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I'm making some doors for a cabinet, into which will be oak veneered mdf panels and on one side I want to stick some lovely, but delicate Japanese paper.
I'm thinking that I will first glue down some wallpaper backing paper or maybe cartridge paper, before sticking the Japanese paper on top.
But, as the paper is dead thin and a little translucent, I'm worried about any glue showing through or the paper wrinkling etc.
Anyone have an idea what adhesive I should use for such delicate paper?
How I should apply it and how to treat it as it dries?
I can stick the panels into a vacuum bag for veneering so they can be nice and flat, but what type of adhesive?
Spray mount?
Wallpaper paste?
It's got to be not seen, stick well and be permanent.
👍
The Repair Shop probably has an episode where someone’s using Japanese paper. I know the chap who does book restoration uses Japanese tissue, and probably a water-based glue, but I honestly don’t know the details. There may be something on YouTube about applying Japanese tissue or paper, because it’s a Japanese technique. Worth a look, anyway.
3M 77 is what I use to stick templates to wood. They're pretty thin but with just a light spray they don't wrinkle. Japanese paper may be on a different level though.
Whatever, 3M probably has the answer...
I don't know the answer but Japanese craft shops might.
A quick online search shows two with extremely similar names - Japan Craft and Japan Crafts; one of them lists 'yamato glue' which is described as starch based.
Niwaki sell a range of Japanese home and garden products so they may have contacts who could advise.
If you already have the paper, ask the supplier and/or ask them to ask the producer.
Have you thought about contacting the Japanese embassy?
or the Japan centre in Kensington. The staff are pretty knowledgeable about Japanese Arts and Crafts.
Thanks all.
Some avenues to try there.
The paste stuff sounds good but I have to do an area of around 320mm square at a time and I think maybe it's intended more for fairly small areas.
A spray type adhesive may be the way to go but I'll maybe get in touch with one of those craft supply places. 👍
A Japanese craft shop is the obvious place to go to for the correct paper and glue.
Another idea would be to try model airplane suppliers, the ones who supply balsa and paper kits. The paper there is fitted wet, then it tightens up when it dries. From memory, you apply glue to the balsa frame first, lay the damp paper over that, then more glue on top of the paper along the frame. You then work the glue through the paper with your finger so that the paper is properly glued to the frame. It's decades since I did that though, so memory is hazy. You apply dope afterwards to seal it all. I don't think you'd want to dope the paper if you were using it for doors.
Thanks, but again, it sounds more like a technique for small, delicate areas rather than relatively large flat panels.
Ideally I want minimal moisture.
Gluing onto only one side of a panel can have a tendency to warp the panel (hence the use of balance veneers)
Needs more research as I may not have much extra to experiment with.
May just try a weak wallpaper paste mix and then keeping it dead flat in a vacuum bag.
I am a little unclear is it going down flat to a board or is it onto a frame like... A Japanese door.
Anyway that stuff is good. I think you might need to trial and error a few things. Note in the link they suggest uhu stick for delicate paper.
I’m thinking back to when my mother, an artist, would attach wet paper to a board using wet gum tap around the edges. The paper would wrinkle-up when wet and dry absolutely flat.
I am a little unclear is it going down flat to a board or is it onto a frame like… A Japanese door.
It's to give the look of a Japanese door/screen, but going onto a flat board on a wardrobe.
So it's wide areas, rather than narrow edges of frames.
I’m thinking back to when my mother, an artist, would attach wet paper to a board using wet gum tap around the edges. The paper would wrinkle-up when wet and dry absolutely flat.
Yes, stretching paper. Did this myself in Art bitd, but I think the thing with that is that it doesn't really stick the paper to the board as such. It just contracts and goes taught due to being constrained at the edges. You also need a decent border for the gum tape, whereas this only has a small rebate and the panels are only 6mm thick so no real edge to tape to.
I need a nice, flat, bubble free surface that is actually stuck down and will remain in place.
Going to try Spray Mount first I think. It's repositionable, but supposed to be permanent ultimately.
http://www.ikigailiving.co.uk/&ved=2ahUKEwjdtpmgr-r_AhXQTsAKHaJiCl4Q_Bd6BAgdEAY&usg=AOvVaw0PvXK5L0fUaX3LXAghKq9 x"> http://www.ikigailiving.co.uk Japanese shop in Leamington, not sure they'd have anything as it's mostly homeware/Studio Ghibli, but might know someone who does similar stuff with paper - they host workshops so may have contacts