Adhesives and Repair Tissue

When applying adhesive to Japanese repair tissue, choose a brush that matches the size of the surface.
If the area is small, use a small brush; a bigger area needs a bigger brush. A thin, even coat of adhesive makes the best bond. Too much adhesive will ooze out the edges of a repair and can stain other surfaces.

Apply paste or glue to paper or cloth by brushing from the center of the materials being glued toward the outer edges in a star burst pattern.
Brushing from the center out in a starburst pattern protects the edge of the paper or cloth. There might be small tears at the outer edges of a piece of paper or cloth that the brush could catch and tear or the brush might “grab” the edge of the paper and turn it back on itself, sticking the two surfaces together.

In addition to applying adhesive directly to a piece of paper, it can also be applied indirectly. This method is especially useful when working with very small pieces of paper or cloth.
Brush the adhesive onto a piece of glass or plastic then lay the paper or cloth on top of it. The paper or cloth acts as a sponge and absorbs the adhesive from below. Use the bristles of a brush or fingers to work the paste into the Japanese tissue. When Japanese repair tissue is transparent, it has soaked up all the paste it can.

Masking is another technique used to apply adhesive to paper. By using a strip of waste paper to protect most of a sheet of paper, you can apply adhesive to a very specific area in a controlled way. This is especially helpful in operations such as tipping in a page (separate post).