Cork wall tiles are thin, glued-on tiles or panels of cork for interior walls. The questions that matter to a specifier are what the tile is built from, how it is fixed and to what, what acoustic and fire figures the manufacturer declares, and where the manufacturer itself says not to use it.
This profile covers wall tiles only. For cork as a material, its harvest and insulation board, see our cork profile; for Wicanders and Granorte flooring, see our article on cork flooring.
What are cork wall tiles made of, and what sizes do they come in?
According to Granorte's technical specifications (version 2022.01, 15 March 2022), its wall tiles are agglomerated cork products for interior wallcoverings "in accordance with EN 12781", glued to the wall; the Rusticork datasheet describes patchwork tiles of raw cork and does not cite EN 12781.[1][2][3] BS EN 12781:2001, "Wallcoverings. Specification for cork panels", is listed as current and covers requirements, conformity evaluation, marking and labelling; we read only the catalogue page.[22] Within that range the products differ in construction and finish:
- Veneered tiles have a cork veneer adhered to an agglomerated core. Decodalle is 600 × 300 × 3 mm with a wax-based PARAWAX finish; Wabi and Mat are 900 × 300 × 4 mm; Carioca is 900 × 300 or 900 × 150 × 5.5 mm with bevelled edges and a water-based matt lacquer.[1][2][4]
- Solid tiles are agglomerated cork throughout: Storywall (300 × 300 × 4 mm, printed), Tatami (600 × 300 × 4 mm, pressure-moulded 3D texture), Groovy (600 × 300 × 6 mm, CNC grooves), Modular (580 × 580 × 7 mm, CNC-machined) and Bebop (900 × 300 or 900 × 150 mm in 3, 6 and 9 mm, toasted cork).[4]
- 3DForms is CNC-machined into three shapes at 300 × 300 × 30 mm and 150 × 150 × 30 mm, with an apparent density of 200 kg/m³.[3] Rusticork is a patchwork of raw cork, 900 × 600 or 600 × 300 mm, 20 to 35 mm thick.[4]
- Amorim's Dekwall and Burel datasheets (files dated JUL26) describe 600 × 300 mm tiles with an agglomerated cork core, a genuine cork veneer and a protective finish, at 0.95 kg/m²; no thickness is stated in either sheet.[12][13] Wicanders' product page says Dekwall is finished with wax or varnish.[14]
Where documents differ we show both. Granorte's datasheet gives the 3DForms mass per unit area as 3170 g/m² (average); its 2026 wall catalogue table prints 31700 g/m².[3][5] The Rusticork datasheet gives 20 to 35 mm thickness while the catalogue table gives 25 to 35 mm, and a mass per unit area of 7.5 kg/m² (Bark) or 6.5 kg/m² (Sandstone), ± 10 %, against 5000 to 7500 g/m² in the catalogue.[4][5] Granorte's datasheet states "about 90 % natural cork" for Decodalle, while its Health Product Declaration lists cork at 81.357 to 85.815 % of mass.[1][11]
How are cork wall tiles fixed, and to which substrates?
Granorte's wall-tile laying instructions (version 2022.01) say most problems come from installation, not the product: inadequate stabilisation, poor substrate preparation or wrong adhesives. The substrate must be levelled, smooth, permanently dry, firm and free of dust, grease, sealers and old adhesive. A new wall should have dried for at least 2 to 3 months and, as an untreated new wall and gypsum plaster are porous, be primed first. A painted wall is called an excellent substrate once washed and lightly sanded with grit 100–120 paper.[6]
The recommended adhesive is a water-based contact adhesive, applied to both the wall and the back of the tile (around 100 to 120 g/m²), with a drying time of 30 to 120 minutes on the wall before the tiles are pressed and tapped with a rubber mallet. The sheet names Wakol D3540, Mapei Ultrabond Aqua-Contact Cork / Eco Contact, Bostik Contact A950 Eco and F. Ball Styccobond F66.[6] The 3DForms instructions add that strong-bonding, instant-grab universal adhesives and high-tack acrylic tape can also be used, but still recommend contact adhesive, and ask for 3 days of acclimatisation (2 days for the other tiles), extended to 4–5 days and 3–4 days respectively when humidity is below 35 % or the room is heated.[6][7] Both documents give 40 to 60 % relative humidity as the ideal room condition and warn that low humidity can shrink the cork and open small gaps.[6][7]
We did not open Amorim's installation instructions for Dekwall or Burel. Their datasheets list a gluing-resistance item (ISO 8724 Annex A, "shall not unglue", marked "complies") but no adhesive.[12][13] The one panel we read that is not glued, Abstracta's Sahara, is hung on concealed aluminium fittings.[16]
What sound absorption do cork wall tiles declare?
What the datasheets say
Each Granorte tile datasheet lists a weighted sound absorption coefficient αw with EN ISO 354 named as the standard. ISO 354:2003 specifies a reverberation-room method for the sound absorption coefficient of materials used as wall or ceiling treatments, and the ISO catalogue shows it as confirmed in 2024.[19] The declared values are:
- αw = 0.05: Decodalle (3 mm), Modular (7 mm) and Groovy (6 mm).[1][4]
- αw = 0.1: Wabi, Mat, Carioca, Storywall, Tatami and Bebop (3 to 9 mm) and 3DForms (30 mm).[2][3][4]
- αw = 0.25: Rusticork (20 to 35 mm).[4]
- αw 0.1: Amorim's Dekwall and Burel datasheets, ISO 354.[12][13]
The 2026 catalogue table repeats the same αw figures for the products it lists; it has no Groovy column.[5] None of these documents gives a test report number, a laboratory, the mounting condition (glued to a wall, or on a cavity) or an NRC value. Decodalle and Dekwall are both 600 × 300 mm veneered tiles and declare different values (0.05 against 0.1); we do not decide between them. ISO 11654:1997, "Sound absorbers for use in buildings — Rating of sound absorption", is listed by ISO as confirmed in 2023; we read only the catalogue entry and none of the datasheets cites it.[20]
What peer-reviewed studies add
A 2020 study in Wood Research measured virgin cork slabs, about 6 cm thick with a density of 175 kg/m³, in a reverberation room to ISO 354: absorption was about 0.10 from 100 to 325 Hz, 0.60 at 800 Hz and about 0.65 from 800 to 5000 Hz, compared with 5 cm of rock wool.[17] That is thick virgin cork, steam-cooked, dried and flattened into slabs, not a 3 to 30 mm tile, and we draw no conclusion for tiles from it. A second paper tested 1.5 mm cork sheets in an impedance tube with back cavities of 3, 5, 10 and 15 cm and then measured an office with 5 m² of walls lined with cork panels 3.0 cm from the rigid rear wall; we read the abstract only.[18] Both show that absorption depends on thickness and on what sits behind the cork.
What fire class do cork wall tiles have?
Granorte's datasheets give reaction to fire as EN ISO 11925-2 extent of flame below 150 mm with no flaming droplets and fire class E to EN 13501-1; Amorim's Dekwall and Burel sheets list class E against EN 11925-2:2011 and do not name EN 13501-1.[1][2][3][4][12][13] BS EN 13501-1:2018 is listed by BSI as the current classification procedure for reaction to fire; we read the catalogue page only.[21] The sheets do not state whether the class was obtained on the tile alone or on a substrate, so ask the manufacturer for the classification report that matches your build-up.
Product type matters: Amorim Cork Composites' CORKwall datasheet (ACC.567.1, July 2014) lists Euroclass B (M1) for a projected cork coating, a different product from a tile, and a thermal conductivity of λ = 0.068 "W/m2 K" as printed.[15]
What are the emissions and certificates?
UL's GREENGUARD Gold certificate 24415-420 for Granorte's "CORK WALL TILES" shows status Certified for 16 February 2015 to 2 November 2026 under UL 2818-2022, with a TVOC limit of 0.22 mg/m³ and formaldehyde limit of 9 µg/m³ in the criteria table. It states compliance with the California CDPH v1.2-2017 method for an office and classroom environment.[10] The certificate period ends within weeks of this page. The certificate text refers to "Flooring products" and names no individual wall tile,. The UL SPOT registry entry for Granorte's "CORK WALL TILES" lists the GREENGUARD Gold certification, document 24415-420, as valid until 2 November 2026 (checked 9 October 2026). Granorte's datasheets also state "Fulfilled AgBB scheme" and "Fulfilled French Classification A+" (ISO 16000 parts 3, 6 and 9) without attaching a test report; the 2026 catalogue lists "Greenguard Gold; AgBB; A+" under "VOC Emission Certifications" for the wall tiles.[1][3][5]
Granorte's Health Product Declaration v2.3 for Decodalle (self-prepared, published 8 March 2024, expiry 8 March 2027) lists cork at about 81 to 86 % of mass, a toluene diisocyanate based prepolymer binder at 2.508 to 3.343 %, paraffin as coating at 1.672 to 3.343 %, and further isocyanate binder components (4,4′-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate, an aromatic polyisocyanate prepolymer and toluene diisocyanate) and vinyl acetate at smaller shares, with GreenScreen scores of LT-1 and LT-P1 for the highest-concern contents. It states that the HPD does not assess exposure or health risk.[11] We did not open an HPD or declaration of the binders in other cork wall tiles, and Dekwall's datasheet lists no VOC test, only EN 12149 items.[12] Granorte states FSC-certified products are available on request.[1]
We did not find an EPD for a cork wall tile. Abstracta AB's EPD NEPD-8451-8112-EN (EPD Norge, issued 11 December 2024, valid to 11 December 2029) covers a pack of four Sahara wall panels, each 450 × 450 × 60 mm of moulded cork, 4.96 kg in all with aluminium fittings, excluding packaging. Its A1–A3 GWP-total is 2.44 kg CO₂e, GWP-fossil 12.2 and GWP-biogenic −9.84, from a cradle-to-grave study under the furniture rules NPCR 026 Part B, with an estimated 15-year reference service life for the product.[16] This is a wall panel, not a tile: it is a different product from a 3 to 5 mm tile, the declared unit is a pack, and we could not open the EPD Norge registry to check its current status.
What do manufacturers say about moisture, wet rooms, finishes and care?
Granorte's laying instructions describe cork as water resistant but ask that tiles not be installed on walls with excessive moisture, and the 3DForms version adds not to install if the wall shows moisture damage or infiltration.[6][7] Its Commercial Durability Guarantee for wall coverings (version 2026.01, 7 September 2026) names the WallTrend Classic, Urban, Corky and Rustic lines (Parawax, CORKGUARD or natural finish) at 15 years for interior walls, and states that unless Granorte approves in writing the guarantee does not apply to wet or permanently damp areas, including shower enclosures, bathrooms and saunas. It also excludes damage from ambient relative humidity sustained above 70 % or below 30 %, condensation, mould and mildew.[9] We did not open a wet-room statement from Amorim.
On finishes, the datasheets describe PARAWAX as a wax-based product with "moisture/water repellence", CORKGUARD as a water-based dispersion giving water, oil and stain repellence and AQUADUR as a waterborne finish; all are manufacturer descriptions.[1][2][4] The care guide asks for dusting or vacuuming with a soft brush, a slightly damp cloth with mild soap for stains, and no solvents, bleach, powdered abrasives or steel wool.[8] The laying instructions note that cork may fade in long sun exposure.[6]
Where are cork wall tiles used?
Interior feature walls and acoustic surfaces
Best for: interior designers · architects
Granorte's 2026 wall catalogue lists most of the tiles above (not Groovy) together with its Geo panels (20 to 22 mm), which it describes as "acoustically effective"; we did not open a Geo datasheet with an αw value.[5] The tile datasheets declare αw between 0.05 and 0.25,[1][4] so the figure for the exact product and mounting is the number to ask for.
Dry rooms: offices, retail, living areas
Best for: specifiers
The documents we read set 40 to 60 % relative humidity as the ideal room condition and tie the guarantee to dry, prepared substrates.[6][9] Granorte's catalogue lists living rooms, offices and retail environments for its Geo panels.[5]
Wet areas
Best for: not established
Granorte's guarantee excludes showers, bathrooms and saunas unless approved in writing.[9] We found no datasheet that rates a cork wall tile for permanent wet use.
Suppliers whose documents we read
Manufacturers whose datasheets, certificates or EPDs we opened.
| Supplier | Products | Country | Documents seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granorte (Granorte, Revestimentos de Cortiça, Lda.) | Decodalle, Wabi, Mat, Carioca, Storywall, Modular, Tatami, Bebop, Groovy, 3DForms and Rusticork wall tiles | Portugal (Rio Meão) | Technical specifications v2022.01;[1][2][3][4] wall catalogue 2026;[5] laying and care guides;[6][7][8] guarantee v2026.01;[9] UL GREENGUARD Gold certificate 24415-420;[10] HPD for Decodalle.[11] |
| Amorim Cork Flooring (Wicanders brand) | Dekwall and Burel Cork Wall | Not stated in the files read | Technical data sheets (files dated JUL26);[12][13] Dekwall product page.[14] No certificate or EPD for these products opened. |
| Amorim Cork Composites | CORKwall projected cork coating (not a tile) | Not stated in the files read | Datasheet ACC.567.1, July 2014.[15] |
| Abstracta (Abstracta AB) | Sahara Wall Panel, moulded cork | Sweden (Lammhult) | EPD NEPD-8451-8112-EN, issued 11 Dec 2024, valid to 11 Dec 2029; registry not opened.[16] |
Documents are summarised from manufacturer files and certificates; confirm on the registry before specifying. Listing policy: editorial selection, not paid.
Frequently asked questions about cork wall tiles
How thick are cork wall tiles and what sizes do they come in?
It depends on the product. In Granorte's 2022 datasheets the wall tiles range from 3 mm (Decodalle, 600 × 300 mm) to 30 mm (3DForms, 300 × 300 and 150 × 150 mm), and the Rusticork patchwork tiles are 20 to 35 mm. Amorim's Dekwall datasheet gives 600 × 300 mm and does not state a thickness.
How are cork wall tiles fixed to a wall?
Granorte's laying instructions recommend a water-based contact adhesive applied to both wall and tile, about 100 to 120 g/m², on a levelled, dry, firm substrate; a new wall should have dried for 2 to 3 months. Tiles are acclimatised for at least 2 days (3 days for 3DForms) before laying.
What is the sound absorption of cork wall tiles?
The datasheets we read declare a weighted sound absorption coefficient αw, naming EN ISO 354 as the standard: 0.05 to 0.1 for Granorte's 3 to 30 mm tiles, 0.25 for its 20 to 35 mm Rusticork tiles and 0.1 for Amorim's Dekwall. The sheets do not state the mounting conditions or give an NRC value, and a thick virgin-cork sample in a published study measured 0.6 to 0.65 from 800 Hz upwards.
What fire class do cork wall tiles have?
Every cork wall tile datasheet we opened (Granorte and Amorim) states class E; Granorte's cite EN 13501-1, Amorim's name only EN 11925-2. Amorim's CORKwall, a projected cork coating rather than a tile, is listed as Euroclass B (M1). The tile sheets do not say whether the class applies to the tile alone or glued to a substrate.
Can cork wall tiles be used in a bathroom?
Granorte's wall-covering guarantee (version 2026.01, covering its WallTrend lines) does not apply to wet or permanently damp areas such as shower enclosures, bathrooms and saunas unless Granorte approves it in writing. We did not open a wet-room statement from Amorim.
Is there an EPD or emissions label for cork wall tiles?
We did not find an EPD for a cork wall tile. Granorte holds a UL GREENGUARD Gold certificate for its cork wall tiles, shown as valid until 2 November 2026, and its datasheets state AgBB and French A+ results without a certificate attached. We did not open a Blue Angel entry for wall tiles.
The bottom line on cork wall tiles
Cork wall tiles are a family of thin, glued-on products whose declared performance differs by tile. The datasheet holds the αw, the fire class and the adhesive and substrate rules; the guarantee and installation documents hold the humidity limits; and an emissions certificate or HPD holds what the finished tile contains and emits.
Related materials
Sources
- Granorte, "Technical Data Sheets" for DECODALLE (version 2022.01, 15 March 2022), manufacturer data. Used for dimensions, construction, finish, density, fire class, αw, λ, emissions statements and composition. Read 9 Oct 2026 from the Granorte downloads page. granorte.pt downloads
- Granorte, Technical Data Sheet WABI (version 2022.01, 15 March 2022), manufacturer data. Used for the same items for Wabi. granorte.pt downloads
- Granorte, Technical Data Sheet 3DFORMS (version 2022.01, 15 March 2022), manufacturer data. Used for dimensions, density, mass per unit area, fire class, αw, λ, composition and packaging. granorte.pt downloads
- Granorte, Technical Data Sheets MAT, CARIOCA, STORYWALL, MODULAR, TATAMI, BEBOP, GROOVY and RUSTICORK (each version 2022.01, 15 March 2022), manufacturer data. Used for dimensions, constructions, finishes, fire class and αw. granorte.pt downloads
- Granorte, "Cork Wall Coverings 2026" catalogue (PDF created 15 January 2026), manufacturer catalogue. Used for the wall property table, Geo panel dimensions and descriptive statements. granorte.pt downloads
- Granorte, "Cork Wall Tiles Laying Instructions" (version 2022.01), manufacturer guidance. Used for substrate preparation, adhesive, acclimatisation, room conditions and care. granorte.pt downloads
- Granorte, "3DForms Cork Wall Tiles Laying Instructions" (version 2022.01), manufacturer guidance. Used for 3DForms-specific adhesives, acclimatisation and moisture notes. granorte.pt downloads
- Granorte, "Cork Wall Tiles Care and Maintenance Guide" (version 2022.01), manufacturer guidance. Used for cleaning instructions. granorte.pt downloads
- Granorte, "Commercial Durability Manufacturer’s Guarantee: Wall Coverings" (version 2026.01, 7 September 2026), manufacturer document. Used for the wet-area, humidity and substrate conditions and the 15-year period for interior walls. granorte.pt downloads
- UL Solutions, GREENGUARD Gold certificate of compliance, Granorte, LDA., "CORK WALL TILES", certificate number 24415-420, certificate period 16 Feb 2015 to 2 Nov 2026, status Certified, UL 2818-2022. Third-party certificate as supplied on the Granorte downloads page; the certificate text refers to "Flooring products"; registry entry checked 9 October 2026: GREENGUARD Gold certification, valid until 2 Nov 2026, reporting body UL, document 24415-420 (UL SPOT). granorte.pt downloads
- Granorte, Health Product Declaration v2.3 "DECODALLE" (HPD unique identifier 1072557056; published 8 March 2024, expiry 8 March 2027), self-prepared by the manufacturer, no verifier named. Used for the content inventory and the Quercus suber description. granorte.pt downloads
- Amorim Cork Flooring (Wicanders), "dekwall" Technical Data Sheet (file TDS_Dekwall_INT_JUL26), manufacturer data. Used for dimensions, mass, density, thermal, αw, fire class and EN 12781 properties. PDF
- Amorim Cork Flooring (Wicanders), "Burel Wall Collection" Technical Data Sheet (file TDS_BUREL_INT_JUL26), manufacturer data. Used for the same items for Burel. PDF
- Wicanders, Dekwall product page (read 9 Oct 2026), manufacturer web page. Used for the wax or varnish finish statement. wicanders.com
- Amorim Cork Composites, "CORKWALL: Natural Exterior Building’s Skin" datasheet, ACC.567.1, July 2014, manufacturer data for a projected cork coating. Used for its fire class and λ as printed. PDF
- Abstracta AB, Environmental Product Declaration "Sahara Wall Panel 4 pcs", NEPD-8451-8112-EN, The Norwegian EPD Foundation, EN 15804+A2, NPCR 026:2022 Part B for Furniture, issued 11 Dec 2024, valid to 11 Dec 2029; third-party verifier Elisabet Amat, GREENIZE projects; declared unit one pack of 4 panels; manufacturer-commissioned. The EPD PDF was read; the registry entry could not be opened. EPD (PDF)
- Barrigón Morillas, J.M. et al. (2020). "Short note: Virgin cork, a possible environmentally friendly by-product of the cork with acoustic properties for its use inside dwellings?" Wood Research 65(6):1025–1030. Bibliographic data checked on Crossref; full text read (open copy hosted by Universidad de Extremadura). Independent, peer-reviewed. doi:10.37763/wr.1336-4561/65.6.10251030
- Iannace, G., Ciaburro, G., Guerriero, L. & Trematerra, A. (2020). "Use of cork sheets for room acoustic correction." Journal of Green Building 15(2):45–55. Bibliographic data and abstract checked on Crossref; full text not read. Independent, peer-reviewed. doi:10.3992/1943-4618.15.2.45
- ISO, ISO 354:2003 "Acoustics — Measurement of sound absorption in a reverberation room" (edition 2, 2003; last reviewed and confirmed 2024). Catalogue data as listed by ISO and seen through search-engine listings of the ISO page (the page itself returned HTTP 403 to automated access); the standard itself was not read. iso.org
- ISO, ISO 11654:1997 "Acoustics — Sound absorbers for use in buildings — Rating of sound absorption" (edition 1, 1997; last reviewed and confirmed 2023). Catalogue data as listed by ISO and seen through search-engine listings of the ISO page (the page itself returned HTTP 403 to automated access); the standard itself was not read. iso.org
- BSI Knowledge, BS EN 13501-1:2018 "Fire classification of construction products and building elements. Classification using data from reaction to fire tests" (published 31 Jan 2019, current; supersedes EN 13501-1:2007+A1:2009). Catalogue page only (checked 9 Oct 2026); the standard itself was not read. knowledge.bsigroup.com
- BSI Knowledge, BS EN 12781:2001 "Wallcoverings. Specification for cork panels" (published 15 Mar 2001, current). Catalogue page only (checked 9 Oct 2026); the standard itself was not read. knowledge.bsigroup.com