When choosing finishing materials, one of the criteria for the expediency of their use in a particular room is hygroscopicity, that is, the intensity of moisture absorption. The smaller the given indicator, the less often it is necessary to think about the next repair. From this point of view, cork coatings are one of the best options.
Before considering the technology of pasting walls, it should be clarified with what materials are best to work with. After all, the concept of "cork" - the generalized name of the product. There are several options for such a coating, and not each of the products can be glued on their own.
How to choose the right glue to fix the cork on the wall, is described in detail here.
Brief description of the varieties of materials from a cork
Wallpapers
- Without a foundation. These products are quite dense, but at the same time characterized by low fracture toughness. It is better to entrust a specialist to covering the walls with cork wallpaper.
- With the base. It is made of paper, so the process of fixing the cloths is much easier. In principle, it is quite possible to cope with work alone. The process differs little from the technology of gluing wallpaper from other materials.
Tile
Composite material consisting of a pressed cork and a coating( water repellent film).Advantage - laying, customizing individual segments is much easier than canvases.
How to work with the plug
The following technology is typical, and the main stages of operation are unchanged, regardless of the selected type of cork. The differences can be only in small details, which is specified in the manufacturer's instructions.
Preparation of material
What is:
- Before starting installation, the plug is kept in a room, the finish of which is planned, at least 24 hours. This is necessary to adapt the material to local conditions.
- If a roll production option is selected( wallpaper), then the cloths are unwound and hung out so that they stretch out somewhat, that is, they accept the "working form".
Preparing the basis of
Whatever the material is not being decorated, work begins at this stage. What is to be done is solved on the spot, since the volume of measures depends entirely on the degree of deterioration of the wall, the correctness of its geometry, and when and how it was processed earlier. Therefore, it makes sense to list the main technological operations, and the decision on the expediency of their conduct is made by the master.
- A complete cleaning of the wall, possibly with the dismantling of the old cladding, if it has become unusable.
- Visual inspection. First, all defects( cracks, shells) are identified and eliminated. Secondly, the moisture level of the substrate is determined. If necessary - its artificial drying( air heater, heat gun and so on).Thirdly, the maximum height differences( curvature) over the entire area are determined. Perhaps on a "bare" concrete or brick wall will have to do a screed.
- Special processing. First of all, this refers to the waterproofing( impregnation) formulations. If the wall( lining) of wood, then in addition - firebioprotection.
Application of primer
Practice shows that the primer of walls is neglected because they do not understand its meaning. What does such treatment give?
- Since the composition is partially absorbed into the material, it thereby strengthens its top layer. Consequently, the strength of the base grows.
- Adhesion promoted. This means that the reliability of fastening the cork to the wall will be higher.
- The dust remains stuck. As a result - when applied, the glue will not collect in lumps, but lie down in a thin layer, over the entire area, evenly.
Marking the wall
When working with canvases, it is enough to apply "signal" lines. If the tile is attached, then it is necessary to draw a grid across the wall. Without such preparation, product skews can not be avoided, especially if the area to be trimmed is large enough.
And here's where to start sticking, everyone determines by himself. In principle, the rules are the same as when working with regular wallpaper( from corners, windows and so on).
Bonding the cork to the wall
How to coat with glue, the thickness of its layer and other nuances - all this is indicated in the manufacturer's instructions. Much more important is the question of the specifics of work with different samples.
Fixing feature
- Tile. It is recommended to install it on the principle of brickwork, that is, with a shift in the neighboring rows.
- Wallpaper. Only to butt, without gaps, and even more so, overlapping.
Fastening technology
- Application of glue. The composition can only be coated with either a plug( one-sided technique) or a wall segment( two-sided).The thickness of the layer - according to the instructions for glue, but not more than 2 mm. It should be applied with a special notched trowel or roller. This will allow the distribution of the composition evenly across the entire treated area.
- Fixing the plug. After it is applied to the wall, its fixation begins with the lower cut of the specimen, with a gradual upward movement. In addition, you need to roll the entire area of the product with a rubber roller.
After gluing with glue, you need to wait a while, and only then press the stopper against the wall. If the instruction does not, then about 15 minutes( similar to the "Moment").
With the accuracy and sequence of actions, nothing complicated in this technology, the walls are not finished. After the work is completed, it remains only to cover the cork with a protective layer. You can choose a varnish or a wax-based product. The main thing is that the compounds are compatible with the cork.
The tile already has a protective layer. But a big mistake is made by those who think that this is quite enough, and can be treated, for example, varnish, neglected. There is a joint between the samples. Here they must be protected from the effects of liquids.
Useful advices for
- When sticking a cork, you need to ensure a favorable indoor climate. Optimum parameters are: for temperature - +20( ± 2) ºС, for humidity - 55( ± 5)%.
- Before starting work, the outlets and switches are removed, and the technological holes in which they are installed are closed with fabricated patterns( for example, cardboard).
