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Corks

Corks. By: Josh Gialanella. History. In some Asian countries and European countries, like Rome and Italy, cork has been in use for scores of years before Christ. Portugal is credited as being the first to introduce suitable norms related to the conservation and preservation of Cork Oak Trees.

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Corks

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  1. Corks By: Josh Gialanella

  2. History • In some Asian countries and European countries, like Rome and Italy, cork has been in use for scores of years before Christ. • Portugal is credited as being the first to introduce suitable norms related to the conservation and preservation of Cork Oak Trees.

  3. History Continued • Cork was used to build many things because it could with stand harsh conditions and had a unique quality, it never rotted. • During the age of Discovery in the 14th century the Portuguese explores used cork wood to build ships.

  4. Robert Hooke • It was an Englishman named Robert Hooke who first thought of using cork to seal wine bottles, and has since been used as cork stoppers.

  5. Cork Oak Tree • Corks come from the Cork Oak Tree. • The Cork Oak Tree is an evergreen tree. • Another name for the tree is, Quercus suber and it can grow to a maximum height of 20 meters.

  6. Cork Oak Tree • Cork Oak Trees are located mainly in Africa and South West Europe. • Most abundant in Portugal • In Portugal Cork Oak Trees are preserved and cutting them down is illegal unless sanctioned by the forestry department.

  7. Portugal • Portugal is the leading producer of cork in the world. • About 50% of the cork production comes from Portugal. • Because of the Mediterranean type climate, Cork Trees prosper in Portugal.

  8. Bark of the Cork Tree • The bark of the Cork Tree is where corks come from. • The bark is rugged, hardy and is extremely thick. • The bark of the tree is known as cork, that is where the name cork comes from.

  9. Bark Continued • Immediately after the bark is stripped from the tree a new layer begins to grow back. • Therefore the resource is constantly being replaced. • Cork Trees can live for as long as 200 years.

  10. Stripping of the Bark • Harvesters must wait for the trees to mature before they can take the bark for cork production.

  11. Harvesting the Bark • It usually takes about 25 years for the tree to mature fully. • Bark can be harvested from the trees about every 10 years.

  12. Process • The process begins by taking the stripped bark and laying them flat, and compressing them. • They flat stacks are then boiled for an hour. • The boiling allows individual cork cells to fully expand into tight “Honeycomb” cell structures. • This makes the cork flatter, smoother and more pliable. • It also causes the plank to expand by 20%

  13. Process • Strips are then left to rest for three weeks. • After the three week resting period, long strips are cut length wise along the bark. • Each strip is a tall as the finished cork, and a little deeper then the eventual cork depth.

  14. Process • Corks are then punched from the long strips with a sharp cylindrical knife. • The knife determines the cork width. • The height of the strip determines the cork length.

  15. Process • Corks are then treated and disinfected in a variety of ways. • The most common is to wash the corks in a watery solution of hydrogen peroxide. • The corks are then printed according to clients’ specifications. • No part of the bark is gone unused. The scraps are used to make other materials such as insulation or construction materials.

  16. Works Cited • "Cork Production." Cork Quality Council. Cork Quality Council, n.d. Web. 9 Nov 2011. <http://www.corkqc.com/abouttheCQC/about.htm>. • "Cork Oak." Cork. Cork.pt, 2009. Web. 9 Nov 2011. <http://www.cork.pt/>. • "Where Does Cork Come From?." Corkcutters of England. Corkcutters, n.d. Web. 9 Nov 2011. <http://corkcutter.info/index/list

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