Home Uses for Synthetic Cork

Flooring

• Natural cork flooring comes in large sheets that you unroll on the floor, similar to carpeting or linoleum. You also have the option of purchasing individual pieces and cutting those pieces into the specific sizes and shapes needed for your floor. The individual pieces mimic the look of tiles. Cork flooring acts as a buffer on top of the existing flooring and provides a small amount of soundproofing. The cork feels soft against your feet and cleans up quickly. Synthetic cork flooring looks very similar to natural cork.

Walls

• Use synthetic cork pieces as an alternative to painting or decorating a wall in your home. Each synthetic cork panel is lightweight and durable. The panels stick to the walls with liquid adhesive. Paint or apply the liquid adhesive to the back of the panel and press it flat against the wall. Cover an entire wall with the synthetic cork panels or hang just a few panels and create your own bulletin board. Consider arranging painted wood pieces around the sides, creating a border for the cork panels.

Home Decor

• Synthetic cork serves as the basis for a wide range of decorative objects around the house. Purchase items made from the cork or make your own from old wine bottles. A group of corks attached together with liquid adhesive acts as a trivet for hot pots, while painted cork pieces grouped together becomes a piece of artwork for your walls. Cover the back of an old picture frame with a layer of glue and press wine corks onto the glue, making your own quick bulletin board.

Holiday Decorations

• Cut holiday shapes from sheets of synthetic cork and string the pieces together with ribbon, threading through the top and creating your own garland. Poke holes in the tops of wine corks and thread beads and ribbon through the top for easy and simple Christmas ornaments. Make a wreath by arranging the synthetic wine corks in a large circle with the corks overlapping and glue the pieces together. Glue a large red ribbon bow to the front at the base of the wreath.