Paper Buckling     (Back to Top)

Extreme overbuckling of paper
Paper is a naturally hygroscopic substance - it loves water. And water, in the form of high humidity or fluctuating levels of humidity, can make paper buckle. The cellulose molecules of paper fibers will absorb water vapor until they reach equilibrium with the relative humidity of the surrounding environment. As the air around paper becomes less humid, the cellulose molecules likewise give up moisture. As can be expected, variations in moisture content are accompanied by dimensional changes--buckling, As the cellulose expands with an intake of water, the whole sheet of paper swells. When the paper dries out, the whole sheet shrinks. Different kinds of paper expand and contract at different rates and in different directions, depending on the characteristics of their fibers and the way the paper was formed.

Generally speaking, the movement of paper with environmental changes doesn't present a problem; it is a natural phenomenon, and should not be interfered with by its caretaker's squeezing the art in a heavy press, ironing it, or dry-mounting it to a stiff cardboard. Paper has a life of its own. Part of its beauty comes from this liveliness and "body."

Keep in mind that the artist chose a particular paper for working on, with its surface texture in mind. Drastic measures taken to stop buckling - ironing, dry-mounting, excessive pressing - usually alter the "personality" of the paper, resulting in a change of the look and feel of the work of art. Correctly hinged, matted, and framed, most works of art on paper will not seriously buckle if kept in a relatively stable environment. More