How to Hang a Corkboard on a Cement Wall [7 Simple Steps]

The best way to hang a corkboard on a cement wall is by attaching metal brackets to the back of the corkboard. Then, measure your wall to determine where you want the corkboard. Mark the places where the hooks for the corkboard brackets must be positioned. Drill pilot holes in the cement wall and insert wall anchors. Drive a screw into the wall anchors to secure the hooks to the walls, then hang your corkboard.

Do’s and Don’t’s of Hanging a Cork Board on a Concrete Wall

It’s impossible to use standard nails and screws to hang a corkboard on a concrete wall. If you’re hanging a corkboard on classroom walls, in an office, or a similar space, you’ll need a secure hanging system. Remember to choose a hanging system that fits the following criteria:

• Do not try to hammer nails or drive screws directly into concrete.
• Do not use heavy duty glues or adhesives—these make removing your cork board difficult.
• Do not use adhesive tape as a load-bearing hanging system. It adheres poorly to cement walls.
• Do choose a solution that is easy to install.
• Do hang the cork board so that it can be removed without damaging paint or wall surfaces.

Because strong adhesives and wood glue can ruin paint and make taking your corkboard down later very difficult, it’s best to stay away from these solutions. Weaker adhesives, such as adhesive strips, often don’t stick well to porous concrete walls. They achieve a poor bond, and your corkboard may fall. A screw that has been anchored in a pre-drilled hole is easy to install, makes removing a corkboard simple, and causes very little wall damage. You can also consider handing your corkboard with string.

7 Steps to Hang a Cork Board on a Cement Wall

Hanging a cork bulletin board on cinder block walls can be a puzzling task at first glance. The surface is too hard for nails, and adhesive strips are prone to peeling off the wall. Before you reach for the hot glue gun to secure your cork board in place, try this method. It requires just a few tools and can be accomplished in minutes.

Add Brackets to Your Cork Board

A good bracket is the best way to get the job done when hanging your corkboard on a cement wall. For this job, we will be using these Z-clips. They are designed to interlock. So, you will install 2 brackets on the back of your corkboard. In later steps, you will install 2 brackets on the wall. Then, you will hang the board so that the brackets interlock. Here’s how to start:

• Use Z-clips to hang your cork board.
• With these 1/2-inch screws, attach 2 brackets to the rear of your corkboard. Secure one at each upper corner of the frame.
• Make sure the brackets are level and the same distance from the top of the frame.
• Attach the bracket with the middle tab point downward.
• If you have a cork board that is larger than 3 feet wide (approx 1 meter), use 4 brackets along the top frame of the corkboard.

Make sure to screw the brackets to the frame around the corkboard. The frame is more durable than the cork itself. If you are using a roll of cork, glue it to a thin sheet of plywood before attaching the brackets.

Determine a Location for Your Cork Board

Find the best place in your classroom or workspace for the corkboard. Measure from the floor to the point where you wish the lower edge of the corkboard to be. Then, use a ruler or yardstick to draw a straight line at this point. This will help guide you during installation.

• Find the most useful and accessible place for the corkboard in your space.
• With a measuring tape, measure the distance from the floor to the point where the lower edge of the cork board will be.
• Draw a straight, horizontal line where the lower edge of the cork board will be.
• If possible, hold the cork board up to the wall to find the best placement.

If the corkboard is small enough for you to manage it, hold it up to the wall in the planned location. Putting the board up against the wall can help you decide which height truly will be best.

Mark Pilot Holes for Wall Brackets

With your measuring tape, find the distance from the bottom edge of the corkboard to the brackets you installed on the rear of the frame. Then, measure the distance between the brackets. Using the horizontal line you marked on the wall, measure the height and width to install the brackets on the wall. Hold the brackets to the wall at these points and mark each screw hole with a pencil.

• Use your measuring tape to find the distance from the bottom of the corkboard to the brackets you secured to the board.
• Measure the distance between the brackets.
• Using the height and width measurements, mark the wall where the brackets will be above the lower horizontal line.
• Hold the brackets to the wall and mark the location of each screw hole.

When marking the locations of the wall brackets, make sure they are level. By ensuring both the brackets on the bulletin board and the wall are level, your board will hang level and secure.

Drill Pilot Holes

With the screw hole locations marked, it’s time to drill a small hole where each screw will be. Don’t worry about wall damage—you can easily patch these small holes with a little mortar. It’s best to use an electric drill equipped with a masonry drill bit from a wall anchor set. Drill a hole straight into the cement at each place where you marked a bracket screw hole.

• Drill pilot holes in the cement using the drill bit from this set.
• Drill a pilot hole at each point where you marked a bracket screw hole.
• Drill holes straight into the wall to a depth of 1–2 inches.

By using the drill bit from a wall anchor set, you’ll ensure the pilot holes you drill are the perfect size to accept your wall anchors. This leads to a simple and secure bulletin board installation without any guesswork.

Insert Wall Anchors

Use a hammer to gently tap a blue plastic wall anchor into each pilot hole you drilled in the previous step. If the anchors bend, break, or refuse to go in, the hole is too small, and a slightly larger drill bit is necessary. Don’t worry if the anchors go in fairly easily—they’ll expand once you drive in screws. This will help them grip the concrete.

• Gently hammer a blue plastic masonry anchor into each pilot hole you drilled.
• If the anchors refuse to go in, the hole must be enlarged with a larger drill bit.
• Once screws are inserted, the anchors will grip the concrete and prevent the screws from pulling out.
• Unanchored screws can pulverize concrete, causing damage.

Do not skip the steps of drilling pilot holes and adding anchors. If you attempt to drive a screw directly into cement, the cement will chip or pulverize. This can result in wall damage. It also increases the risk of screws pulling out of cement when you hang your board.

Screw the Wall Brackets to the Wall Anchors

Use the screws included in your wall anchor set to secure the brackets to the wall. Drive each screw into a wall anchor to hold the bracket securely in place. Tighten the screws firmly with a screwdriver or electric drill.

• Position the wall brackets so that the middle tabs are facing upwards.
• Secure the brackets to the wall by driving screws into the wall anchors.
• Tighten screws with an electric drill or screwdriver.

It’s essential to orient the brackets so that the tabs are facing upwards. This is the opposite direction of the brackets on the corkboard frame, which should be facing downwards. This orientation allows the Z-clip brackets to interlock when you go to hang your board.

Hang Your Cork Board

Hang your board by lifting it against the wall and sliding it downwards until the brackets on the board and wall interlock.

• Lift the board up against the wall and slide it downward so that the brackets interlock.
• If desired, use adhesive tape to keep the bottom and sides of the board flush with the wall.

Since the top of the board is secured with sturdy screws and anchors, feel free to use less powerful hanging tools around the bottom or edges of the board to keep it flush with the wall. Some adhesive tape can keep the bottom of the board tight to the wall once you’ve hung it on brackets.

How Do You Hang a Cork Board on a Concrete Wall?

To hang a corkboard on a concrete surface, you should:

• Install brackets on the back of the corkboard frame.
• Determine the location of the corkboard and draw a horizontal line to mark where the bottom edge will be.
• Measure the location of the brackets on the board and mark the places on the wall where corresponding brackets should be installed.
• Drill pilot holes into the concrete where wall brackets will be placed.
• Tap blue plastic masonry anchors into the pilot holes.
• Secure the wall brackets into place with screws driven into the plastic anchors.
• Hang the corkboard by interlocking the board brackets and the wall brackets.

This system makes for a very strong mounting system for your corkboard. It’s also quick to remove and leaves very little wall damage. It’s a lot easier to lift a corkboard off wall brackets than trying to peel off a board you glued in place.