The Iron-on Method:

Apply a thin layer of decoupage glue to your surface using your sponge brush.

Carefully place your paper onto the tacky surface. Starting from the center and working outward, use your fingers to smooth the paper gently.

Place a piece of parchment paper over your design. This protective layer prevents sticking during the next step.

Here’s where the magic happens – use a hair dryer on medium heat or a mini iron to warm the piece. The heat helps the paper conform to the surface without wrinkles.

Once cool, apply your top coat of glue. This final coat seals your design and provides protection.

Adding the Final Touches

TikTok-Inspired Tips for Success!

The decoupage community on TikTok has shared some brilliant techniques. Next time you start a decoupage project, remember these tricks:

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you notice wrinkles forming, don’t panic. Lifting the paper gently and repositioning it while your glue is still wet is good. Sometimes, the paper needs a moment to settle – patience is key for perfect results.

Paper tearing can discourage even experienced crafters, but there are ways to prevent it. Keep your hands clean and dry while working, and support delicate papers with a piece of cardstock when moving them. Apply gentle pressure when smoothing thin papers – let the glue do most of the work. Try using a dry brush technique for extremely delicate papers and consider pre-cutting detailed shapes before applying any adhesive.

Edge lifting can be particularly frustrating but is preventable with the right approach. Apply some extra adhesive around the edges using a small detail brush for precise work. Consider weighing edges while drying if needed, and always apply an extra sealing coat around the perimeters of your design. This attention to detail ensures your edges stay firmly in place.

Understanding the Different Types of Glues, Adhesives and Varnishes Used for Decoupage

If there was ever a topic up for debate, it would have to be “what is the best glue for decoupage?”

There are so many different opinions out there on this, and so usually it comes down to the individual person’s preferences and experience level. There really are only 3 types of adhesives that are used, so we’ll cover each of these here!

Here are the most popular adhesives for decoupage:

Warning: Learning How to Decoupage is Addictive!

Decoupage is one of my favorite things to do, and I have to warn you right now as a beginner in decoupage, it’s important to know this activity is so much fun it quickly becomes addictive.

You might start visualizing every item in your home with decoupage. You might never be able to look at images in a book or magazine the same way again. You might spend hours searching online for vintage images for decoupage projects.

My first decoupage project as a teenager was a lampshade I made by decoupaging different flower images cut out of a Better Homes & Gardens magazine. My next project was to alter a Valentine’s Day heart-shaped cardboard candy box.

Before I knew it, I sort of decoupaged my entire bedroom – yes, including the walls! To appease my mother who was worried about the walls, I decoupaged my collage cut-out pictures onto posterboard that I hung on the walls and not the walls directly themselves!

Needless to say, I very much enjoy decoupage to alter different items. It’s a very fun & creative process, and while everyone has different styles and preferences for what they like, decoupage can be quite fun for everyone to try.

If you want to learn how to decoupage, my hope is that this simple guide will help you get started!

What is Decoupage?

Fun fact: the word decoupage comes from the French word découpert, which translates literally “to cut out”.

The process for decoupaging an item is relatively simple: Take an image, glue it to an object, and then seal it. It really is that simple! Of course, there are a lot of tips and tricks to making sure your projects turn out nicely, and so that is what we will be covering in the article.