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This information is reprinted from the For Beginners column of Hand Papermaking Newsletter #78 (April, 2007).
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Paper Storage
So you’ve managed to beat your pulp, master the pulling
of a sheet, press out the water, and get the things dried.
Now that you’ve got a big glorious stack of sheets sitting
there what are you going to do with them? Shuffle them into
some semblance of order and stick them on the edge of a
shelf somewhere? Stack them amongst old bills and syllabi?
Do as I say, not as I do. Following are some tips for
keeping your paper safe, protected, and long-lived.
Store your papers flat. As we all inevitably discover at
some point in the papermaking and drying processes, paper
has an incredible memory. Rolled paper is going to retain
those curves. Storing paper on an uneven surface such as the
top of a row of books on your shelves will cause unusual and
generally undesirable cockling. Flat files are amazingly
simple solutions to these problems if you can afford them,
as are shallow boxes or shelves. Ideally, paper should be
stacked only on other paper of the same size, but be
especially cautious about stacking larger papers on top of
smaller ones, as gravity will work against you here and
cause bowing.
Alternately, papers can be stored vertically in boxes if
they are stored with care. You neither want to overstuff the
boxes nor under-fill them, allowing your paper to slump. Use
spacers of a material such as corrugated board (preferably
acid-free) or matboard to fill extra space. If you are tight
on space and find you must store your papers rolled for a
while, roll them around a tube that is at least the width of
your rolled paper to prevent the edges from crushing. Use a
tube of the widest circumference possible.
Keep your papers clean and acid-free. Storing papers
inside drawers, boxes, and folders keeps them free of dust.
In addition to making you sneeze and making your papers
dirty, dust can cause paper to become brittle, and might
contain moisture and environmental pollutants that can
discolor and stain the paper. Your paper should be in
contact only with acid-free surfaces. Look specifically for
the label “acid-free” on materials such as boxes, folders,
or interleaving, which you buy for housing your papers. The
label “archival” does not necessarily guarantee that the
material is stable. Webster’s dictionary does not
specifically define “archival” as “pH neutral,” leaving
manufacturers some leeway in how they define the term.
Temperature and humidity extremes should be avoided. High
temperatures make your papers brittle; drops in temperature
increase the relative humidity, which can promote mold
growth and foxing (the introduction of mysterious brown
spots), and can also make your paper curl. If you are
super-fastidious and go out and purchase a hygrothermograph,
you might like to know that the ideal storage conditions are
between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit at 60% relative
humidity. As for the rest of us: don’t store your paper in
the attic, basement, or garage.
Avoid exposing your papers to light, which can bleach
them. If you are storing papers in the open (on shelves, for
example) wrap them or enclose them in folders for
protection.
Keeping your papers in folders will also minimize the
need to be constantly flipping through them to find things
at the bottom of the drawer. It is important to protect
paper from the oils in your skin. While we all enjoy
touching a beautiful sheet of paper, each handling
contributes to its eventual demise. You should especially
separate papers containing acidic materials, such as plant
fibers that have not been cooked with a caustic, to keep
these non-archival (ahem) sheets out of contact with your
other papers.
Whatever you do, do not organize your papers with paper
clips! This may seem obvious, but I have pulled rusty
paperclips from archived documents. Paperclips leave an
indelible impression and, sometimes, rust-prints. The
aforementioned folder is the best way to keep your papers
organized. Some people store their papers in plastic bags. A
note on using plastic for storage: make sure that your
papers can breathe! Closed ziplock bags for smaller pieces
could create a mold factory if there is any moisture in the
environment. It has been suggested that wooden files are
best for storing paper as they stabilize relative humidity
and do not rust as metal can.
As artists, we do not always treat our creations as well
as we ought, but making an effort to house our work with
care ensures that the fruits of our labors will last a bit
longer. Part of the beauty of hand papermaking is the
ability to make papers that can far outlast contemporary
commercial papers--or the lifespan of a CD. While I do not
believe we need to try to make paperworks--be they art or
artifact--last forever, there is something to be said for
taking responsible stewardship of the handmade in a time of
the lightning-speed ephemeral. In short: don’t treat your
paper like dirt. It will never stand up to as much erosion
as dirt does.
Copyright 2007 Hand Papermaking, Inc.
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