Various materials can be used for wall finishingmaterials, but which one to choose if you need not only a beautiful appearance, but also sound insulation. Attention should be paid to cork. The modern choice of natural materials is large, relevant. But this material, with all its positive qualities, does not have such style and attractiveness as cork. Finishing the walls in the room with cork is not the cheapest pleasure, but the numerous advantages and elegant appearance completely outweigh the price minus. Although there are more expensive materials, for example, natural stone tiles.
Cork wall coverings have good sound insulation and do not require special care.
Varieties of cork finishing materials
Modern finishing should meet all requirementssafety requirements. It is important to choose the type of material that best meets all the requirements. Today, you can choose the following types of cork for work:
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Cork mounting: step by step instruction
Tools for finishing walls with cork. To do it efficiently and quickly, you need to prepare all the tools and materials at once:
- adhesive for tiles and a brush for its application;
- building level;
- plumb bob;
- metal long ruler;
- a special mounting knife and scissors;
- Toothed metal spatula;
- a container for diluting the glue;
- velor special roller;
- Roller, which is rolled seams between tiles.
It is necessary to calculate the amount of cork in advance.Manufacturers usually offer slabs with dimensions of 300*300 mm, 300*600 mm. The thickness may also vary, it is 2-6 mm. The total area of the coating is calculated, which is then divided by the area of one tile. As a result, you can get the required volume of finishing material for all the walls. Finishing of walls with cork material is carried out using contact or acrylic glue. There are options here, but experts recommend choosing contact glue as the highest quality for such work. Working with this composition is not very difficult, but it must be applied not only to the wall, but also to the tile, unlike acrylic. Contact glue is applied in an even layer, there should be no air bubbles. Return to the table of contents</a>
Surface preparation and tile fixing
Preparing the wall surface for finishing.The wall to which the tiles will be attached can be made of any material. It is allowed to install the trim on concrete, brick, wood, plaster. The main condition is air humidity of 35-65%. It is necessary to level the surface, since the tiles will be glued, cover it with a layer of primer to improve adhesion. When choosing a primer, preference is given to those materials that correspond to the type of base. For example, for concrete, a primer is taken specifically for concrete. Next, proceed to preparing the tiles. It is necessary to determine the center of the wall, a plumb line and a building level will help with this. From the center point, draw a horizontal and vertical line, for this, a long metal ruler or a special rail is used. This allows you to divide the wall into equal parts to facilitate gluing, make the finish neat and externally attractive. It is the pre-applied marking that makes it possible to reduce material consumption. The wall is decorated as follows:
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Cork tiles: care features
Types of cork wall coverings.Any finishing material requires proper care to maintain its attractiveness and excellent appearance. Cork flooring is no exception. Even if all installation requirements are met, cracks and gaps may appear between individual slabs over time, which negatively affects the appearance and properties of the material. This process is considered natural, it is due to the fact that cork can shrink and expand over time under the influence of temperature. Exactly the same properties are inherent in other types of natural flooring. Wooden lining is also subject to temperature changes, so there is no talk of a significant drawback. You can minimize such an external cosmetic defect. If the cracks become visible during use, then you need to cut a thin strip of cork. Usually, after repairs, a couple of extra tiles remain. The peeled off areas of the cork should be carefully lifted, and then coated with fresh glue with a thin brush. The strip is glued to the crack, the edges are pressed tightly. If there is excess glue, then it must be removed with a sharp knife. This option works great with cork, there are no external traces of repair. If cracks appeared when the lining was fixed to the walls, then the problem is not so easy to solve. It is important to ensure proper care of the cork. This will increase wear resistance, increase service life, which is so important for any coating. Numerous special products are used for such care, one of the most effective is oil-wax. For care, you can also use a special varnish, which can be acrylic, ceramic, water-based, polyurethane two-component. The use of parquet varnish is strictly prohibited. There is another difference from such a material as lining. Cork tiles are sensitive to light, they change their color. That is why in rooms where the walls are decorated with cork tiles, it is necessary to provide for the presence of curtains. Even if they are light and translucent. The wall in a living space can be decorated with various finishing materials, but the best option is natural products. Cork is one of these. Its application to walls is not very difficult, although it requires attention and compliance with all stages. The result is a stylish and elegant surface with a long service life.
