The Bite:
Surrounded by asylumesque, plain-white walls? Lose it – well, them, by picking up some eco fixer-uppers at Green Depot's new warehouselike location on Bowery. It's got low-VOC paint and sustainable cork tiles – for making the cork-board wall below ('steada covering up with PVC-coated wallpaper). Plus, it's got other stuff like nontoxic cleaners, CFL bulbs, even a power strip that monitors electricity use for saner Con Ed bills.
Cork Tile Photo Wall
15-20 minutes; covers 22 square feet
What you need:
Box of 24-by-12-inch Natural Cork Wall Tiles
Titebond All Purpose White Glue (it's nontoxic)
Dry cloth
Damp cloth
Push pins and photos
X-Acto knife and ruler (in case tiles don't fit width of your wall)
1. With the dry cloth, dust off the wall area you want to cover. Take one tile and add glue around all four sides, 1/2 inch from the edge.
2. Press it onto the wall wherever you want it and hold in place for 1-2 minutes to set the glue, wiping any excess glue with a wet cloth. Repeat with remaining tiles. If you want, cut the tiles with the X-Acto knife (on a flat surface) to make your own shapes (hint: use a dinner plate for perfect circles). Get tips on how to use an X-Acto safely.
3. Use push pins to mount photos.
4. If you need to remove the tiles later, grab a cloth and small bowl of warm water. Gently pry back the cork, dripping water from the cloth onto the glue. Keep prying and adding water until the tile is removed. Wipe down the wall to remove any leftover glue.
Show us yours – email a picture of your completed project to makeit@idealbite.com.
Cork Tile Photo Wall
15-20 minutes; covers 22 square feet
What you need:
Box of 24-by-12-inch Natural Cork Wall Tiles
Titebond All Purpose White Glue (it's nontoxic)
Dry cloth
Damp cloth
Push pins and photos
X-Acto knife and ruler (in case tiles don't fit width of your wall)
1. With the dry cloth, dust off the wall area you want to cover. Take one tile and add glue around all four sides, 1/2 inch from the edge.
2. Press it onto the wall wherever you want it and hold in place for 1-2 minutes to set the glue, wiping any excess glue with a wet cloth. Repeat with remaining tiles. If you want, cut the tiles with the X-Acto knife (on a flat surface) to make your own shapes (hint: use a dinner plate for perfect circles). Get tips on how to use an X-Acto safely.
3. Use push pins to mount photos.
4. If you need to remove the tiles later, grab a cloth and small bowl of warm water. Gently pry back the cork, dripping water from the cloth onto the glue. Keep prying and adding water until the tile is removed. Wipe down the wall to remove any leftover glue.
Show us yours – email a picture of your completed project to makeit@idealbite.com.
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