Question about book cloth not sticking to board

I tried using a new roll of book cloth last week on a project and it just would not stick to the boards. The adhesive I always use is wheat paste, same recipe I have been using for 5 years. But this cloth peeled right off after pressing overnight. I used a different brand of cloth than usual, some from a craft store that was cheaper than my normal supplier. Is the problem the cloth or did I mess up the paste ratio? Maybe I need a stronger adhesive like PVA for this material. Has anyone else had cloth fail to bond with wheat paste before?

2 comments

2 Comments

evan_burns9516d ago

Craft store book cloth is notoriously backed with a weird plasticky coating that hates water based adhesives. More than likely not your paste at all. Did you try roughing up the back of the cloth with some sandpaper first?

oliviagrant16d ago

Scuff that cheap cloth with some medium grit sandpaper before you even think about gluing it again. I got burned by the same thing a couple years back with a roll from a big box store, looked fine but had this slick coating that just rejected wheat paste like it was Teflon. After sanding, hit it with a thin layer of PVA instead, let it tack up a minute, then attach it. That plastic coating is a real pain and sandpaper plus PVA is the only fix I've found that sticks reliably.

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