| Wood | | | | You need to be extra careful to remove any |
| Lightly sand any rough spots. Fill rough spots and | | | | excess glue from the glass surface, once your |
| holes with wood filler and then sand. Wipe with a | | | | prints are applied. It's also very important to work |
| damp sponge. If you want a stained background, | | | | on a clean surface. When using PVA glue on glass, |
| use a water-soluble, alcohol-based wood stain. You | | | | add a drop of glycerin to prolong the drying time. |
| may need to seal the wood. | | | | Once you have applied your cutout to the glass |
| You can apply your cutout directly onto untreated | | | | surface and allowed the glue to dry, you can |
| wood, but it's better to apply a sealer. Before | | | | remove any glue by wiping the glass with a |
| sanding wood paint a base coat first as the | | | | window cleaner. Don't apply glue to the image, |
| water-based paint lifts the fibers of wood way | | | | only to the glass. Don't worry about leaving too |
| from the surface so when you sand the paint the | | | | much glue between the glass and the image as it |
| fibers are easily removed. The first coat of paint | | | | will dry clear. The more glue you work with, the |
| highlights imperfections that you can correct with | | | | easier it is to get rid of bubbles. Similarly, it's ok to |
| filler. | | | | leave a thin film of glue both on the glass and the |
| When using a wood base, remember that oil and | | | | back of the image. |
| water don't mix. The most common decoupage | | | | Spray a small amount on a damp sponge or cloth |
| glazes are water-based and won't adhere properly | | | | and remove any excess glue from the glass. |
| to wood that has been stained with an oil-based | | | | Cotton swabs work well to remove glue from |
| stain. | | | | small areas. |
| If you've stained wood with an oil-based stain, | | | | Plastic |
| you need to seal it with an oil-based sealer. If you | | | | To decoupage on plastic, you need to roughen |
| want to decoupage a piece of old furniture and | | | | the plastic first with sandpaper. This will give it |
| aren't sure of the finish, find an inconspicuous spot | | | | some tooth with which to grab and provide a |
| to test your glaze. | | | | tight seal. You will need to allow extra drying and |
| Glass | | | | extra curing time than with other surfaces. Dry to |
| Wash your glass item with soap and water, rinse | | | | the touch isn't enough. Lightly press your finger in |
| thoroughly, and wipe dry. Wipe the surface with | | | | an area that won't show to test it if possible. If |
| rubbing alcohol or vinegar and allow to dry before | | | | not, allow several days for drying to be on the |
| working on the surface. Don't touch the surface | | | | safe side. Keep the object protected against dust |
| once it has been cleaned as oil from fingers can | | | | while it's drying. |
| cause your images to not seal properly. | | | | |