organic / Plant-Based / Plant Fiber

Cork Tiles/Planks (4mm, 6mm, 8mm, 12mm)

Natural cork flooring from renewable cork oak bark, offering exceptional acoustic absorption (NRC 0.3-0.7), thermal insulation (R-value 3.6-4.2 per inch), and verified carbon-negative lifecycle (-11.8 kg CO2-eq/m2). Available in tiles and planks from 4-12mm for residential and commercial applications.

Atlas code

ORG-PLA-FLR-001

organicplant-basedplant-fibercorkflooringrenewableacoustic

At-a-glance signals

Overview

Executive summary

Cork flooring is manufactured from the outer bark of cork oak trees (Quercus suber), harvested without harming the tree through a sustainable 9-year cycle. The bark naturally regenerates, making cork one of the most renewable flooring materials available. Cork granules are processed and compressed with natural or synthetic binders to create tiles and planks with exceptional acoustic, thermal, and comfort properties. The unique honeycomb cellular structure — approximately 40 million cells per cubic centimetre — provides natural insulation (thermal conductivity 0.036-0.065 W/mK), vibration dampening, and resilience underfoot, with the ability to withstand 50% compression and recover 95% of original form.

Best when…

100% renewable and sustainable harvest (9-year bark regeneration cycle)
Exceptional acoustic absorption (NRC 0.3-0.7 depending on thickness)
Outstanding thermal insulation (R-value 3.6-4.2 per inch of thickness)
Comfortable and resilient underfoot — 50% compression with 95% recovery
Naturally antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, and mould-resistant
Self-extinguishing fire properties — does not propagate flame
Verified carbon-negative lifecycle (-11.8 kg CO2-eq/m2 per Amorim LCA)
GreenGuard Gold certified — zero VOC, A+ indoor air quality rating
Compatible with hydronic underfloor heating systems
Cork oak forests support critically important Montado biodiversity ecosystem

Top advantages

01 100% renewable and sustainable harvest (9-year bark regeneration cycle)
02 Exceptional acoustic absorption (NRC 0.3-0.7 depending on thickness)
03 Outstanding thermal insulation (R-value 3.6-4.2 per inch of thickness)
04 Comfortable and resilient underfoot — 50% compression with 95% recovery
05 Naturally antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, and mould-resistant

Top limitations

01 Higher cost than conventional vinyl, laminate, or carpet flooring ($45-120 AUD/m2)
02 Susceptible to damage from sharp objects and heavy pointed furniture legs
03 Requires periodic sealing/recoating for moisture protection (every 3-7 years)
04 UV fading possible with prolonged direct sunlight — requires UV-protective blinds
05 Limited Australian supplier network — primarily specialist flooring distributors

Technical

Physical ·8

Density: 120-650 (varies with compression) kg/m3 Natural cork approximately 120-160 kg/m3. Compressed cork flooring tiles 200-650 kg/m3 depending on compression and binder content. ThermaCork expanded corkboard 110-120 kg/m3. Raw cork specific gravity approximately 0.25. Source: MakeItFrom.com cork properties; iCork Floor material properties; CorkStore24 physical properties.
Specific gravity: 0.12-0.65 Natural cork specific gravity approximately 0.25 (one of the lightest solid materials). Compressed flooring products 0.20-0.65 depending on processing. Source: MakeItFrom.com.
Porosity: 80-90 % Extremely high porosity from natural honeycomb cellular structure — approximately 40 million air-filled cells per cm3. Porosity is the source of cork's exceptional thermal, acoustic, and elastic properties. Source: iCork Floor material properties.
Water absorption: 3-12 (sealed 3-8, unsealed higher) % Natural cork has inherent water resistance due to suberin content in cell walls. However, unsealed cork tiles absorb moisture through cut surfaces. Sealed cork flooring water absorption approximately 3-8%. Waterproof cork products (Wicanders WISE) have engineered water-resistant cores. Source: Amorim product specifications; cork flooring installation guides.
Hardness: 40-60 Shore A Shore A Cork is a soft, resilient material. Compressed cork flooring tiles approximately Shore A 40-60. Not measured on Janka scale (material too soft). Cork's softness is a comfort feature, not a deficiency. Source: cork material property databases.
UV resistance: Moderate (requires UV-protective coating or window coverings) Moderate UV resistance — cork will fade and discolour under prolonged direct sunlight. UV-protective surface coatings improve resistance. Window coverings recommended for south and west-facing rooms. UV-cured polyurethane finishes on premium products (e.g., Wicanders) improve UV stability. Source: Amorim product specifications; general cork flooring guidance.
Chemical resistance: Good (when sealed) Good resistance to household chemicals when properly sealed with polyurethane or wax finish. Cork's natural suberin provides inherent resistance to moisture and some chemicals. Vulnerable to strong solvents that attack surface finish. Source: general cork flooring maintenance guidance.
pH tolerance: 4-9 pH Natural cork is mildly acidic (pH approximately 5-6). Compatible with standard building environment conditions. Sealed surface protects from chemical contact. Source: general cork chemistry literature.

Mechanical ·5

Tensile strength: 0.5-1.0 MPa Low tensile strength — cork is designed for compression and flexion, not tension. Ultimate tensile strength approximately 0.85 MPa with 15% elongation at break. Source: MakeItFrom.com cork properties.
Compressive strength: 0.5-2.0 (at 10% deformation) MPa Compressive strength approximately 1.0 MPa. Compression resistance at 10% deformation >= 100 kPa for expanded insulation corkboard. Cork withstands 14,000 lbs/in2 without breaking (approximately 96 MPa ultimate — but this is deformation, not fracture). Source: MakeItFrom.com; CorkStore24 properties.
Flexural strength: N/A (flexible material — does not fracture in bending) MPa Cork is a flexible, compressible material — traditional flexural strength measurement not standard. Material bends and compresses rather than fracturing. Flexural stiffness very low by design. Source: cork material characterisation literature.
Impact resistance: Excellent (compresses and recovers rather than fracturing) J/m Excellent impact resistance and energy absorption from cellular structure. Cork does not crack or shatter under impact — it compresses and recovers. Ideal for reducing impact noise in multi-storey buildings. Source: iCork Floor; Amorim product specifications.
Creep resistance: Good (90-97% recovery from sustained compression) Excellent elastic recovery — cork returns to 90-97% of original form after sustained compression. A cubic inch of cork can withstand up to 14,000 lbs/in2 without breaking. Under normal use, 50% compression achieves 95% recovery. Source: iCork Floor; CorkStore24 physical properties.

Sustainability & Health

Embodied carbon & energy ·7

Embodied carbon: -11.8 (verified negative carbon balance) kg CO2-eq/m2 Verified carbon-negative lifecycle. EY life-cycle assessment (ISO 14040/44): Amorim NRT62 flooring = -11.8 kg CO2-eq/m2 without vapour barrier, -10.5 kg CO2-eq/m2 with vapour barrier. More than 60% of Amorim products are CO2 negative. Cork oak forests sequester carbon during 9-year growth cycle between harvests. Source: Amorim/Corticeira Amorim press releases; EY lifecycle assessment.
Carbon footprint: -5 to 2 (lifecycle, typically negative) kg CO2-eq/kg Carbon-negative lifecycle confirmed by EY assessment. Cork insulation board achieves -116 kg CO2-eq/m3. Cork oak forest sequesters carbon during growth, and harvesting (bark removal) stimulates additional carbon absorption. Source: ScienceDirect carbon footprint of insulation cork board; Amorim sustainability data.
Embodied energy: 10-25 MJ/kg Low embodied energy from minimal processing requirements. Cork dust from production burned as biomass energy — over 60% of Amorim factory energy from cork dust combustion (carbon-neutral). Integrated production process reuses all cork waste. Source: Amorim green production process; ScienceDirect environmental performance of cork floating floor.
Water footprint: 100-400 L/kg Cork oak forests are rain-fed — no irrigation required. Water footprint primarily from manufacturing processes. Cork oak Montado ecosystem provides watershed protection and soil conservation in Mediterranean climate. Source: Amorim sustainability; cork oak forest management literature.
Recycled content: 30-90 (includes recycled cork granulate) % Cork flooring utilises recycled wine cork stoppers and industrial cork waste as granulate feedstock. Amorim's integrated production reincorporates all cork waste — no cork residues discarded. Some products contain up to 70-90% recycled/reclaimed cork content. Source: Amorim green production process.
Renewable content: 95-100 % 100% renewable content — cork bark regenerates every 9 years without harming the tree. Cork oak trees live 150-200 years and are harvested approximately 15-17 times in their lifetime. Source: Amorim; general cork oak silviculture data.
Circular score: 9.0 /10 Excellent circular economy credentials — renewable harvesting (9-year cycle), recycled content (wine corks and industrial waste), biodegradable natural material, production waste used as biomass energy. End-of-life cork can be recycled or composted (untreated). Source: circular economy assessment framework.

Compliance & Fire

Fire performance ·6

Combustibility class: Combustible but self-extinguishing (does not propagate flame) Cork is naturally self-extinguishing — it chars but does not propagate flame. Contains natural fire-retardant properties from suberin content in cell walls. Does not drip or produce flaming droplets. Classified as combustible material but with inherent fire-resistant behaviour. Source: Amorim; iCork Floor; general cork fire property data.
Fire resistance level: Assembly dependent (cork layer contributes 5-15 min) minutes Cork flooring as part of floor/ceiling assembly contributes to fire resistance through charring behaviour. Standalone cork tile FRL limited by thin section (4-12mm). When combined with appropriate substrate, contributes to assembly fire rating. Source: general cork fire performance data.
Ignition temp: 300-380 degC High ignition temperature for an organic material due to suberin content and cellular structure. Cork resists ignition and self-extinguishes when flame source removed. Source: cork fire properties literature.
Flame spread index: 25-75 FSI Low flame spread — cork is naturally self-extinguishing and does not propagate flame. Meets ASTM D2859 fire resistance requirements (Amorim Cork Essence). Source: Amorim technical data sheets; Green Building Supply specifications.
Smoke dev. index: 50-150 SDI Low smoke development — natural organic material produces less smoke than synthetic alternatives. Cork chars rather than melting/burning with dense smoke. Source: cork fire performance data.
Heat release rate: 50-120 kW/m2 Low heat release rate from cork's self-extinguishing cellular structure. Cork chars rather than burns, forming a protective char layer. Source: cork fire properties literature.

Cost & Lifecycle

Capex & lead time ·6

Material cost (range): 45-150 AUD/m2 Premium natural flooring material. Basic cork tiles from approximately $45/m2, premium Wicanders WISE waterproof cork $80-150/m2. Traditional cork approximately $4 USD/ft2 ($43-45 AUD/m2) at entry level. Australian pricing typically higher due to import costs. Source: FlooringClarity pricing; indesignlive cork flooring Australia; Market Timbers.
Material cost (per unit): 40-120 AUD/m2 Volume pricing for commercial installations. Bulk discounts available for orders >100m2 through specialist distributors. Source: industry estimates.
Lead time: 14-70 days Most cork flooring imported from Portugal (Amorim/Wicanders). Australian distributors hold limited stock. Standard products 2-4 weeks from distributor stock, 6-10 weeks for special orders from Portugal. Source: Market Timbers; Floor N Decor supply chain data.
Lifecycle cost: 120-280 AUD/m2 Total lifecycle cost including supply, installation, periodic resealing (every 3-7 years), and one potential refinishing over 25-50 year lifespan. Cork's long lifespan reduces annualised cost compared to vinyl or carpet requiring replacement every 10-15 years. Source: lifecycle cost comparison with alternative flooring materials.
Annual maintenance: 3-8 AUD/m2/year Annual maintenance includes regular cleaning plus periodic resealing every 3-7 years. Resealing cost approximately $15-25/m2 when required. Annualised maintenance cost relatively low. Source: cork flooring maintenance cost estimates.
Market availability: Moderate — specialist distributors only Specialist supply in Australia — not available at mainstream hardware retailers. Key Australian distributors: Market Timbers (national), Floor N Decor (Adelaide), specialist flooring showrooms. All products imported from Portugal (Amorim) or Spain. Growing market awareness driven by green building interest. Source: Market Timbers; Floor N Decor; indesignlive.

Service life & durability ·3

Expected lifespan: 25-50 years Cork flooring lifespan 25-50 years with proper maintenance and periodic resealing. Cork tiles can be sanded and refinished 2-3 times over their lifespan (minimum 4mm wear layer required). Source: cork flooring industry data; Amorim product guides.
Maintenance interval: 3-7 years Resealing/recoating with polyurethane or wax every 3-7 years depending on traffic level. More frequent in high-traffic commercial areas. Regular sweeping/vacuuming and damp mopping for daily maintenance. Source: cork flooring maintenance guides.
Warranty period: 10-25 (residential) years Amorim/Wicanders cork flooring warranties typically 10-25 years residential, 5-10 years commercial depending on product line. Premium Wicanders WISE range carries longer warranties. Warranty conditional on professional installation and specified maintenance. Source: Amorim product specifications; Australian distributor information.

Layer D

Where it's used

Residential flooring (bedrooms, living areas)

Commercial flooring (offices, retail)

Educational facilities and libraries

Healthcare facilities (quiet environments)

Recording studios and acoustic spaces

Underfloor heating compatible applications

Green building certification projects

Renovation and retrofit projects

Where it's used

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