How to Repair a Damaged Diploma

New graduates treat their diplomas like fragile objects as they cross the commencement stage. This level of care diminishes as a diploma is moved from home to home in storage boxes with questionable integrity. You need to know how to repair a damaged diploma, which could involve anything from a torn corner to an ink stain. Read on to learn how to repair a damaged diploma.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Photo editing software
• Heavy paper

1. Scan a copy of your damage diploma to your computer to begin repairs. You should set your scanner on high resolution and store the best copy possible to repair damaged sections. Save the document to a compatible file type for your photo editing software.
2. Assess the paper weight and ink used on your diploma to repair your damaged diploma effectively. Most print shops can look at your diploma and match the paper with something in their inventory to help you calculate repair costs.
3. Cut out ink spots and stains on your damaged diploma using photo editing software. Play around with matching paint colors and simple cutting options on your software to make basic repairs to your diploma.
4. Obtain a quote for printing services by a university printer to create an accurate replica of your diploma. Diplomas are printed on high-end color machines with specifications unavailable through individual printers.
5. Adjust the color and quality of a damaged diploma on your computer to complete a minor repair. Software packages with an auto-adjust feature fix discoloration on a document in a matter of seconds.
6. Stack a few heavy books on the corners of a damaged diploma to cure curled edges. You need to leave the books on your diploma for at least a week to repair curling from years of poor storage.
7. Cover tears and other damage on the edges of your diploma with an oversized frame. A frame with a thick border can distract attention from small damage outside of the printed area on the diploma.
8. Match the color of your diploma with backing material of the same size to cover up small holes and tears. A tan diploma can look brand new when you place a piece of tan paper on the back of the frame.

Tips & Warnings

• Solicit quotes from a photo repair shop in town for your damaged diploma. These quotes should be compared with your maximum repair budget to determine whether a professional diploma repair is worth the money.
• Gather information on requesting a replacement for your damaged diploma from the issuing institution. A diploma with multiple burn marks, ink spots and obfuscation of text is difficult to repair to its original form.