Paper 101 - Scoring and Folding
Scoring, Folding and Paper Grain – Practice Makes Perfect!
Learning how to find the grain direction in your paper and properly scoring your paper is key to creating beautiful and professional looking pieces with crisp, clean fold lines!
What is paper "grain"?
Paper is made up of tiny grains of fiber that align in the same direction during the manufacturing process, much like a school of fish or a flock of migrating birds!
- The many small fibers are pressed together.
- The paper grain is the direction in which most of the paper fibers run.
- The grain runs in one direction on a folio parent sheet, which is the large sheet produced by paper mills that smaller sheet sizes are cut down from.
- Depending on how the parent sheet is cut down, you will end up with paper that is either long grain, where the grain is in line with the length of the sheet, or short grain, where the grain runs in line with the width of the sheet.
- Test the paper to find the grain by bending the paper part way, as if to fold it. Do this in each direction.
- There is less resistance when the fold line runs with the grain.
| In the above illustration the grain runs from top to bottom and bends with less resistance from side to side, folding with the grain. More resistance when folding top to bottom, against the grain. | In the above illustration the grain runs from side to side and bends with less resistance from top to bottom, folding with the grain. More resistance when folding side to side, against the grain. |
| Note: If your sheet is square, you will still have grain running in one direction, so there will be a long and short grain on your sheet as well. |
With the grain vs. against the grain
Scoring Tips - get a clean fold!
- Makes a depression in the paper where you want the fold to be
- Allows you to cleanly fold along the grain as well as against the grain
- Makes a professional-looking and clean fold when using a heavier paper or cardstock
- Prevents the paper from “cracking” along the fold line
- Can be done with a scoring board, the back of a knife and a ruler, a dotting tool and a ruler, or with a tool called a “bone folder"
- Be sure to use a dull object to make the score. The score should not puncture or break the fibers on the surface of your paper, but simply make an impression
- The heavier the paper, the deeper the depression will need to be.
Score your paper to score points on your paper projects!