We started this company because we were tired of cutting mats that curl. So this is a subject we have opinions about. Here is what actually bends a mat, and what you can do about it.
Heat
A cutting mat is PVC. Warm it enough and it softens, and it will take whatever shape it is in when it cools. The classic ways to do this are leaving a mat in a car in summer, propping it against a radiator, or leaving it in direct sun on a windowsill. Any of those can put a permanent curve into a mat in an afternoon. Keep it out of the heat and most curling never happens.
Rolling and storing on edge
A mat that arrives rolled, or gets rolled to carry, will try to stay rolled. A mat stored leaning against a wall will bow under its own weight over a few weeks, especially the larger sizes. Flat is the only storage that keeps a mat flat: on the table, under the table, under a bed, or on a shelf wide enough to take the whole thing.
Thin mats
This is the one that is not your fault. A thin single layer mat has very little stiffness of its own, so it follows the temperature of the room and the shape of whatever it is resting on. Ours are five layers and 3 mm thick for exactly this reason. The layers pull against each other and the thickness resists bending. That is not a promise that a 3 mm mat cannot be curled, because anything can be curled if you leave it in a hot car. It is a statement that it takes a lot more to do it.
Fixing a mat that has already curled
Lay it flat on a table, grid side up, in a warm room. Not a hot one. Put something flat and heavy on top: a few large books, a board with weights, a stack of magazines spread across the whole surface. Leave it for a day or two. Most mild curls come out this way. If the curl is stubborn, some people lay the mat in the sun for a short while so it softens, then bring it inside and weight it while it cools. That works, but it is exactly the process that curled it in the first place, so watch it closely and do not leave it out.
What we would not do is use a hairdryer, an iron or hot water. All three can soften the surface unevenly and leave a mat that is flat but no longer cuts well.
Keeping it flat for good
- Store it flat, never rolled, never leaning.
- Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators, ovens and car interiors.
- Use both sides. Ours are printed on both faces, one dark and one light, so turning the mat over every so often spreads the wear and keeps the surface even.
- Do not use a mat as a hot pad or a place to rest a glue gun or an iron.
What to buy
If you are replacing a mat that curled, the thing to look for is thickness and construction, not colour or brand. Our mats are five layers, 3 mm, with a metric grid on both sides, in five colours and seven sizes. The cutting mat collection has them all, and the size guide will tell you which size you actually need.
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