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6 Steps to Lasting Pages

Use the Acid Scale When Scrapbooking

Things You’ll Need:
PH-detecting pen
Acid-free scrapbooking album and pages

Acid-Free Paper

Archival safe adhesives, markers and chalks

Step1:
Understand the acid scale. The acid scale runs from 1 to 14. One is the most acidic, while 14 is the most alkaline. Seven is considered neutral, which means that anything with a pH of 7 or above does not contain acid.

Step2:
Shop around for the right paper. Look for papers with a pH of 7 or above. If the packaging on the paper does not give the specific pH of the paper, it should say "acid free."

Step3:
Buy a pH-detecting pen. You can buy these pens at crafts stores or from Light Impressions (see Resources below). These pens are good to use if you are not sure of the pH of the paper you have bought.

Step4:
Use your pH-detecting pen to test the paper in old scrapbooks and photo albums. If the paper tests as acidic, you should remove the photos and replace them in a new, acid-free scrapbook or album.

Step5:
Expect to pay more. Acid-free paper is more expensive than regular paper. This is largely because it has undergone a process in which the natural acids were removed. This process increases the cost of manufacturing the paper.

Step6:
Make sure the other elements of your scrapbook besides the paper are safe as well. Use acid-free adhesives, markers and chalks

information provided by http://www.ehow.com/how_2044373_use-acid-scale-scrapbooking.html

Is "Acid-Free" Enough?

"Isn't acid free enough?" The answer is no, acid free isn't enough and I'll explain why.

Think about all of the chemicals that you have in your home. You know, the ones that are under your kitchen sink with a baby safe lock on them. Most of them contain toxic chemicals. Would you want any of them near your photos? Acid is NOT the only material that damages photos.

Unless we are taking precautions to ensure that we are using safe materials, we might as well place our beautiful scrapbook pages in a magnetic album. Few of us would do that, but many of us do not know very much about photo preservation, what is safe, what is unsafe and WHY certain materials should be used or avoided.

Papers should be acid free, lignin free, bleach free, chemically stable. Permanent inks should be used for writing and stamping.

The Issue of Acid and Lignin:
Anything that touches your photos should be acid-free and lignin-free, including paper, glue, markers and stickers. Why? Otherwise your photos will discolor and disintegrate more quickly than they would naturally. Products that are photo-safe will be labeled as such. You can also look for the CK-OK label, which means the product has been tested by Creating Keepsakes magazine’s experts for photo-safety.

What Is Acid-Free—and Why Does It Matter?:
Acid causes paper and photos to disintegrate. This aging process is slowed significantly when acid is removed from paper during the manufacturing process. Not all scrapbooking materials are photo-safe, so be sure your paper, glue and markers are labeled acid-free or archival-quality before you purchase them. Paper Pizazz® papers are tested and guaranteed to be acid-free and lignin-free.

What’s Lignin?:
Lignin is the natural bonding element which holds wood fibers together. Newsprint contains lignin—you’ll notice how brittle and yellowed a newspaper becomes after just a few days. Like acid, lignin can be removed during processing to make scrapbooking paper safe.

If you want to include newspaper articles or announcements in your memory album, photocopy them onto acid-free, lignin-free paper. Copy onto an off-white paper that resembles newsprint for an authentic look.

information provided by:
http://articles.scrapbooking.com/TERMS.HTM
http://www.scrapbooking101.net/articles/definitionofterms.html