How to use WoodUbend Mouldings
WoodUbend can be painted, stained, varnished, waxed, distressed etc. Just one quick tip before you start sticking it on: do you need to do any of these processes first? For example, if you stick a moulding to a great big table are you going to be able to get to all the fiddly bits once it is stuck on!
Always warm the moulding up before applying it, even if you are going not going to be bending it, because the mouldings are never truly flat and the surface your are applying them onto is likely not to be truly flat, even glass. So by heating the WoodUbend up you are allowing it to follow the contour of the surface completely.
A trim tip! These come in a coil. Heat them in the coil and unreel it as far as you need to, but try and keep the rest of it coiled up. Otherwise it will cool flat and be a very long brittle piece of Woodubend, and believe me it takes a long time to heat a great length and coil it back up inch by inch.
You can warm the WoodUbend up using a hairdryer, a heat gun or an electric thermostatic griddle. Extra care will need to be taken with a heat gun to avoid scorching the WoodUbend. If using a griddle make sure you cover the cooking area with foil for protection, and make sure you have it on a lowish setting: we are warming it not cooking it.
Always use a good quality wood glue. I always use either Gorilla wood glue or Evo-Stick Wood. Don’t use anything other than wood glue as the WoodUbend won’t stick. The reason is the wood glue partially absorbs into the WoodUbend when warmed, so when you adhere the moulding to the surface it becomes as one with that item.
You can apply the glue either to the moulding or to the surface area you are sticking it to. I find it really depends on which WoodUbend design you are applying as to which way round I glue. For example, if you are applying a trim, it is easier to apply the glue to the surface of the item, but if you are applying a flower it is easier to apply the glue to the WoodUbend.
As soon as the WoodUbend is applied to the surface of your item, apply a little more heat, either with a hairdryer or heat gun, pressing it down as you go along, and this will enable the moulding to follow the exact contours of the item. This also allows the glue to dry quickly and the moulding will adhere to the surfaces seamlessly. You will probably find some of the glue squeezes out: I recommend a baby wipe or a small damp paintbrush to remove the excess. There is no downtime waiting for the glue to dry: the WoodUbend will be stuck tightly within minutes. Once dry you can apply your desired finish!
See WoodUbend in action!
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is WoodUbend?
WoodUbend is made from sawdust mixed with resin, so it has all the properties of wood in its cool state, but when heated the resin becomes flexible allowing the moulding to bend to the shape of the item you want to stick adhere it to.
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If I bend WoodUbend, will it stay in the shape I want it to?
Yes, it will bend to any shape and will stay that shape once it has cooled down.
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If I don’t like the shape of the WoodUbend, can I change it once it has cooled down?
Yes, simply re-heat and adjust accordingly.
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What glue do I use?
Only use a good quality wood glue: other glues won’t work. Wood glue partially absorbs into the moulding which creates good adhesion to both the moulding and the surface it is applied to.
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Where is WoodUbend made?
WoodUbend is made in Central Europe.
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How many times can you heat WoodUbend?
There is no limit.
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Does WoodUbend shrink?
No, it doesn’t shrink back after warming. But if you cut something a bit short, say a trim, you can stretch it a bit.
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Can you remove WoodUbend after the glue has dried?
Yes you can: just warm it up and remove it with a scraper or a sharp craft knife. This is ideal for decorating seasonal items, such as pumpkins and Christmas decorations and for parties, weddings etc.
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If I break a piece of WoodUbend, can I mend it?
Yes you can. Apply heat to the broken joints, add some wood glue and stick them back together.
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When you heat the WoodUbend up, do you lose the detail in the pattern?
No you don’t. The detail remains the same, but the resin allows the moulding to be flexible.
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Should I throw away used and broken pieces of WoodUbend?
No, WoodUbend is so versatile that you can use broken pieces to create all sorts of patterns and effects. They are ideal for creating a heavily carved look or around a mirror frame.