If you are a fan of environmental materials, then cork wall covering will be an excellent solution for apartment renovation. Cork is a good heat and sound insulator, antistatic, it is durable and easily combined with a variety of materials. This coating comes in the form of brown tiles, rolls or wallpaper.
Types of cork wall coverings
- Plates. Cork sheet coating of walls (slabs) is the most popular type. This is a cork in several layers, polished with a special tool. Usually the thickness of the sheets is 3-4 mm. Standard sizes - 30 * 60 cm or 30 * 30 cm. Feature of the plates in the presence of a protective varnish or wax layer. They can be used in any room.
- Rolls. Cork rolls are 2 mm thick. The basis is pressed cork chips, veneer is applied to it. The surface for greater practicality and moisture resistance can be treated with wax.
- Wallpaper. Wall-mounted cork coverings in the form of wallpaper are 1 mm thick paper-based cork veneers. Environmentally friendly wallpapers are pasted on the example of vinyl. It turns out a pleasant to the touch surface. Cork surface does not attract dust. Such wallpapers are not recommended for use only for walls in the bathroom and in the kitchen, since they do not have a protective coating. Sound and heat insulation in cork wallpaper at a low level.
Cork for walls: mounting
On your own, it is easy to stick cork wallpaper or tile, it is better to entrust the installation of rolls to a specialist.
For wallpaper, you must follow these recommendations:
- The cutting of the material and its adjustment are carried out in a dry form.
- Special glue is used for cork or for heavy wallpaper.
- The glue is applied with a roller for even distribution.
- The walls are glued from top to bottom with a margin of 3 cm.
- Excess wallpaper at the skirting boards and ceiling is trimmed with scissors.
- Bubbles are smoothed out.
The new cork wall covering is a self-adhesive cork wallpaper . Their thickness is less than a millimeter. They easily stick to a clean and dry surface, and are easy to care for.
Finishing with tiles is also not difficult. You need to make sure that the wall is even, dry and clean, not wet. If the surface has flaws, they must be removed:
- The painted surface is cleaned with a sandpaper.
- Shedding areas are treated with a primer.
Before work, all tiles are removed from the package and kept at room temperature for 2 days. This prevents crevices and deformation. The temperature in the room when laying the plates should be at least +18 degrees Celsius. The location of the first tile is determined by the intersection of two perpendicular lines.
Glue is selected in accordance with the instructions. It can be acrylic or its analog, or contact. It is applied with a special spatula to the tiles and to the wall. After applying the glue, you must wait 15-20 minutes, and only then lay the tiles - this will provide good adhesion. When decorating with tiles, remember that the sheet cannot be moved after gluing. The tile attached to the wall must be pressed and rolled with a rubber roller.
Cork wall covering with proper care lasts 20 years or more. It only needs to be cleaned from time to time with a damp sponge and cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.