How to Decoupage a 3 Ring Binder

Personalize three-ring binders with decoupage

Decoupage is a delightful and fun way to personalize a plain three-ring binder. By combining images and patterns that appeal to your personal taste, and suit the function of your three-ring binder, you can add beauty to functionality -- dressing up your school or work day.

Things You'll Need

• Three-ring binder
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• Clear-drying PVA glue or decoupage medium
• Paper images
• Craft paintbrushes
• Scissors and a precision knife
• Acrylic sealant

Instructions

1. Prepare the surface for decoupage. Clean the binder, on the sides you want to decorate, with water and mild cleanser. Then give it a once-over with sandpaper, to roughen up the surface so glue will adhere better.

2. Prepare your images. Go through old magazines, books, posters or newspapers to find intriguing images and patterns. Cut them out, and arrange them on the surface of your binder. You can layer images, as well.

3. Cover the surface of your binder, where you want to apply images, with a layer of PVA glue or decoupage medium. Spread it in a thin, even layer with a crafting paintbrush. Also spread a thin layer on the back of each image.

4. Place each image directly onto the prepared and freshly glued surface of your three-ring binder. Smooth the paper with your thumb while the glue is still wet, eliminating any bubbles or wrinkles. Continue to add images this way, until your design is complete.

5. Apply three to five very thin coats of glue or decoupage medium over the images, letting the layers dry in-between coats -- for the amount of time recommended on the label.

6. Complete the decoupage with a layer of clear acrylic sealant. When all the decoupage medium has dried completely, the images will be well affixed to the surface of your binder.

Tips & Warnings

• You can decoupage both the front and back of your binder by laying it flat. However, the rings will create an angle that might hinder your work on one side. So complete one side and the spine, then finish the other side several days later -- after the initial work has dried completely.

• Three-ring binders do not typically offer an ideal surface for decoupage. Generally, the more absorbent a surface is, the better the glue sticks -- and the longer your design will last.

References

• The Artful Crafter: Decoupage Methods
• Cut Out and Keep: Decoupage Binder