Recycled wine corks for eco-friendly penny tile floors

Images: Jelinek Cork Group

Because of its references as a renewable raw material, cork is quite versatile. The bark harvested from the cork tree is renewed every season of the year so that the tree itself remains intact. So it’s no surprise that it is showing up as furniture, fabric, jewelry, ornaments, accessories, cutting boards and of course flooring.

Cork tiles can make any room feel warmer. While cork boards and tiles aren’t bad, these cork penny tiles from the Jelinek Cork Group of Canada are even better because they are both stylish and environmentally friendly (i.e. made from recycled wine corks). They can also camouflage themselves well as ceramic tiles without having to burn them at high temperatures.

Through initiatives such as the CorkReHarvest recycling program, Jelinek collects old wine corks to be cut into circular disks 1⁄4 “thick. The tiles are then glued to a special paper backing to form mosaic patterns, and can also be painted and painted The tiles are glued to the sub-floor and then grouted like normal ceramic tiles and sealed with polyurethane to increase the natural water resistance of the cork (preferably with a low-VOC polyurethane sealant).

Some advantages of cork floors: it is an excellent insulator and silencer, hygienic, anti-static, anti-allergenic, water-resistant, does not trap dirt or fungus and does not splinter like ceramic if you drop something on it it is easy to maintain.

With such a reuse potential, however, it’s no wonder that cork is popping up everywhere and is a material that should definitely be considered for a greener remodel.

Jelinek Cork Group on 3rings