Cork Roll – Which Thickness Is Right for Your Project?
Cork roll is a versatile cork material for notice boards, wall design, crafts, model making and individual interior projects. But which thickness is right for your project?
The ideal cork thickness mainly depends on the intended use, the surface and the function the cork needs to fulfil.
At Korkie, we have been working with the versatile natural material cork since 1992. Our experience has shown us that the thickest cork is not always automatically the best choice.
Our buying guide will help you find the right cork roll for your project.
2–4 mm
Crafts, model making & protection
Thin cork roll is particularly suitable as a protective, intermediate or decorative layer.
Ideal for crafts, model making, drawer liners and creative DIY projects.
5–8 mm
Walls, DIY & notice boards
These cork thicknesses are particularly versatile and are suitable for wall design, pinning surfaces and larger DIY projects.
5 mm may be sufficient for smaller or occasionally used pinning surfaces. For longer push pins or frequently used notice boards, 6 to 8 mm is often the better choice.
10 mm
Large notice boards & interior projects
Our recommendation for large or frequently used notice boards and full cork notice board walls.
The thicker cork layer provides more space for push pins and is also suitable for individual van and camper projects.
Make Your Own Cork Notice Board
Cork roll allows you to create a notice board that perfectly fits your wall and the available space. Whether you are planning a small pinning area above your desk, a large XXL notice board for the office or an entire cork notice board wall, cork sold by the metre allows you to choose the size and shape yourself.
For notice board projects, we generally recommend a cork thickness of approximately 5 to 10 mm, depending on how frequently the board will be used and the length of the push pins.
For smaller or occasionally used pinning surfaces, 5, 6 or 8 mm may be sufficient. For large and frequently used notice boards, 10 mm cork roll is often the more practical choice.
The surface underneath the cork also plays an important role. Depending on the project, cork roll can be bonded directly to a suitable surface or first attached to a backing board.
Planning a notice board? In our detailed guide “How to Make Your Own Cork Notice Board”, we explain cork thicknesses, suitable surfaces, backing boards, adhesives and installation step by step.
Cork Roll for Walls and Interior Design
The natural cork structure brings warmth and a distinctive appearance to a room. Cork roll can therefore also be used for individual wall design and interior projects.
Depending on your project, individual wall sections, work areas or larger surfaces can be finished with cork.
Possible applications include:
• Home office and study
• Office
• Children's room
• Hobby room
• Hallway
• Living area
The cork surface can be left in its natural state. It can also be coloured with a suitable wall paint if desired.
As cork has a natural, textured surface, we recommend testing the chosen paint on a small offcut first.
Cork Roll for Vans, Campers and Motorhomes
Cork is also used for individual van, camper and motorhome conversion projects.
Its low weight and ease of processing make cork roll an interesting material for many self-build camper projects.
Depending on the planned construction, cork can be used, for example, as an additional layer between the vehicle body and the interior construction.
An individual wall construction may consist of several layers:
Vehicle body → cork → insulation material → interior lining
In one of our customer projects, for example, a construction using cork, approximately 30 mm of sheep's wool and a wooden panel was planned.
Please note: Every vehicle conversion is different. Material thickness, surface, moisture, adhesive and the complete wall construction should therefore always be considered individually.
Our upcoming guide “Cork for Vans, Campers and Motorhomes” will cover this topic in more detail.
How Do I Cut Cork Roll?
Cork roll is relatively easy to cut to the required size.
For clean cut edges, we recommend using a sharp utility or craft knife, a stable cutting surface and a sturdy straight edge or metal ruler.
Measure and mark the required area carefully.
For thicker cork roll, it is often better to make several cuts with even pressure. Do not try to cut through thicker cork completely with one forceful cut.
A sharp blade makes the material easier to work with and helps create cleaner cut edges.
How Do I Bond Cork Roll Correctly?
The right adhesive depends on the surface and the individual project.
For many of our cork applications, we use WAKOL D 3540 cork contact adhesive, available from us as item 7110.
The water-based latex adhesive is suitable for cork wall coverings, among other applications. As this is a contact adhesive, the adhesive is applied to both surfaces that are to be bonded.
When first applied, the adhesive is white. It must be allowed to flash off until the adhesive layer becomes transparent. The surfaces are then ready to be joined.
Depending on the size of the surface, the adhesive can be applied with an adhesive roller, brush or suitable notched trowel.
After the specified flash-off time, the surfaces are carefully joined and pressed firmly together.
For cork applications, an adhesive consumption of at least approximately 250 g per square metre should be expected.
Always follow the current adhesive manufacturer's instructions and our processing instructions for cork roll.
Would you like to learn more about suitable surfaces, adhesive application and installation? Our guide “How to Bond Cork Correctly” explains the most important points in detail.
Cork Roll
Flexible & ideal for large surfaces
✓ Large wall areas
✓ Cork notice board walls
✓ Flexible cutting
✓ Sold by the metre
✓ Individual wall dimensions
✓ Van and interior conversion projects
Ideal if you want to cover larger or individually sized surfaces.
Discover Cork Roll
Not Sure Which Cork Roll You Need?
No problem – cork projects are as individual as the ideas behind them.
Simply tell us briefly what you are planning to use the cork for.
To help us provide more specific advice, please include the following information:
• Intended application
• Required surface area or exact dimensions
• Existing surface or substrate
• Preferred cork thickness, if already known
At Korkie, we have been working with the versatile material cork since 1992. Our experience from our workshop, material processing and numerous customer projects is part of the advice we provide every day.
Together, we will find the right cork for your project.