How to Use the Acid Scale When Scrapbooking

You want to ensure that only acid-free paper and products touch your photos. Acidic paper and products will cause your photos to discolor and degrade over time. In order to avoid using acidic products, you should know how to use the acid scale when scrapbooking.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• PH-detecting pen
• Acid-free scrapbooking album and pages
• Acid-free paper
• Archival safe adhesives, markers and chalks

Use the Acid Scale When Scrapbooking

1. Understand the acid scale. The acid scale runs from 1 to 14. One is the most acidic, while 14 is the most alkaline. Seven is considered neutral, which means that anything with a pH of 7 or above does not contain acid.

2. Shop around for the right paper. Look for papers with a pH of 7 or above. If the packaging on the paper does not give the specific pH of the paper, it should say "acid free."

3. Buy a pH-detecting pen. You can buy these pens at crafts stores or from Light Impressions (see Resources below). These pens are good to use if you are not sure of the pH of the paper you have bought.

4. Use your pH-detecting pen to test the paper in old scrapbooks and photo albums. If the paper tests as acidic, you should remove the photos and replace them in a new, acid-free scrapbook or album.

5. Expect to pay more. Acid-free paper is more expensive than regular paper. This is largely because it has undergone a process in which the natural acids were removed. This process increases the cost of manufacturing the paper.

6. Make sure the other elements of your scrapbook besides the paper are safe as well. Use acid-free adhesives, markers and chalks.

Tips & Warnings

• Although a pH value of 7 is considered neutral (it's the pH value of pure water), for scrapbooking purposes, it's safer to get papers and other materials that are slightly alkaline (that is, that have a pH value of 8).
• When shopping, look for products labeled as "archival safe," since they are generally acid-free.
• Never mount photographs on any paper that is not acid-free. Acid in paper will slowly destroy your photographs. It may take decades, but photographs mounted on acidic paper will eventually begin to discolor and become thin and brittle.
• Some papers say "acid free" on the packaging, but test as acidic with a pH-detecting pen. Because of this, it's always best to check if you have doubts.

Resources

• Buy a pH-detecting pen from Light Impressions