How to Cut Chipboard

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Things You'll Need

  • Self-healing cutting mat

  • Craft knife

  • Sharp craft knife blades

  • Pencil

  • Metal straightedge ruler

  • Image to be mounted

  • Glue

A chipboard has many uses and is very popular for scrapbooking. It can be mounted to the back of an object and cut out to add dimension to a scrapbook page. The dense structure of chipboard is stronger than corrugated cardboard making it an attractive choice for many uses. Cutting chipboard correctly is essential for a successful final product.

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Step 1

Clean your cutting area. Make sure there are no scraps of paper around that could change the height of the cutting surface.

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Step 2

Draw the image you are cutting onto the chipboard. If you are mounting something to the chipboard to cut out, it is best to mount the image first.

Step 3

If mounting an image, apply a thin layer of glue evenly to the back of the image. Flip the image over and place the glue side of the image to the chipboard. Use the edge of the metal ruler to rub across the image and remove any air bubbles. Let dry completely.

Step 4

Lay the chipboard on top of the self-healing cutting mat in the cleaned work area. Have the image side of the chipboard up. Use the craft knife to go around the edge of the image lightly creating a very shallow cut.

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Step 5

Go around the image with the craft knife, again using more pressure so the cut gets deeper. Continue to go around the image cutting deeper into the chipboard each time until the chipboard has been cut out.

Tip

For a straight line, hold the metal ruler along the side of the line as a guide for cutting. Going around the image to cut through the chipboard several times creates a cleaner cut. It also reduces the risk for breaking the craft blade.

Warning

Always use a sharp craft blade. A dull blade is harder to cut the chipboard and increases the risk of cutting yourself because more pressure has to be applied. Keep hands to the side of the craft blade when cutting. Always cut away from your body. Make sure no one is standing near you as you are cutting.

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