Every parent knows the joy and the challenge that comes with an endless stream of creative masterpieces from their children. From vibrant paintings to intricate drawings and glitter-laden crafts, these artistic expressions often find their way onto every available surface, leaving parents searching for more display space. If your child’s school bag is a constant source of new art, and you’re yearning for an elegant, practical, and expansive solution, you’ve come to the right place. We recently tackled this very delightful dilemma by crafting a magnificent, giant cork board wall for our daughter, designed to offer an abundance of room for her burgeoning art collection while providing a beautiful, framed aesthetic to complement our home office.
Our previous “bulletin board,” as our daughter affectionately called it, was a charming but diminutive fabric-covered cork board. It had served us well for nearly eight months, residing diligently in our home office (a project originally conceived by Sherry for our old closet, as detailed here). However, its capacity was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of incoming artwork. It became evident that an upgrade was not just desired, but necessary. Sherry sparked the brilliant idea to amplify our display capabilities significantly, envisioning a floor-to-ceiling, window-to-window cork board expanse. This not only promised vastly more room for showcasing every cherished creation but also served to clearly define that specific section of the room as a dedicated creative workspace for Clara, and eventually, her younger brother Teddy.
Crafting a Robust Foundation for Your Cork Tile Wall
The first critical step in building our expansive cork board wall was to establish a solid and secure foundation for the cork tiles. Instead of simply adhering cork directly to the wall, we opted to install a thin wooden backing. This decision was pivotal for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures that each cork tile is attached far more securely, drastically reducing the chances of tiles detaching over time. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, it addresses a common problem with traditional cork boards: pushpins frequently poke all the way through the cork. Without a backing, this would lead to countless unsightly holes in our wall, a veritable “Swiss cheese” effect accumulating from window to window over the years. By integrating this wooden base, we safeguard our walls, meaning that if we ever decide to remove the cork board, we’ll only have a few screw holes to fill, a far less daunting task than patching a wall riddled with pinpricks.
For the wood backing, we utilized three 2 x 4-foot sheets of 5mm underlayment, sourced conveniently from Home Depot. The space between our windows measured exactly 43 inches wide, meaning each sheet required a slight trim to fit perfectly. To ensure absolute consistency and a clean finish, I clamped all three sheets together tightly. This allowed me to make one precise cut with my circular saw, guaranteeing that every piece was exactly the same dimension and would create a seamless base for the cork tiles.
Once trimmed, the installation of the plywood base began. Starting from the windowsill, I attached each board firmly to the wall using several 2-inch wood screws. Prioritizing stability and safety, I meticulously used a stud finder to locate the wall studs, ensuring that every screw went into solid wood. This step is crucial for the long-term integrity of the cork board, providing robust support for countless pinned items. We carefully considered the overall aesthetic, deciding that the third, uppermost board should intentionally stop slightly below the window frame. This deliberate offset created a charming stepped-down inset effect, giving the entire installation a more bespoke and finished appearance rather than a simple, utilitarian rectangle. To further enhance this polished look, I also cut two thin strips of wood, which would serve as minimalist molding for both the top and bottom edges. These subtle additions elevate the project from a functional board to a thoughtfully designed feature, ensuring the cork doesn’t just abruptly end but transitions with grace.
Affixing the Cork Tiles with Precision and Ease
With the wooden base meticulously cut and securely fastened to the wall, we were ready for the satisfying task of applying the cork squares. For this crucial step, we selected Loctite Spray Adhesive, specifically chosen because its label explicitly indicated suitability for bonding cork to wood. While the manufacturer’s instructions suggested spraying both surfaces for optimal adhesion, we opted for a slightly modified approach due to working indoors. To avoid spraying chemicals inside the house, I took each cork square outdoors, applied a generous layer of adhesive to its back, and then Sherry carefully carried it in and positioned it onto the wooden base. This method proved highly effective, and we’ve been pleased with the robust bond it has provided thus far.
The process of tiling the wall with cork squares was surprisingly straightforward and progressed quite rapidly, largely owing to a good strategy and teamwork. We started by applying all the full, uncut squares first, establishing the main grid of the cork board. This allowed us to cover the majority of the surface efficiently before tackling any intricate cuts. Once the full pieces were in place, we moved on to the partial squares needed to fill the edges and achieve a precise fit. Sherry took charge of marking these partial squares using a pen and a ruler, ensuring accurate measurements. For cutting, we discovered that simple household scissors were perfectly adequate. A key tip we learned during this phase was to make small, deliberate cuts rather than attempting to slice through the entire length of the cork in one go. This technique significantly helped prevent the cork from cracking or tearing, resulting in much cleaner, professional-looking edges for every piece. This attention to detail ensured a cohesive and tidy appearance for the entire cork board surface.
Upon completing the cork application, the seams between the individual tiles were naturally visible. While some might prefer a perfectly seamless look, which could be achieved by covering the board with fabric or painting it a uniform color, we ultimately decided against it. We reasoned that once Clara’s vibrant artwork adorned the wall, these subtle lines would become far less noticeable, blending into the backdrop of her masterpieces. Moreover, we both appreciated the inherent beauty of the natural cork’s color and texture, recognizing the warmth and organic feel it brought to the room. Opting to leave it as is allowed the material’s intrinsic character to shine through, contributing a unique design element that felt both authentic and inviting.
Transforming the Space: Arranging Art and Cultivating Creativity
The moment the last cork tile was secured, Sherry’s excitement was palpable. She quite literally sprinted to begin curating Clara’s current body of work onto the newly installed board, enthusiastically rubbing her hands together and whispering, “favorite part starts… now!” Clara, our budding artist, was an integral part of this process, diligently helping to choose which pieces would take pride of place and where. After a few enjoyable minutes of thoughtful arrangement and reshuffling, we arrived at a display that delighted everyone. The artist herself was quick to embrace her new, expansive gallery, instantly assuming the role of producing even more captivating creations. While the giant board offers significantly more room, we’ve gently explained that even with this generous space, we’ll still need to rotate pieces periodically to accommodate new additions. Clara has embraced this concept with surprising maturity, even relishing the challenge of deciding which cherished piece to temporarily remove to make way for her latest inspiration, fostering a sense of curation and appreciation for her own evolving portfolio.
For the rest of Clara’s impressive artistic output, we maintain a dedicated storage box filled with other treasured paintings, drawings, and crafts. In a nod to modern solutions, Sherry has also adopted a fantastic app called Artkive. This innovative tool allows her to capture and digitally store high-quality photos of Clara’s artwork, with the long-term vision of compiling these digital memories into a beautiful photo book of her creations someday. We believe this will be a truly heartwarming keepsake, not just for us as parents, but also for Clara herself to look back on and cherish her artistic journey. Beyond its functional utility, our new cork board wall has brought a delightful surge of personality and vibrant color into our home office. Clara, understandably, beams with immense pride at her personal gallery. While we’ve noted that the wall might interfere with traditional curtain installations, we had already been contemplating inside-mount Roman shades for the room, a solution that will integrate seamlessly with our new display.
Adding another layer of charm to the wall are the adorable felt name banners, a sweet, homemade surprise sent to us by a thoughtful reader (a huge thank you to Jes!) as a welcome and big sister gift for Teddy and Clara. I particularly appreciate how this subtly sets the stage for Clara, signaling that she will eventually share this wonderful gallery space with her brother. Although, I’m sure it will be a delightful challenge to decide which of her early masterpieces might eventually make way for Teddy’s burgeoning art career. Among the many pieces, our family has a special fondness for the “Grumpy Snowman,” a true highlight on the board.
Another clear family favorite adorning the cork board is a poignant drawing that Clara brought home from school last winter. In this artwork, she beautifully depicted a portrait of her soon-to-be larger family. This masterpiece arrived shortly after we shared the exciting news that Sherry was expecting a boy, making it an immense relief and joy to see Clara so quickly embrace the idea of having a brother. Her instant affection was evident, as she almost immediately began referring to him as “my baby.” We’re also quite enamored with the whimsical “bear-on-a-stick” that she crafted at school. This particular piece offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of her drawing skills; her early figures primarily featured only heads, but with this bear, we witnessed the exciting addition of a body. Though, it seems some figures still don’t get a torso, making this bear a rather fortunate recipient of a full form!
You may also have noticed that our resourceful repurposed Campbell’s soup cans, specifically the limited-edition Warhol ones from a project we undertook two years ago, are still standing strong and serving as vibrant, functional storage for art supplies. They continue to add a pop of iconic design to Clara’s creative corner. While the rest of our home office is still a work in progress, with Teddy keeping one of us happily occupied almost constantly, there’s no immediate rush to complete our vision for a double-desk setup. For now, Clara remains our most wonderfully productive and inspiring office-mate, filling our space with joy and creativity.
Update: We believe in transparency and sharing the full DIY journey, including unexpected challenges and how we navigate them. For those embarking on similar projects, sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned. We encountered a bit of a “cork board curveball” with this wall, and we’ve detailed how we tackled it and found a solution. You can read all about our unexpected learning experience and fix here.
Note: This DIY project was originally published in May 2014, offering a timeless solution for displaying cherished children’s artwork.