To make your life easier – and ensure you don’t miss out – this article will outline everything you need to know about spray cork insulation.
Spray cork insulation is the flagship product offered by CorkSol. To use the official branded name, their SprayCork coating is available exclusively to their national network of approved applicators – which includes Total Trades. This ensures that it is applied properly to provide maximum thermal efficiency – more on this later.
Spray cork is made using broken down cork granules which are added into a sprayed insulation solution. Cork granules are taken from the bark of cork oak trees with no need for felling. The material is naturally insulative, lending this property and several other natural qualities to the insulation product.
This can then be sprayed onto a range of surfaces as an alternative to insulation boards, foam, wool and other materials. The coating is highly durable with a 25-year manufacturer’s guarantee. You can also choose from a wide range of colours to match your property for external applications.
There are three main applications of spray cork with insulation in mind:
Spray cork can be applied externally as a cork render to insulate buildings from the outside. It can cover brickwork or existing render, including pebbledash, with a smooth, uniform appearance. Because the coating is thin, there’s no need to adjust fixtures like gutters, downpipes, windows and doors.
It can also be used on internal walls to insulate from the inside. In this case, two 3mm coats are applied to walls before a 2mm overskim of plaster. The result is an insulated surface that’s easy to decorate without significantly impacting the size of the room.
Using spray cork insulation on your roof can stop heat escaping from the top of your property. It works on pitched tile and slate roofs as well as a range of flat roofing materials. It can also be used on conservatory roofs to keep the space warmer in winter and cooler in summer – eliminating the greenhouse effect suffered by many conservatories.
Aside from insulation, spray cork has a number of other invaluable applications, including:
Here’s the bit everyone’s interested in – the benefits of spray cork insulation for you and your property. Take a look at the main advantages below:
First and foremost, spray cork insulation provides excellent thermal performance. Because it’s applied in a smooth, uniform coating, it reduces thermal bridges where heat typically escapes. According to CorkSol, it can cut 15% off your heating bills.
Spray cork also creates an impressive barrier for noise. Whether it’s traffic or neighbours, it can absorb as much as 38dB, so you have a peaceful environment for working, entertaining guests or just sleeping.
Your spray cork insulation will also add weather resistance to your roof or walls. That extends from pounding rain to salt spray for coastal properties. It means less chance of leaks or water ingress to minimise the risk of damp and mould.
As well as being an eyesore, cracks can let moisture through to your roof or walls. Fortunately, cork is naturally flexible so it can cope with the natural movement of buildings plus expansion and contraction of building materials.
When cork-rich bark is stripped from trees, they actually absorb more CO2 to grow it back. So, your spray cork insulation isn’t just sustainable – it’s beneficial to the environment. That’s before it’s reduced your energy consumption by keeping more heat in your property.
Because of its weather resistance and flexibility, spray cork insulation is impressively durable. It’s guaranteed for 25 years but can easily have a lifespan of several decades.
With spray cork, you have a versatile form of insulation that can be applied to lots of different surfaces including brickwork, plaster and even steel – not to mention different parts of the building like your walls and roof.
Unlike other insulation types, spray cork isn’t bulky. That means it doesn’t eat away at usable space indoors and it doesn’t require fixtures to be adjusted on the outside of a property.
Whether it’s on your roof or walls, spray cork insulation is smooth and uniform with a choice of colours. So, as well as improving thermal efficiency, it will enhance the appearance of your property.
Because it’s non-porous, spray cork insulation has a surface that’s completely resistant to damp. It’s also breathable, so it won’t trap moisture in your roof or walls.
This is one of the most common questions for people researching spray cork insulation, for obvious reasons. Nobody wants to write a blank cheque for their home improvements, after all.
In truth, the cost of insulating with spray cork varies massively depending on what’s being insulation (walls, roof and so on), the size of the project and any other complications. For example, an external wall might need blown render to be removed before spray cork is applied.
When evaluating the cost of spray cork versus other insulation options, it’s important to bear in mind:
As a CorkSol approved applicator, Total Trades is qualified and experienced in the application of their innovative SprayCork insulation. That includes cork rendering on external walls and roof coatings throughout Doncaster and the surrounding areas.
To get a quote, simply contact our team on 0333 577 1139 or email sales@total-trades.co.uk.