When homeowners invest in new products, they’re typically aiming to feel good about the purchase. Between the hazardous chemicals used and the inconvenience to install, many products actually cause quite the opposite feeling! Our Eco Cork Foam aims to be more than simply the best underlay for hardwood floors. By focusing on quality products that are both safe and built to last, our cork flooring underlayment hybrid is here to deliver a product that will make you feel good on all levels. Today, we’ll look at a few of the numerous reasons why our Eco Cork Foam is the best choice for your flooring project. When you are ready to try our foam flooring underlay for yourself, be sure to pick up a roll from your local Home Depot® store!
Proposition 65 Chemicals
If you have ever looked at the ingredients of a product and have seen a warning stating the dangers to California residents about cancer dangers, then chances are you’ve heard of Proposition 65. In 1986, this list was put into place that requires manufacturers to list all of the chemicals that are known to cause cancer. Since its passing over two decades ago, approximately 900 chemicals have made the list. This collection of chemicals can be synthetic or occur naturally, creating a hazard when human exposure is done in high concentrations.
Our Eco Cork Foam is manufactured without any of the Proposition 65 chemicals currently on the list. This means that you and your loved ones can breathe easy when working with our quality cork underlayment.
Volatile Organic Compounds
This term describes organic chemicals that hold high vapor pressure when subjected to standard room temperatures. Due to a low boiling point, these chemicals can release a large number of molecules into the air, hence the phrase volatility. Anthropogenic (human-made) VOCs in particular are under the microscope, especially in indoor applications. This is due to the often-concentrated amount of chemicals that can stay in the air for long periods of time.
While the exact science regarding human and VOC interactions are hard to pin down, there is sufficient evidence that points toward adverse human reactions. Issues such as a sore throat, headaches, kidney damage, and more have been attributed to high VOC concentrations. As such, entities everywhere have begun to implement emissions standards to combat the high level of volatile organic compounds being released into the air. California’s Section 01350, for example, leads the charge with the strictest emissions standards in North America. Our Eco Cork Foam is built to minimize VOCs, far surpassing this restrictive standard. When your flooring is cleaner, you feel better!
Antimicrobial Benefits
Your family’s respiratory health can be affected by poor flooring underlays. When exposed to ideal factors (namely moisture), microbial entities can begin to grow and flourish. This can equate to a host of airborne issues once these agents are released into the air. Eco Cork Foam’s antimicrobial technology helps to keep everything clean, elongating the life expectancy of your flooring while keeping it fresh and clean from beneath.
Responsible Sizing
One major feature of our cork flooring that many producers have not caught onto is the size of our material rolls. Each roll of Eco Cork Foam consists of 75 square feet. We realized that a standard bedroom size is 12 feet by 12 feet, coming out to 144 square feet. With two rolls of flooring underlay, you’ll have six square feet leftover. Standard flooring materials come in 100 sq. foot rolls, resulting in 50 more feet of waste. Over the course of one project, or even 100 flooring renovations, this amount of waste adds up! Our convenient sizing aims to help you and the environment.
Responsible Materials
Deforestation has become a major issue for our planet over the past few decades. A non-profit organization was formed in 1993 to combat the problem. The Forest Stewardship Council is a collective of stakeholders who aim to establish responsible forestry management practices. Any wood products that are FSC-certified are certain to be produced from responsible forestation practices, delivering peace of mind to the consumers. Eco Cork Foam only uses FSC-certified cork for all of our flooring underlayments.
Proudly Made in America
Buying products from abroad tend to be above board, yet it can sometimes be hard to certify that all standards and regulations are upheld by an international producer. ECF laminate underlayment is proudly manufactured in the USA, delivering peace of mind to our loyal customers. Domestic standards (especially in California) are much more rigid in our nation over many foreign countries. From EPA regulations to VOC emissions, you’re sure to receive a flooring underlay that is built to be the best!
Finding a quality cork flooring underlayment may be difficult when facing numerous standards and agency requirements. Luckily, our Eco Cork Foam is here to make your project a breeze! Our responsibly made product aims to provide superior service for the long-term quality of your floors. Contact us today to learn more or be sure to stop by your local Home Depot to try a roll for yourself!
