Today we are going to talk about Mod Podge, and some best practices when using it to craft our Caravan Shoppe printables.
1. Tools
There are several “homemade” versions of Mod Podge, but don’t be fooled. The original Mod Podge is made up of more than just water and glue, and doesn’t yellow or flake. We recommend using the real thing.
Alma has shared this with us, and we are going to say it again… get your prints printed at a printing center. Card stock, sticker paper, or even plain old copy paper is fine, when printed on a laser printer at a print center. Laser printers use toner, made of fine powder, and are heat fused. There is no color bleeding, and they are smudge proof. Think about the time you ironed that pen mark on your dress shirt, then couldn’t get it out. Heat set. Inkjet printers, the kind most of us use at home, spray a liquid ink through microscopic nozzles on to the paper. The paper absorbs the liquid ink, and the result is a less sharp image that can bleed when wet. Oh, and let’s not forget the whole color issue too.
Foam brushes and flat brushes work about the same. Both can leave stroke lines, sometimes they are less noticeable if you use the Matte finish Mod Podge.
Fine or extra fine grit sand paper. The sand paper has a two fold purpose. First, it will be used to prep your surface, but we will talk about that in a minute. The second purpose is to lightly buff out those pesky brush strokes.
The tool that might just be a game changer for you is the brayer. A brayer is commonly used for printmaking, but we are using it kind of like a squeegee/rolling pin. This tool can help eliminate some of the brush stroke lines, and makes sure your paper is evenly glued down.
It is also helpful to have a cup of water, and a cloth for clean up.
2. Surfaces
Mod Podge can be used on just about any surface. Before you even open your glue, we recommend you prepare the surface of your project.
Sand wood and plastic. Wipe away any dust.
Wash glass or metal to make sure it is free from any sticky tag residual.
Terra cotta and foam just need a little wipe down.
3. Now gather your supplies, it’s go time!
Medium thick coat. That is your mantra when Mod Podging. You can brush the glue directly on to your surface, or on to the back of your paper, just be sure your coat is medium thick. If you don’t have enough glue adhering your paper to your surface, you can get wrinkles. Just clarify the wrinkles are on your paper, not your face (ha!). Regardless, we don’t want them, so make sure you have enough glue. Excess glue can easily be wiped off.
Grab the brayer. Use it to roll out the excess glue and make sure the paper is wrinkle free.
Once you are satisfied with the placement and wrinkle free nature of your picture, apply a medium thick covering coat.
Time to take a break. I really want to stress this step. Give your Mod Podge 15 to 20 minutes to rest and dry before you apply another coat.
We recommend at least two coats.
As tempting as it might be to use your project right away – don’t! Let the Mod Podge dry for 24-72 hours. Now you can enjoy!
Designed by Nikki from Salty Pineapple