spray-cork-bostik/

Further travelers from Germany describe that during their trip to Asia Minor, there were no problems with cork insulation. From an internal temperature above 40 ° C to -11 ° C during a winter excursion, neither the heat nor the cold hurt the binding of the cork boards. The different bumps did not have any effect on the durability of the adhered cork. In terms of cleaning, the cork surfaces are easy to maintain.

Especially on the walls, where there is still paint under the cork paint, the dirt was easy to wipe off. Only where the varnish is applied to the bare cork it is better to use three coats of varnish instead of two. The insulation reliably protected against the cold from the outside. In practice, cork stood out as promised with its resilience, resistance to mold and pests, good heat and sound insulation, sustainability and a good indoor climate.

Cork Info

A unique cork palace in Poland

02 May 2022 By administracja

In Moja Wola (formerly Kuźnica Sośniewska, a settlement in the district of Ostrów, in the Greater Poland Voivodeship in the commune of Sośnie, located on the edge of the village of Sośnie, about 25 km south-west of Ostrów Wielkopolski, Poland) there is a wooden palace on a bog iron foundation built for the Duke of Brunswick. of Oleśnica Wilhelm. The architecture of the palace refers to the Swiss style, but this is not what distinguishes it from other buildings of this type. The façades of the palace are covered with cork oak bark, which is unique on a European scale. It is one of the two buildings on our continent where such an unusual facade has been used. In our store you can also find a cork similar to a cork from this unique palace:

https://cork-shop.co.uk/product/cork-wall/wall-cork-virgin-25mm/

The palace was built in 1852. From year to year, its technical condition is deteriorating and it begins to raise concerns about the future of the building. It is said that there are only two such palaces in Europe, although all sources mention only a Polish palace and a few small pavilions, e.g. in the Roman Barbarini or on the Peacock Island in Berlin. So there is a high probability that the Polish monument is unique.

The oak bark covering the walls of the Palace in Moje Wola was specially imported from Portugal. Located in the English-style park, the palace, thanks to the unusual facade material, becomes an element of the surrounding landscape, and the whole creates an amazing atmosphere. Initially, the palace facilities were part of the Międzybórz estate, from 1886 they were the center of the property of Baron Daniel von Diergardt’s My Wola, and from 1891 his widow, Agnes von Diergardt.

After the war – like many monuments – it was nationalized, and its wooden walls housed the first female technical school in Poland, which educated foresters. They were transferred in 1975 to Stary Sącz. Until 1992, it remained in the hands of the State Forests, then it became the property of the commune, and then it was sold to a private owner. The palace and the surrounding park have been entered into the register of immovable monuments in the Greater Poland Voivodeship.

Since another private owner is unable to do anything about the precious palace, lovers of culture and monuments have gathered to save the precious building. You can follow the progress of the work of this Facebook group at the address below:

Let’s save the Palace in My Wola.

https://www.facebook.com/ratujmymojawole