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PSA: watered down PVA on a spine warp, and the 3 day wait that actually fixed it
I had a hardback with a warped spine board and figured glue was glue, so I mixed PVA 50/50 with water and brushed it on thin, hoping it would dry flat. By the next morning the board had curled worse, like a potato chip on my bench here in Boise. I posted a question in a local craft shop and an older binder told me to press it under weight for 3 full days without touching it, and that was the part I kept skipping. Pulled it out and the board sat flat within maybe 1/8 inch, way better than the quick fixes I'd tried twice before. Do you all thin PVA for board repairs or use something else for warps like this?
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hannahs714h ago
Thinning PVA 50/50 is too much water for a spine board. Water is what causes the paper and board to swell and curl in the first place, so adding more of it just makes the warp worse before it gets better. You got lucky that the 3 day press pulled it back, but a board soaked that wet can also dry weak or come back warped later when the weather changes. A better fix is straight PVA used sparingly, or a dab of paste if you need slip, then clamp it flat right away and leave it alone. The weight and the waiting are the real fix, not the water. Next time skip the thinning and just press it longer.
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