Anyone printing or designing cards for the first time faces a small challenge. Often without even realising it: how are folding cards folded correctly? We’ll show you what to watch out for and how card folding works without any problems.
Read more: Card folding – How to do it right!PS: We’ve also embedded a video at the end of this post that makes everything even clearer.
The design is ready, and a whole stack of fine folding cards is waiting. But: which side is the outside, and which is the inside of the card? This question shouldn’t be dismissed lightly with a “doesn’t matter”. If you don’t pay attention to the subtle difference now, it can unfortunately have very unattractive consequences. Looking at the matter up close, you’ll notice that the so-called scoring on the cards looks different on both sides.
By the way, our photo models today are Colorplan cards in the colours Sand/Mist and Natural, as well as the sustainable Crush folding cards in the colours Almond, Cocoa and Grape.
You can find them here in the Papier Direkt online shop:
- Colorplan cards DIN B6 half fold Sand / Mist
- Colorplan cards DIN B6 half fold Natur / Natural
- Crush cards Almond DIN B6 half fold
- Crush cards Cocoa DIN B6 half fold
- Crush cards Grape DIN B6 half fold
Why are cards grooved?
The thicker the material, the denser and stronger the bond between the paper fibres. Due to the stress caused by folding, the fibres may tear. The fold edge breaks open and the card becomes unsightly.
To prevent this from happening, cardboard-quality paper (160 g/m² or higher) is pre-creased. Creasing involves pressing a tool into the paper to create a depression. The material is displaced at this point. Where the tool meets the paper, a so-called valley fold is created. A bead is created on the other side of the material.
How to fold cards correctly:
Correct:
Valley fold = outside
Bead = inside
The valley fold of folding cards visible in the upper part of the image is on the outside; the bulge must be folded inwards.
The displacement of material from the outer valley fold relieves tension from the paper fibres at the fold edge. The card is easier to fold, the fold edge does not shift and the card opens up less.
It may sound simple at first glance. However, experience shows that many people do not notice the difference or do exactly the opposite.
This often leads to a brittle fold edge:
This is particularly unfortunate if the cards have already been printed, painted or written on. It is therefore essential to ensure that the valley fold is on the outside of the card.
By the way, creasing after printing is not recommended. This could damage the printed areas that run across the crease.
All folding cards in our range are pre-creased and are delivered flat. This allows you to print, paint and write on them easily and then obtain a clean fold edge.
Folding cards – Note on printing with a laser printer:
Laser printing heats up the paper. This removes moisture from the paper fibres, reducing flexibility. This increases the risk of the fold breaking. So, after printing, leave your cards to rest for a while before folding them. This allows the paper to absorb some of the humidity in the room, making it more flexible again.
Rill cards yourself:
Of course, you can also make your own cards from cardboard without using a creasing machine. We have a few tips for this too, so that there are no nasty surprises.
When creasing your cards, make sure you use a tool that is not too sharp so that you do not damage the paper fibres. A folding bone is ideal, but the empty barrel of a ballpoint pen will also do the trick. Do not use a surface that is too hard; instead, use something like the grey cardboard of an artist’s pad.
Press the ruler firmly onto the paper as a guide so that it does not slip when creasing. To be on the safe side, you can also secure the cards themselves with a few strips of washi tape or other removable adhesive tape. This allows you to crease your cards yourself before printing.
Do you have any questions about card folding or further processing cards or paper? Feel free to leave a comment below this post or ask us on Instagram @papierdirekt.
Card folding – Video Tutorial
💡 Card folding – Here’s how to do it right! 💡
How do you fold folding cards correctly? It sounds simple, but the subtle difference makes a big impact! To ensure that your cards look perfect and the fold edge does not break, we show you what you need to pay attention to.
✅ Correct: Crush Almond card
❌ Incorrect: Colorplan Sand card
The Colorplan Sand card (second card in the video, folded incorrectly) clearly shows how the folding edge of the card is broken and the paper fibres stick out from the break.
