How to Get Rid of Wrinkles on Papers That Are Glued Together

Use a combination of steam and weight to smooth wrinkles from paper.

If you discover that some important papers that were glued together are extremely wrinkled, don't assume that they are beyond repair. You can remove the wrinkles on both sides of the papers yourself (or at least dramatically improve their appearance) with household items and a minimal investment in plexiglass. As you work on restoring the papers, refrain from touching them with your bare hands, since oil from your fingers, dirt and other debris can contaminate the material. Set up the project in a part of the house where the papers won't be disturbed by young kids or pets.

Things You'll Need

• Latex gloves
• 2 sheets of plexiglass
• Hardcover books
• Thick dishtowel or small tablecloth
• Iron

Instructions

1. Place the wrinkled, glued papers between two pieces of plexiglass, and cover the top sheet of plexiglass with hardcover books of equal size and thickness. Lay the books next to each other so they spread across the glass and their weight is equally distributed. If the papers are deeply wrinkled, place a second layer of books on the plexiglass to increase the books' weight.

2. Leave the books on the paper for 24 hours.

3. Remove the books, and check the papers to see how much the wrinkles have loosened. Lay the books back on the plexiglass, and recheck the papers after another 24 hours. If it looks like no more wrinkles were released since the day before, go to Step 4. If more wrinkles were loosened, leave the papers under the books for another 24 hours. When it becomes apparent that the books' weight isn't forcing any more wrinkles from the papers, go to Step 5.

4. Remove the top layer of plexiglass from the papers.

5. Spread a thick dishtowel or small tablecloth over the papers. Make sure the papers are completely covered.

6. Set an iron to low heat.

7. Iron the cloth covering the papers with a steady, circular motion. Press firmly on the cloth and move the iron over the entire surface of the papers for two minutes.

8. Check the papers. If the wrinkles are loosening, put the cloth back on top of them and continue ironing for two minutes. If the papers' appearance hasn't improved, turn up the heat on the iron to medium before continuing.

9. Remove the cloth from the papers. Turn the papers over, lay the cloth on top of them, and iron for another two minutes to release the wrinkles on the other side.

10. Repeat Step 8 to smooth the other side of the papers. Keep rotating which side of the papers you are ironing beneath the cloth every two minutes until you are satisfied with their appearance.

References

• The Collector's Guide; Conserving Works of Art on Paper; Patricia Morris