Beginning a scrapbook?
This is a very special project. More than a photo album, it’s a loving gift for those most important to you! And, to make it a work of art, experienced scrapbookers concentrate on virtually every aspect of its assembly. The adhesives you work with will absolutely make the difference between an album that’s destined to provide many years of enjoyment and one that fades with time.
Given the time you’ll spend, you know the end result will be a carefully crafted album that will last for many decades! So, your priority should be to create a meaningful collection of memories that will be cherished and passed on from generation to generation, remaining intact and not deteriorating over time. Just like the photos, paper and embellishments in the album, the adhesives you choose must stand the test of time.
“First, do no harm.” Scrapbookers should take the same ethical approach when handling and preserving important original photographs, documents and memorabilia when a copy can be easily substituted. And, when you use an adhesive to adhere one surface to another, use only just enough to attach the item to your scrapbook page. Because so many different kinds of materials are being used in this craft, only choose the adhesives that will yield the best results. Use your page protectors to help organize your pages before you apply adhesive and commit to a final layout.
What does archival mean, and why does it matter?
Always look for materials, including adhesives, that are marked “archival”, “pH neutral”, “buffered” or “acid-free”. When you use glue (not acid-free), or other adhesives that are rubber based, you take a serious risk of contaminating the scrapbook over time, causing your photos and other decorative paper to yellow and discolor. Your memorabilia may also become compromised. Choosing the proper adhesive is key to protecting your treasured photos and artwork. As a rule, avoid any process that alters a photo or an item, and cannot be reversed. When you use a permanent adhesive on the back of a photograph, you eliminate the possibility of ever “repurposing” that valuable photo or document for anything else.
The Old Fashioned Way
To properly mount a photograph in a scrapbook or photo album, “photo corners” have been effectively used for over a century. For some, this method produces and old fashioned look that may not be as desirable as a flat appearance, achieved with repositionable adhesive on the back of a photo. Also, photo corners require more work by the scrapbooker, in terms of the time it takes to measure and mount four corners on a page.
Photo corners are generally adhered by moistening the back, pealing off a protective paper to reveal a layer of adhesive or using a permanent adhesive. So, once you’ve decided upon where to put the photo corners and placed them, they’re not going anywhere! Photo corners also keep the actual photos relatively pristine and free from adhesives and chemicals that can possibly cause damage.
One of the more popular mounting methods today is the use of adhesive “dots” like Zots™, Archival Adhesive Dots, on the back of your photo. Just place one “dot” in each of the four corners on the back of your photo and carefully press down. These dots are easy to work with, generally repositionable, and result in slightly raising the photo or design element, giving it an appealing, slightly three dimensional look.
Here is another important point about repositionable adhesive: Over time, many of these repositionable products can actually become permanent, so be sure to read the details on the label.
For photos, we only recommend dry adhesives, and of these, removable or repositionable.
Never use permanent adhesive, regular transparent or “magic” tape, duct tape, masking tape, white craft glue or rubber cement.
Background paper can be adhered to your base paper using double-sided tape, sheets of adhesive, mounting squares, adhesives made for vellums and glue sticks. While spray adhesive will give you an even, flat result, it is not often a recommended solution because of its potential toxicity when used indoors, and it cannot be classified as archival.
Page protectors reduce the need for excessive use of adhesives
For embellishments, be very careful not to introduce destructive chemical adhesives to your project. Some liquid adhesives are preferred for adding 3-D objects to your pages and most of them are permanent. Again, as a rule, use as little adhesive as you can to “get the job done”, and rely upon page protectors to guard against accidents and normal wear and tear.
Tags: Adhesive
Awesome article! It really helped explain a lot. I like the fact that very little adhesive is needed if used with a page protector because that will save me some money. Thanks!