When your child insists that every painting, drawing and stickered masterpiece be displayed, you eventually need more wall space. We solved the problem by building a large framed cork board that stretches from window to window, giving our daughter a generous, organized gallery for all her creations.
Our previous “bell-etin board” was a smaller fabric-covered cork board that hung in the office for months, but it quickly became too crowded. Sherry suggested expanding the concept across the wall between the windows so it would clearly define a workspace for Clara (and eventually for Teddy) and provide plenty of room to pin up new artwork.
Creating a Base for the Cork Tiles
We began by mounting a thin wood backing that the cork tiles could be attached to. This prevented pushpins from puncturing the drywall and created a secure surface so the tiles wouldn’t shift or leave dozens of tiny holes if we ever removed the display.
We used three 2 x 4′ sheets of 5mm underlayment and trimmed them to fit the 43″ gap between the windows. To ensure consistent cuts, the boards were clamped together and cut in a single pass with a circular saw.
Each panel was secured from the windowsill up with a few 2″ wood screws driven into studs, found with a stud finder. For a refined look, we stopped the top board just below the window line to create a stepped inset, and cut two thin strips of wood to act as simple trim along the top and bottom edges so the cork wouldn’t look like it abruptly ended.
Gluing the Cork Tiles
With the backing in place we attached cork tiles to create the finished surface. We used Loctite Spray Adhesive, which lists cork-to-wood bonding on the label. To avoid spraying indoors, we applied adhesive to the backs of the tiles outside and then pressed them onto the wall one at a time.
Installing the tiles was quick, since most of the area used full tiles and we worked as a team. We applied full tiles first, then measured and trimmed edge pieces. For cleaner cuts and to avoid cracking, we found it worked best to make short, controlled snips with scissors instead of long cuts.
Once the tiles were all in place, the seams were visible but subtle. We considered covering the surface with fabric or painting a pattern, but decided the natural cork texture added warmth and character. When artwork goes up, the seams become even less noticeable, so we left it as-is for now.
Arranging the Artwork
The fun part came next: arranging Clara’s current pieces on the new wall. Sherry dove in immediately, and Clara helped decide which pieces to pin where. We talked about rotating art out over time so new work can be displayed, and Clara seems to enjoy selecting which pieces stay and which get replaced.
For the artwork we don’t display, we keep a storage box of favorites and use a phone app to photograph and archive pieces with the goal of creating a printed photo book of Clara’s work someday. It’s an easy way to preserve memories without crowding the walls forever.
Small personal touches make the space special: felt name banners a reader sent as a gift hint that Clara will eventually share the gallery with Teddy, and favorite pieces—like a portrait of our growing family and a charming popsicle-stick bear—have prime spots that we all love.
The rest of the office is still a work in progress, but with a new baby in the house we’re taking our time with the double-desk plan. For now, Clara is happily the most productive office-mate and the wall gives her a place to display her creativity.
Update: We later shared how we handled an unexpected issue that came up with the cork wall and how we fixed it in a follow-up post on the blog.
Note: This project was originally published in May 2014.