Warping Cards Does Any One Else Deal With This?

Feb '22 Athena-D

Hello, I'm still super new in card making. Like the over application of certain products I have learned to apply lightly like liquid glue, which can warp my finished product. This has taught me to go easy on the application and I don't use on every panel. I use 140 lb water color paper for my cards and a combination of doubled sided tape, 3d foam squares, glue stick, and Bearly art precision craft glue. But I'm still seeing my card bowing. What am I doing wrong? I've watched so many use glue for the base/background - do they have bowing and I'm just not seeing it? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Feb '22 Dawna.s Place

Your problem may not be in your choice of glue, although as you mention, it must be sparingly applied. Since your new to card making, you might find the following SB articles helpful:

Here's an excellent SB article titled, "Everything You Need to Know About Paper:" https://www.scrapbook.com/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-paper?cat=research

Here's another SB article titled, "10 Things You Didn't Know About Adhesives:" https://www.scrapbook.com/articles/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-adhesives?cat=research

You can find these articles and more under the Blog, then Research tab above. Hope this helps. Wishing you the best!
Feb '22 Athena-D

Hi Dawna.s Place,

I'm making cards that have a lot of adornment added to the front. Not using for photographs, so I'm not worried about acid free. It felt using 110 lbs card stock was a little on the flimsy side, but I can give it another try.

Thank you very much for the SB links! Lots to learn.
Feb '22 RachelUK

I think its the watercolour paper that warps. I love watercolours and if I use them on pretty much anything, I can expect a warp! I try and squish the card under something heavy once I've finished making it.
Feb '22 Dawna.s Place

Athena, 110lb cardstock is super thick (almost like chipboard),, not flimsy at all. It will hold anything you can throw at it. It's not the same as 110 lb. watercolor paper, and like Rachel said, watercolor paper can easily warp because of it's absorption properties. Bazzill and Crafter's Companion both make heavy weight cardstock that should solve your warping problem. For patterned papers, 49 and Market's papers are 110lbs.
Feb '22 Lisn2cats

You can also iron your paper flat or use a laminator (low setting) BUT BEFORE you put on embellishments, pastes and anything plastic. Ask me how I know.
Feb '22 Athena-D

RE: RachelUK: I think its the watercolour paper that warps. I love watercolours and if I use them on pretty much anything, I can expect a warp! I try and squish the card under something heavy once I've finished making it.

Yes, I love it too Rachael and I have used the heavy book technique. Thank you.
Feb '22 Athena-D

RE: Dawna.s Place: Athena, 110lb cardstock is super thick (almost like chipboard),, not flimsy at all. It will hold anything you can throw at it. It's not the same as 110 lb. watercolor paper, and like Rachel said, watercolor paper can easily warp because of it's absorption properties. Bazzill and Crafter's Companion both make heavy weight cardstock that should solve your warping problem. For patterned papers, 49 a...

Dawna.s Place, I have that card stock and will give it a try. Thank you 😊
Feb '22 Athena-D

RE: Lisn2cats: You can also iron your paper flat or use a laminator (low setting) BUT BEFORE you put on embellishments, pastes and anything plastic. Ask me how I know.

Funny thing I do have a laminator, but have never used it. This will be pulled out and I am gonna give it a try. Thank you Lisn2cats 😉 that would be nice if you can share the oops moments of how you know!

Am I'm using this forum correctly with posting my answers back? I'm not sure everyone wants to see my answers/questions.

Thank you 😊
Feb '22 Lisn2cats

RE: Athena-D: Funny thing I do have a laminator, but have never used it. This will be pulled out and I am gonna give it a try. Thank you Lisn2cats 😉 that would be nice if you can share the oops moments of how you know! Am I'm using this forum correctly with posting my answers back? I'm not sure everyone wants to see my answers/questions. Thank you 😊

Before you put your cardstock through the laminator, grab some parchment paper (I keep a roll near me since it's useful for so many things!). Fold it in half (of course trim if necessary so it fits through the machine), then laminate. Partly for those “just in case” times that the laminator tries to eat your paper but also if anything does melt or goop, you won't ruin your machine.
Feb '22 RachelUK

You're fine to put your replies on here, Athena - and we all wanted to know that Lisa had had trouble with a laminator in the past!!!
Feb '22 Dawna.s Place

Athena, you are always welcome to ask questions in the forum. There's a lot of helpful and very knowledgeable ladies on this site. Wishing you the best.
Feb '22 Amysolovay

RE: Athena-D: Hello, I'm still super new in card making. Like the over application of certain products I have learned to apply lightly like liquid glue, which can warp my finished product. This has taught me to go easy on the application and I don't use on every panel. I use 140 lb water color paper for my cards and a combination of doubled sided tape, 3d foam squares, glue stick, and Bearly art precision craft...

Here's what has solved the warping problem for me:

If you absolutely need to use a liquid glue, use Zip Dry paper glue:

https://www.scrapbook.com/store/jv-zd19.html

It doesn't buckle your paper and it dries clear in case you accidentally get it somewhere you don't want it. The major downside is that it has a strong odor, so use it in a well ventilated area.

But if you don't need to use a liquid glue, don't. I think it's better to use a tape runner or Glue Dots for most things. Zip Dry is pricey as compared against a lot of other adhesives; I think it's worth every penny, but I only use it when other types of adhesives are inadequate for the task at hand.

As far as paper goes, please consider trying Strathmore Bristol board. You can watercolor or gouache on top of it if that's what you want to do, and it will not usually buckle or bend even if you stick a lot of layers on top of it. I first discovered this paper because I took a class in fashion illustration, and my instructor recommended it for that; we were gouache painting really wet, watercolor-y types of imagery onto it in that class. But the Bristol Board is just about the best thing I have ever found for mixed media card bases where you're doing a lot of painting, inking, stamping, and gluing down layers. I've been looking for a substitute for this paper and haven't yet found anything comparable to it.
Mar '22 Athena-D

Hi Amy Solovay,
No, I haven't tried that paper, and will definitely get some soon. Running super low on my double sided tape and seeing others using glues on YouTube made me think it was ok. Silly me thought it would be more cost effective too- After putting so much into making a card and having it look that way is not worth a few cents savings. The stinky glue would really not be good for me since I work inside my home, pets, and I have asthma. So thank you for all the stinky details. 👍🏼😊👍🏼

Everyone on SB.com are really great to take the time to help and make suggestions. I'm becoming a better maker because of this community - 😎
Mar '22 Athena-D

RE: Dawna.s Place: Athena, you are always welcome to ask questions in the forum. There's a lot of helpful and very knowledgeable ladies on this site. Wishing you the best.

Thank you Dawna.s Place! 👍🏼🤓👍🏼
Mar '22 Terry0773

Just read thru everything here and I agree. Sometimes it might be the glue or sometimes the paper or watercolor paper or the weight of the design on the front.
If the design is too much and warping the paper a simple solution is to firm up the back half by adding 1 size matching card stock to the back flap on the inside of the card. (that's important) Size matching would be the size of the back portion of the card.
To flatten a card without foam tape (again important) using a laminator is terrific idea but I also use my Big Shot and enough shims to do the trick. Unfold the card first for this.
It took a couple of years for me to get with the program on the weight of paper. I was a scrapbooking person before learning card making. Any way, 110 lb c/s is the best for any card that is even 2 layer dimensional. Meaning things like die cuts or embellishments. One dimension cards are ones that are stamped only without sequins, pearls, die cuts, etc. For those 80 lb c/s works great. But use good paper. I personally love Brutus Monroe's "not your momma's cardstock". It's clean, very white and it's strong. By clean I mean no "fuzz" that interfers with your stamping.
There are only 2 glues that I use for card making: Gina K Designs Connect glue or Bearly Art. But with both of these use it sparingly as they are strong glues. I don't draw lines but rather dots of glue.

If you want ideas or to further search for answers there are great cardmakers on YouTube such as Jennifer McGuire, Gina K, Simon Hurley, or Nichole Sphor.

All this is my thoughts and experiences. Hope it helps!!!
Mar '22 Athena-D

RE: Terry0773: Just read thru everything here and I agree. Sometimes it might be the glue or sometimes the paper or watercolor paper or the weight of the design on the front. If the design is too much and warping the paper a simple solution is to firm up the back half by adding 1 size matching card stock to the back flap on the inside of the card. (that's important) Size matching would be the size of the back...

Hi Terry0773,
A lot of great tips, thank you very much! I will check out those makers and maybe try Gina K Designs glue and Brutus Monroe's paper, which I've never heard of. Quality is important even when you're learning. It sure helps to keep from getting frustrated and keeps me focused on having fun and creating. I am using the Barely Art and the fact I was laying down lines or too heavy (I didn't realize it was a strong glue) may have been the problem - even though I thought I was going light. Well, lighter than I was when I first started!

Double backing is another suggestion I didn't know about.

It's all an experiment, and process so long as I am creating 😊

Everyone's input is so very helpful. I am grateful for any tips and suggestions. For you guys to take the time out to answer is really very nice. 🤩