When you are working on your Decoupage projects it’s always a good idea to have a lot of craft tools at your disposal.
Depending on the surfaces and materials you are working with, the tools you may need for certain Decoupage crafts can be wide-ranging.
One tool that is very popular amongst Decoupagers is the Rubber Brayer. It’s a handheld roller tool that assists you with flattening down paper, fabric, and other materials on the surface.
However, do you need to use a Brayer as part of your Decoupage toolkit to get the best results in your project?
So do you need a Brayer for Decoupage? Even though you can smooth paper and materials to the surface using a scraper or your hands. Using a Brayer really does help stick down the paper and smooth the surface in your Decoupage and papercraft projects.
The Rubber Brayer is the perfect tool to use if you are looking for a smooth, flat, and even finished surface for your projects. It can be used on paper, fabric, and printed designs to help give them a smooth finish.
It’s also important to know that when you are using a Brayer to flatten down paper or fabric for Decoupage. Brayers work best when they are being used on a flat or even surface, as they will remove wrinkles or bubbles left behind by your glue.
What Is a Brayer?
A Brayer is a small handheld roller that is traditionally used in printmaking to apply ink or paint onto a surface. However, it’s a multipurpose tool that has found its way into many other arts and crafts, including Decoupage.
For Decoupage, a Brayer is a versatile tool that is great for smoothing paper, fabric, and decoupage prints or designs onto a surface. When it’s used, you simply apply pressure and roll the tool over the surface to flatten down your materials.
A Brayer is an excellent tool to use in your Decoupage projects if you continually run into problems with getting wrinkles or air bubbles on the surface.
It’s also a great crafting tool to use if you are working on a large and flat surface, such as applying Decoupage to a coffee table and furniture. As it will allow you to ensure you can get a flat and even finish on larger surfaces.
How Much Does a Decoupage Brayer Cost?
A Decoupage Brayer will typically cost you in the region of $5 – $20 depending on the brand, quality of materials used, and its intended usage or size (in inches). However, you can pick up a cheap Brayer that’s perfect for Decoupage in most craft or hobby stores.
If you are planning to get a Brayer for your Decoupage projects. It’s a good idea to first consider what you will be using it for and if it’s going to be suitable for the materials, paper, and surface size you are using.
Usually, a small to medium-sized Rubber Brayer will offer enough versatility for most Decoupage crafts. However, there are many different kinds and sizes of Brayer that you can choose to use.
These can include Decoupage tool sets that often come with a variety of tools including Brayers. One example is the “Mod Podge Professional Tool Set” which includes a Rubber Brayer roller tool (4.5 inches), and a flat scraping tool (3.5-inch squeegee).
So no matter what type or size of Brayer you choose to get for your projects. As a rule of thumb, always ensure that the Brayer’s size and roller surface are well suited for flattening your paper and materials evenly to glued surfaces.
How Do You Use a Brayer for Decoupage?
If you want to use a Brayer to flatten down glued paper and designs in your Decoupage projects. How do you use it to get a smooth, even, and wrinkle-free finish?
Heres how to use a Brayer for Decoupage:
- Prepare your chosen surface. Ensure it’s clean and smooth before applying glue.
- Glue your paper and designs to the surface.
- Using a Brayer, apply pressure gently to the roller and flatten your designs to the surface in a straight and even motion.
- Use the Brayer to gently remove air bubbles and wrinkles by moving them to the edges.
- Allow your project to dry.
- (Optional) Seal your project using a thin coat of Mod Podge or Decoupage glue.
By following the steps above, it will be very easy to use a Brayer to help ensure the finished surface of your Decoupage design is smooth, flat, and even.
An important tip when using a Brayer for multiple decoupage projects is to ensure the Brayers roller is clean and dry each time that you use it.
So remove any dirt or glue that may have stuck to the Brayers surface before using it. This will help you to ensure you always get a smooth finish in your Decoupage projects, and your crafting tools remain clean for use.
Can You Decoupage Without A Brayer?
Yes, absolutely! You can Decoupage without using a Brayer. Even though using a Brayer helps you to achieve a flat and smooth surface in your projects. Alternatively, you can use your hands, a flat scraping tool, or even a kitchen rolling pin for larger surfaces if that is easier for you.
If you don’t have a Brayer to hand for your chosen Decoupage projects. There any many alternatives you can use that can achieve the same results.
For example, if you are applying Decoupage to large surfaces or furniture. You may want to use a tool with a much larger surface area, such as a Wooden rolling pin.
For smaller surfaces, using a Brayer may not be the ideal choice. As it can be hard to roll the small surface to remove air bubbles or wrinkles in the paper. So for this, you can use your hands, or a flat scraping tool to gently removes blemishes on the paper.
Can You Use a Brayer on Uneven Surfaces?
Even though smaller, and soft, Rubber Brayers can be forgiving on uneven surfaces. It’s usually best to use a Brayer on a surface that is relatively flat, large, and even. This is because it allows you to smooth and flatten the surface much easier than on a curved or uneven surface.
This means for Decoupage if you are trying to use a Brayer on uneven surfaces. How well it will perform will depend a lot on how small the Brayers roller is, and what the roller is made of.
Usually, a Brayer with a soft rubber roller will be a lot more forgiving on uneven or curved surfaces. Especially if it’s a small Brayer under 4 inches. This is because it won’t pull, tug or tear at the surface of your glued designs and paper.
So if you want to use a Brayer to Decoupage on uneven or curved surfaces. The ideal choice is a small Brayer (4 inches or less) that has a soft rubber surface. As it’s a lot more forgiving, and a lot less likely to leave roller marks on the glued surface.