Need somewhere to pin paperwork or display your children’s art? A cork board wall is ideal, especially if you’ve got a small space to fill and want to add some texture and warmth.
Cork provides insulation against heat, sound and vibration (good for WFH areas!) and is naturally waterproof. It’s also sustainable and recyclable.
Sound good? We think so!
Here are the tools you need:
Cork tiles, sheets or rolls (available from major hardware stores and suppliers such as Get Cork)
Water-based contact adhesive (make sure it’s suitable for cork)
Measuring tape
Utility knife
Ruler
Chalk
Spirit level
Roller
Decorative cork board pins
Before you begin:
Because cork is a natural product, it can be subject to contraction and expansion, so leave it unopened in the room you plan to use it in for 48 to 72 hours before installation so that it can acclimatise to the temperature and humidity level.
Step 1: Measure your wall
Measure the height and width of the wall you want to cover and work out how many tiles you need or how much cork roll you must cut to fit the available space (NOTE: always cut more than you think you need – you can trim the excess at the end). Cork comes in a range of thicknesses – remember that if you choose a thin variety, your pins will pierce the wall…
Step 2: Prepare your wall
Clean the surface of the wall using sugar soap solution and leave to dry. Lightly sand any bumps and wipe the wall again so that you have a smooth surface for the cork adhesive to stick to. NOTE: if you don’t want to use adhesive, you can nail thicker cork to your wall – just add a hammer and nails to the list of tools required.
Step 3: Keep it level
Use your spirit level to check your walls are straight – especially where they meet the floor and ceiling. Draw a vertical chalk line down the middle of the wall and use this as a starting guide. If you’re using cork roll to cover a large area, apply it like wallpaper – in other words, in sections, starting from the middle of the wall and moving outwards. You can do the same with cork tiles, or place those from the bottom up.
Step 4: Apply adhesive
Some thin cork tiles already have adhesive attached. If you’re not using those, find a glue that’s appropriate for the task and cover the back of the cork using a roller. Some DIY specialists recommend applying adhesive to the wall too and leaving it for about 30 minutes to become “tacky”.
Step 5: Stick the cork to the wall
Lay your cork tiles in rows, or your cork roll from middle to side, making sure that everything is aligned. Press down firmly with your hands. NOTE: If using nails instead of glue (advisable for cork roll only), make sure that the cork is flat and smooth before hammering nails in.
Step 6: Fill in the blanks
If you have any gaps that need filling (usually at the end of a row of cork tiles), cut cork to size using a ruler and spirit level to ensure it is straight, then apply glue and stick. Tidy any uneven edges with your utility knife.
Step 7: Dress your cork board
Have fun bringing your cork board to life with art prints, photos, favourite quotes, postcards, doodles, to-do lists, and anything else (like work documents) that you need to make easily visible.
Photo: Pinterest
