Use case
Fire resistance
Naturally fire-retardant, self-extinguishing, no toxic smoke or molten drip.
Cork does not melt, drip or release toxic halogens when exposed to flame. Instead it forms a protective char layer that insulates the substrate beneath. This behaviour is intrinsic — it requires no added flame retardants, no intumescent coatings, no chemical modification.
Most fire-resistant materials achieve their rating through chemistry: brominated compounds, phosphorus-based retardants, or intumescent paints that swell under heat. Those additives work, but they complicate recycling, raise toxicity concerns, and can volatilise over the product's life.
Cork's fire resistance is a by-product of its cell structure. When heated, suberin carbonises rather than melts, forming a dense char layer that slows heat transfer to the material beneath. The same cellular geometry that makes cork light and elastic makes it self-extinguishing: the char insulates the unburned material, and the material stops feeding the flame.
In composite applications, cork powder and granulate act as a natural flame modifier in binders and coatings. In board form, pure agglomerated cork achieves Euroclass E without any added retardant — a rating that satisfies most construction and transport applications without the compliance burden of treated synthetics.
Why cork works
The material advantage.
- Self-extinguishing — removes itself from the flame path.
- No molten drip, no toxic halogenated smoke.
- Char layer protects substrate without added intumescents.
Products for this use