“Crafting Tip Tuesday” is a new idea we’re kicking off! Every now and then we will share a new tip that can make your Paper Realms products go together a little cleaner and easier. These are intended to be bite-sized bits of information. If they leave you with more questions than answers, reach out to us and we can chat more!
Reinforcing Tiles
Our first tip is about reinforcing the tiles you will find in our modular terrain. The instructions will tell you that you only need to affix the textured tile to the back of the foam core base, and this is true. Different paper and environmental conditions can affect the surface of the tile, however. If you find your tile surfaces start to warp, reinforcing the tiles.
Strategy 1: Reinforce from the inside
A great strategy is to glue a scrap piece of cardstock under the tile face. Cut a scrap to a size just smaller than the tile. For example, a 6″x6″ tile would want an extra piece that is maybe 5 ⅞”x5 ⅞”. Using a glue stick or spray glue, set the scrap in place on the back side of the textured tile face before attaching it to the foam core base. It needs to be slightly smaller so the sides can wrap around it easily. If you use a white (PVA) glue, this could cause more warping than before!
Strategy 2: Reinforce from the outside
If your tiles are already constructed and warping is a problem, gluing a new face onto the tile can help. Carefully remove the tabs from the corners and sides of the tile. Hold your craft knife’s blade flat and work it under each tab. Using a freshly printed tile texture, cut out just the face of the tile – you don’t need the sides and bottom flaps for this. Glue the new face onto the tile. Re-attach the tabs you removed, or make new tabs if needed.
Parting thoughts
It’s impossible to predict how things will turn out for everyone. Different paper, different printing methods, and different glues all change the finished product. Our modular terrain is pretty forgiving, but sometimes a little reinforcement can make a big difference!
If you’ve done some crafting already and are wondering about ways to improve your results, send us a photo of your work, and let us know what kind of paper, printer, glue and other tools you’re using. Sometimes a simple tweak to the process can improve the results a lot. It might just turn into a new Crafting Tip!
