Warped cutting mat--can it be saved??
 

Ughhh......I was ironing pieced quilt squares. I had the iron on cotton/steam, on top of the white cloth covered board from JoAnn's, and this was on top of my Olfa mat.

I warped it! I didn't notice until tonight after work. I've tried to unwarp it (if there is such a word). It's not working for me.

Has anyone else had this issue? If so, were you able to flatten the mat again?

TIA

I left one in the sun in the car and it warped and I had to pitch it. Could not get it flad.

I set mine out in the sun to get rid of the warp....and it worked. Make sure it gets good and hot, then set something heavy on the warped part for awhile.

Been there, done that and had to throw it out. Sorry.

Somebody wrote here a while back that they put it in the warm oven and weighed it down with heavy stuff. All I know is that mine got warped in the back of my car and it never straightened out again.

I did try to flatten it with a towel and my iron.....it flattens the warped part--kinda--however the warp seemed to travel!

Ughhh.......I love to shop......I'm hoping the mats are on sale at JoAnn's.

Thanks ladies!

Fons & Porter suggested putting it in a tub of warm water with about a cup of white vinegar (it has to lay flat) leave it for a couple of hours, rinse and it should be good to go

That is funny how the sun often damages those mats and yet Ellen had the sun reverse the damage. That is the first time I ever heard of fixing a warped mat. Congratulations Ellen!, Good luck Ginger.

Once I had a mat outside in bitter freezing weather. It was flapping along strapped to my cart with the sewing machine. I went over a curb and the thing slid out and SHATTERED into thousands of pieces! No fixing that mat.

I did try to flatten it with a towel and my iron.....it flattens the warped part--kinda--however the warp seemed to travel!

Ughhh.......I love to shop......I'm hoping the mats are on sale at JoAnn's.

Thanks ladies!

Left mine in the car brand new from the store came out after work and it was so warped. I have left it flat under a bed and out in the sun nothing seems to work I think it just got to bad. I would try putting in the hot sun maybe it'll help. Good Luck. Sue

I've done the same thing, except I didn't weight it down. I've also intentionally left it in the trunk of my car in the summer heat and it went back to normal. You can also use a blow dryer to heat it up, and put heavy stuff on it, or put a towel on top of it and a towel under it, using steam, steam the heck out of it, once it's good and hot and steamy, keep it flat and it should go back.

If that doesn't work, before you decide to throw it away, see if you can cut off a portion instead of just throwing the entire thing away. There has to be a part of it that isn't ruined, and cut the unwarped part off and make yourself a smaller board.

Gayle Bong---I have had that happen to a ruler.

I tried all those tricks, and finally cut it, and made a smaller mat out of the unwarped part..
Barri

The only person I know of who was successful in recovering a warped mat lived in AZ. She laid her matt out in the sun and after it got supple, put heavy things on it. It flattened. Doesn't get hot enough here in MN (I tried).

Thanks ladies! I'm going to cut it down and then go purchase another..........

I have tryed most of the above, nothing worked for me. I think a lot depends on what quality of board you have, I'd contact your manufacture and ask what they would recomend. Mine recomended a new matt! LOL mine was only about 20 years old.

We sort of un-warped one here in Georgia. Put it on the white concrete during the heat of a summer day, weighted it down with heavy textbooks after it got hot. It's not perfect, but it's usable. JoAnn sales and coupons are the best fix! It's amazing how little time it takes to warp one.

It doesn't take much to warp one of those mats either. I set a coffee cup on mine for just a couple of minutes and had a warp, I just smoothed on it for a while and it went flat again, I was so happy. Don't want to do that again as they are an investment.

The mat is an Olfa......I'm amazed that with the ironing white board from JoAnn's on top of the Olfa that it warped.

Oh well......live and learn!

Thanks again ladies~

This happened to a good friend of mine after she purchased it from a quilt shop!!!!! No coupon, full price, large Olfa mat. It molded to the shape of her trunk and she tried everything and couldn't get it flat.

I had one get warped in a move now I'm super picky and make them put it in a picture box and stuff around it. I tried keeping it between my mattresses for 6 months still couldn't get it to fix. Try and salvage any that does lay flat and have a small board and go get a Joann coupon and get a new one! Didn't know they were made of cotton cause their price sure when up to...Hahaha

Mine flattened out perfectly after leaving it outside on patio tiles in the hot NM sun for a day.

I have fixed mine several times. I put it on top of my clothes dryer and stack some heavy books or whatever on it.
Then I dry a big load of towels. The top of the dryer gets nice and warm that way. I leave the cutting mat there with the heavy stuff on top of it til it is completely. Voila!! The mat is not wavy anymore.

Chris

Wow - love the hot bath with vinegar suggestion - will have the bookmark this page to later reference - hope you can get the warp out of your mat.