How to glue cork wallpaper yourself correctly

Gusevsky Andrey Anatolyevich

Cork wallpaper how to glue yourself

Cork wallpaper has recently been popular. And this is not easy, because this material has not only a beautiful appearance, but also is practical in many respects.

Today you will learn not just how to glue cork wallpapers yourself, but also see how they are attractive and where to use them is not worth it. Also in the photo and video you will see the most crucial moments in the implementation of this work.

What follows fate

Before you think about how to glue cork wallpaper, you need to understand how much they will suit you. After all, the price of the material is quite high. And therefore it is worth approaching with special responsibility.

The main advantages of cork wallpaper

Cork, like other types of wallpaper, have their advantages and disadvantages:

• Their most important advantage, of course, is their unsurpassed environmental friendliness., because in the process of their production only natural materials are used. Naturally, only their advantages are not limited to this.
• Cork oak bark, in itself, is highly durable. Therefore, the resulting wallpaper has a very high resistance to mechanical stress. Despite their natural origin, they are not combustible, as one might think. They have excellent dirt and water repellent properties. At the same time, when washing is still needed, cork wallpapers will also show their high resistance to detergents.
• Cork Wallpaper perfect for decorating even a child’s roomdue to the fact that they are capable of a fairly large level of noise absorption. They are durable and antibacterial, and a large selection of colors and textures will allow you to choose the most suitable for any style.
• Wallpaper made of cork oak bark, suitable not only for children, but also for kitchen finishes and at home in general. They do not absorb odors, which means they will not absorb the smells of food during cooking. Their natural origin gives them thermoregulatory properties. In winter, they will help to keep warm, and in summer a pleasant cool. They are not electrified, which means they do not dry the air.
• Also, they can be perfectly glued with your own hands. They will also act as an additional insulation and with a constant rise in price of energy, this indicator must be taken into account.

Well, here is a rough list of their main advantages. But in addition to their advantages, they, of course, have their drawbacks.

The disadvantages of cork wallpaper

Like any kind of wallpaper, cork wallpapers have their disadvantages, but they are rather insignificant.

• Cork wallpapers belong to the high price category, because the materials of their manufacture are completely of natural origin. They do not like too much moisture, although, as described above, they are moisture resistant. That is, if you want to wash them, they will perceive it quite well, but if you choose wallpaper for the bathroom, then they will quickly deteriorate.
• For the bathroom, cork wallpaper can also be selected, but in this case, you only need to choose wallpaper with wax treatment.

Attention: This material is easily damaged mechanically. Therefore, think before choosing this type for decoration of premises with high attendance of people.

Cork Wallpaper

A short list of tools for gluing cork wallpaper

If you are going to glue cork wallpaper correctly, the first thing you should take care of is auxiliary tools and materials.

• So you will need such simple and ordinary things as rags, sharp scissors, a pencil and a ruler.
• Next will go items that are not found in every person. This level or plumb, as well as tools for applying glue. As such tools, a small ordinary spatula to apply glue, and a notched (corrugated) spatula for applying it, are perfect. It is such a spatula that can most evenly and at the same time economically apply glue to the surface. It has peculiar cloves of different sizes.

Attention: Therefore, when you purchase it, immediately ask the seller what work it will be used for. To work with glue, choose a spatula with small teeth. They are both metal and rubber, but in fact it does not matter.

Glue for sticking

Having taken care of all the necessary equipment, glue should be chosen with similar scrupulousness. Cork wallpaper requires specialized glue or similar in content and properties for proper gluing. Glue for cork wallpaper is available in many retail chains.

We select the right glue

Attention: If this is not possible, it is possible to apply acrylic glue, which will make wallpaper gluing using a technology similar to tile gluing. It is most convenient to apply with a spatula with cloves, tightly pressing the wall glued to the surface.

• Being engaged in gluing cork wallpapers, in no case should you forget about one important factor. They should not be subjected to deformation and bending, and also do not glue them on top of each other in the corners. Cork wallpapers are glued only joint to joint, and cut off with scissors.
• Wallpaper made of cork oak bark is usually very tightly packaged, which leads to their easy deformation. It is quite easy to fix, just let them lie down. All the same can be attributed to cork tiles.
• Now you need a pencil, the entire wall should be carefully marked. Two perpendicular lines are drawn in the center of the wall using a plumb line and a level. If you plan to trim angles only along the bottom, the horizontal line shifts a little. When gluing wallpapers, not tiles, only one straight vertical line is drawn, all the same with the help of a plumb line, and gluing is done from both sides. This will allow you to trim absolutely evenly.
• When a thick, sticky glue is used for gluing, it will be easier to take it with a small spatula, and apply it with a notched spatula. The glue is applied only to the place of sticking, cork tile or a sheet of wallpaper from the cork, otherwise it will dry out very quickly. After careful application of the adhesive, the adhesive adheres to the wall as tightly as possible. It is best to do this with an assistant, because it is not possible to produce uniform pressing alone.
• Cork material, glues only joint to joint and only this way and not otherwise. In no case should the glue come out from under the joint. The glue that has come out is not removed immediately, but is carefully torn out after it has completely dried.
• Excesses are removed with scissors and not with a knife, as a knife can accidentally damage wallpaper that is wet from glue. Wallpaper glued correctly throughout the technology has a very long service life, from 20 years or more, while maintaining a presentable appearance for this entire period. As a care for cork wallpaper, it is quite enough to walk through them with a vacuum cleaner or a rare wet cleaning.

Sticking process

At the end of all the preparatory work and the choice of glue, you can begin the work itself. It is advisable to level and wall the walls a bit (see Primer for wallpaper: which one to choose and how to use), but cork wallpapers are not too demanding of this. Cork wallpapers will fall well on not too smooth walls.

The marking of the wall is highly desirable, it will help you maintain symmetry when gluing. Also, packaging will have some help in sticking.Often, it describes the features of work with this particular type of wallpaper purchased.

Cork Wallpaper

Attention: Nowadays this material is made with patterns. Therefore, buying it you need to calculate everything. After all, there will be waste. The larger the pattern, the higher the waste.

• The glue is applied according to the instructions, if it is, or if it is not, as you see fit. If you are confident in the quality and reliability of the glue, then it can be applied only to one surface, wall or wallpaper. At the same time, those who are engaged in professional repairs nevertheless advise not to spare the glue and smear them immediately with the wall and the sheet of wallpaper. Thick, viscous adhesives are applied to the wall surface exclusively with a notched trowel.
• In addition, among cork wallpapers, there are also self-adhesive films, when glued, glue is completely unnecessary. They stick to dry without water, to a clean, well-aligned wall.
• Wallpaper made of bark of cork oak does not tolerate creases and folds, and if allowed, this will subsequently affect their durability. In places of creases and bends cracks almost always appear. Therefore, maximum caution must be exercised when pasting the corners of the room.
• Another factor requiring special mention is the decent weight of cork wallpaper compared to other types of wallpaper. Therefore, they need to be glued not only on reliable glue, but not alone. Trying to cope with heavy uncomfortable sheets of wallpaper alone, you will almost certainly learn a lot of material, ruining the wallpaper with creases and folds.
• Sticking butt to butt in cases of cork wallpaper is not a tribute to fashion or anything else, but a strictly pressing need. Cork wallpapers differ in some thickness, and if we allow the creep of the edge to the edge, such places will stick out strongly. Naturally, as with gluing ordinary wallpaper, you need to ensure that there are no bubbles. Missed bubbles are removed with a rubber roller or syringe. Using a syringe, you first pierce the bubble itself, and already squeezes out a little glue inside for fixing, and then you can go through the roller.
• Observing all the rules when sticking, you can achieve the longest declared service life of the wallpaper. Having glued them, you with minimal care, you can not change them for 20 years or more. That is why, if you are not sure that you can handle this yourself, you should contact the professionals. Overpaying a little for the work, you still win in the long run.

Minor refinements and tricks related to working with cork materials

So glue wallpaper from the bark of cork oak, you can not only vertically, but also horizontally. And working with cork tiles is in many ways similar to working with ordinary tiles. That is, if you have at least minimal experience with tiles, then you will understand cork. It is exactly the same, it is put into a run, rhombus or diagonally, the main thing is to decide this in advance.

So:

• Another not unimportant detail is the cutting of cork wallpaper, which causes many certain problems. It is solved by a construction knife with interchangeable blades. The knife is very sharp, because the wallpaper is quite fragile, and difficult places for sockets and switches require special care. Templates or patterns for them are made in one or several copies, depending on whether they are the same in your room or not.
• Due to the fragility of cork wallpaper and their dislike for all kinds of bends, they do not bend even in corners. In the corners, they are neatly trimmed to achieve the most even and straight junction.
• We should also mention the work with this type of cork wallpaper, like cork wallpaper with a wax coating. Unfortunately, traces of dirty hands remain on them, which naturally is not always possible to avoid. The place of pollution can be slightly corrected with a construction hairdryer.A stream of warm air is directed to the place of pollution, as a result of which the wax coating thaws, and the traces are slightly smoothed out.
• In fact, sticking cork wallpaper is a very time-consuming process that requires some skill. But at the same time, cork has a number of indisputable advantages, from a magnificent natural appearance, to the environmental friendliness and durability of such an interior. They are perfect for the whole house, and will not allow the appearance of mold and fungus. You can not be afraid to wash them even with detergents, without fear of wetting them.

Many people think how to glue a cork coating on the wallpaper, it’s not difficult, on our site there are articles on removing not only wallpapers, but also various dyes. After all, this must be done, there are instructions for many options for decorating the premises and it is quite possible after reading you can pick up another cover for yourself.