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Cork has been recognized throughout the centuries
for its beauty, durability and stable properties.
Thousands of years ago, cork was used for bottle stoppers, as floats for fishing
nets and sandal soles. The famous Dom Perignon initiated use of cork stoppers in
wine bottles. Cork floors have been popular in Europe for over 100 years and can
be seen in this country in many prestigious locations including the Library of
Congress!
WHAT IS CORK?
Cork is such a remarkable material that even modern technology has been unable
to match or surpass it. A completely natural product, cork is harvested without
damaging or chopping down a single tree, making it the ultimate environmentally
friendly product.
Cork is made of millions of cork cells - each cell functioning as a miniature
sound and thermal insulator, as well as a miniature pressure and shock absorber.
By regaining its shape time and time again, no matter how much it is walked on
or how long furniture stands on it, cork always retains its elasticity. These
unique qualities make it ideal for use in flooring, as it reduces sound, is warm
to the touch and comfortable to walk on.
CORK'S NATURAL PROPERTIES
 Cork
comes from the bark of the cork oak tree. A member of the
beech family, Quercus Suber grows in the forests of Mediterranean countries. The
largest concentration of cork tree plantations are found in Portugal and Spain.
It is a renewable and sustainable
resource, making it ideal in terms of the ever increasing demand for
conservation of natural resources.
In cork oak plantations the first cork bark will not be harvested from a tree
until it is 25-30 years old, as only then it is considered a fully grown tree.
The process of stripping off the bark in sections is a traditionally manual one
dating back many hundreds of years.
The tree is not damaged and the bark re-grows completely, taking on a smoother
texture after each harvest. Harvesting only occurs once every nine years and a
cork oak can live for 150-200 years, so it can be safely harvested up to 20
times during its life cycle. It is a truly inexhaustible and natural resource.
 There
isn't a man-made material that can match cork, nor is one ever likely to take
its place. Cork's structure is very similar to that of a honeycomb: each square
centimeter is composed of 40 million cells. These cells, as well as the spaces
between them, are filled with a gaseous mixture similar to air.
That is what makes cork so remarkable. The unique structure and composition of
cork creates the three most important characteristics in its application as
flooring.
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HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM WICANDERS CORK FLOORING?
 Fast
& Easy Installation
Whether you choose the floating or stick-down option, WICANDERS floors
are quicker and easier to install than ever before. With the improved
CORKLOC-design and increased sizes of the stick-down range, a WICANDERS
floor saves time and reduces installation expense
 Durability
With their unique cork structure and tough resilient surface finishes,
WICANDERS floors are as durable as you'll ever need them to be. A
WICANDERS floor withstands years of wear and still looks as good as the
day it was first laid.
 Silence
The cork inner structure in all WICANDERS floors is guaranteed to cut
noise. The cork reduces sound transmission between and within rooms,
creating a quieter, and therefore peaceful, environment in your home.
 Comfort
The unique characteristics of cork also ensure that a WICANDERS floor is
more comfortable to walk and stand on. Cork's shock-absorbing properties
relieve strain on your feet, joints, legs and back
 Warmth
The unique qualities of cork offer benefits other floors can't match.
The natural thermal insulation properties make WICANDERS floors very
pleasant to the touch, even with bare feet as they provide an optimal
floor temperature all year round.
 Health
WICANDERS floors come with surface finishes that put a stop to entrapped
dirt, germs or fungus, thus actively contributing to a healthy and
hygienic environment.
 Easy Maintenance
The specialized surface finishes of WICANDERS floors make them easier
for you to clean and maintain. A vacuum cleaner and a mop are all that
is required to keep WICANDERS floors looking as good as new.
 Environmentally Friendly
Cork keeps trees alive! WICANDERS floors are made with natural products
and in the case of cork, an outstandingly ecological material, thus
providing an environmentally friendly flooring solution. Mindful of
today's need for conservation, WICANDERS floors are a true environmental
alternative.
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| Series 100...
is WICANDERS ultimate CORKLOC floating floor solution for
the home. It has never been easier to install and maintain, with the
state-of-the-art CORKPROTECT technology, a new paraffin-based, all-round
edge sealing system to protect effectively against moisture. Along with
the resilient and durable finish, making it suitable for all domestic
environments, the unique cork structure insulates, absorbs sounds, is
comfortable to walk on and feels warm to the touch. The 100 Series
has a 15 year residential warranty and a 5 year light commercial
warranty.
 The
strongest varnish that we have ever produced is finally available in the
marketplace. The new high wear resistance varnish Xtreme WRT is
considered to be the most revolutionary innovation in the flooring
market. Fortunately scratches, scuff marks, scoring and rough spots will
never again occur on valuable cork flooring.
Efficiency and quality must not always be conditioned
by aspects such as look and comfort. When compared with Xtreme WRT,
all other common marketplace products are regarded as standard.
Xtreme WRT also meets all the optical and sensory requirements of a
modern, natural and easy to care floor. In spite of its hard and
resistant features Xtreme WRT gives the floor soft and natural
qualities and not the usual slippery and cold aspect provided by regular
varnishes.
After intense research in our laboratories, the
development of WICANDERS's unique flooring has reached its crowning
moment thus far with this excitingly original product, now available on
the world market. Xtreme WRT varnish is the logical and
consequent development of a flooring solution that meets in all aspects
the requirements of even the most demanding customers. Xtreme WRT
represents the strongest protection of the natural features of cork
flooring.
Examples
 Kitchens Bedrooms
Living or dining rooms Entrance halls
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Chestnut (Personality Series)
P82002 |
Conote (Nuances Series)
N802001 |
Caramel (Personality Series)
P833002 |
Canelle (Nuances Series)
N803001 |
Mele (Nuances Series)
N813001 |
Castagna (Nuances Series)
N814001 |
Please stop by our showroom to see for
yourself the unique beauty that is only available with WINCANDERS Cork flooring.
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