Cork Filler Board is a naturally based material used in the construction of concrete pathways, highways, swimming pools or any structure that requires the use of concrete. Cork filler boards are placed between or underneath slabs of concrete, or at concrete joints to divide or isolate these parts and to ensure that the concrete does not fracture or warp or shift.

Concrete is susceptible to a number of environmental influences that can deform structures through, temperature changes, heavy loads, settling of the ground substrate, and general repeated use and serviceability. This is where cork filler board is required and where this lightweight, flexible, and impermeable material guarantees a safer footpath, a well-designed highway, an injury-free swimming pool, or a structurally sound project with peace of mind.

Cork is harvested bark from the cork oak tree and is a durable and highly versatile natural material. Some filler boards made of cork and other resinous materials have the ability to expand in the presence of water up to 25% thus making a tighter join free from outside stress and slippage during wet weather.

From Nature’s Finest

Cork, the natural product, and as a modern material for industry and even the arts is a wonder of nature that gains its qualities including environmental durability, flexibility, anti-slippage, insulation, heat and liquid resistance, and pliability from its tight, closed-cell structure that is five layers deep. Over 40 million cork cells are present in any cubic centimeter of the material which is why it is so light yet so resistant to outside forces.

Because the original use of cork as a stopper produced a great amount of waste product, a cork filler board was invented. Cork filler board binds together particles of cork with particular resins and polymers that create a product that enhances the qualities of cork and is able to be mass-produced.

The History of Cork Filler Board

Towards the end of the 19th Century, two inventions using natural cork led the way to the creation of composition cork in 1909 and eventually filler board. The first discovery revealed that cork could be bound together with resins and pressed and set to form a usable material. The second discovery around the same time involved the creation of linoleum flooring which involved the combination of linseed oil and cork particles which were able to be pressed and set into suitable layers.

The invention of polyurethane in 1968 allowed this polymer to bind together cork particles and create a material so versatile that it revolutionized industry to some degree. Now in the 21st century, we have cork filler board, and this material is now a vital part of the concrete and masonry construction industries.

The Future of Cork Filler Board

It is usually the type of resin or polymer that determines the strength of cork composite materials, but the versatility of the manufactured material lies in its ability to expand, insulate, and withstand environmental influences of temperature, and ground movement. It is also resistant to electricity and its impermeability to liquids and chemicals makes it the perfect insurance against corrosion and thereby never compromising the integrity of a concrete structure.

The future of cork filler board does not reside in creating a better material, for this cork composite is at its pinnacle of properties and quality; the future remains with its production and availability to the service industry, and to the entire world at large. From its 5000 year history to now, the majority of cork production occurs in the EU and southern Mediterranean nations. However, in Australia, the cork industry is set to blossom with cork stoppers for the wine industry and cork composites for the construction industries and other related sectors. With a growing global market worth around $1.3 billion, cork products and cork filler board will be around for a very long time.