A Step by Step Guide to Installing Cork Board Walls

Below, find our simple step-by-step guide to installing cork board walls. Add warmth and function to your home with an eco-friendly, anti-microbial choice for walls and flooring. Resistant to moisture and hypoallergenic by nature, cork walls are a safe material commonly used in home decor and interior design. Get started today with your own DIY cork wall!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• Cork roll or cork sheet
• Adhesive
• Utility knife
• Hook blade
• Masking tape
• Seam and strip cutter
• Tape
• String & chalk (plumb line)
• Roller

CORK PREPARATION

• Measure your wall or desired area to be covered
• Cut your cork sheet or cork roll roughly 2-3 inches longer than needed to ensure a perfect trim at installation
• Massage out any end curl in your cork material – this will eliminate any puffing, which can prevent your cork sheet from completely adhering to the wall surface
• Precisely cut your cork sheet or roll to your desired measurements. Be careful! Always be sure to cut off the factory edge and keep your materials clean for installation!
  • First, score your cork roll using a utility knife to trace over your exact measurements
  • Next, use a hook blade – holding at an angle – to slightly undercut the edge. Cut completely through your cork material.
• If you need to install multiple cork sheets or rolls onto to a larger wall, use masking tape on the floor to match up your pieces, overlapping them by an inch or so. Use a seam and strip cutter  to cut your seam, creating a tight fit between the two cork pieces.
• Before moving to install on the wall, mark your cork rolls with tape stretched across the seam. Cut to separate. You now can match these markers during installation to ensure a proper fit.

WALL PREPARATION

• Remove all dust and dirt from your wall. Clean your wall thoroughly prior to installation to prevent any failure in adhesive! Test your adhesive in a small area to ensure surface is ready for installation.
  • Painted surfaces – slightly sand down to help adhesive grip
  • Porous surfaces – prime prior to applying adhesive
  • Wallpapered surfaces – remove wall covering and sand off any residue
• Use a plumb line to determine a vertical guideline for installing your cork. Use chalk to mark this line.

INSTALLING CORK ONTO THE WALL

• Hold up your cut cork roll to the wall along the marked vertical line. Outline the remaining edges.
• Apply cork adhesive to wall one area at a time. Adhesive must be wet for cork installation. If adhesive dries to wall prior to installation, scrape off and reapply.
• Carefully line up your cork roll to its final resting spot on the wall, and press onto adhesive.
• Finally, use a wall roller to firmly press the material onto the wall, working out any bubbles.