How Thick Is Too Thick? Keeping Junk Journals from Turning into Alligator Mouths

💛 Introduction

If you have ever closed a junk journal and watched the covers spring wide open like an alligator mouth, you are not alone. Layered ephemera, chunky charms, fabric, pockets, and thick coffee-dyed paper all add gorgeous texture, but they also add bulk.

This guide walks through how to manage thickness in junk journals so your books still feel cozy and holdable instead of fighting to stay shut. We will talk about spines, page counts, how “fat” your layers can be, and when it is kinder to yourself to start a second volume.

Think of this as a friendly chat about giving your journals enough breathing room so they can age well on the shelf and still be a joy to write in.

✨ Quick Overview

If you only remember a few things, let it be these:

• Spine first, stuff second. Decide how wide your spine is, then work backwards to choose page count and how chunky you can go.
• Thin paper, thin glue, thin layers. Coffee-dyed copy paper and light layers stay flatter than heavy cardstock and thick glue puddles.
• Mix “flat fillers” with special chunkies. Use stickers, printables, and washi for most pages, and save big pieces and charms for a few feature spreads.
• Press as you go. Dry pages flat under books or clips so the bulk you keep is intentional, not just warping and wrinkles.
• There is no shame in Volume Two. When your spine is working hard, starting a new book is a sign of success, not failure.

🐊 Why Junk Journals Turn into Alligator Mouths

An “alligator mouth” happens when the guts of the book grow larger than the spine. The outer cover can only close around so much bulk before it starts to gape.

Main culprits:

• Too many pages for the spine width.
• Thick paper (heavy cardstock, watercolor paper, layers of coffee-dyed sheets).
• Wet mediums used heavily, which wrinkle and puff the paper as they dry.
• Chunky elements on many pages: layered flowers, big paper clips, bulky lace, chipboard, buttons, wax seals, thick fabric clusters.
• Gluing near the spine fold, which makes the fold itself grow thicker and pushes pages outward.

You do not need to avoid any of these forever. The secret is balance and planning so your spine can keep up.

📏 Planning Your Spine Size

Before you sew or glue signatures into a cover, pause for a tiny planning moment. It will save you so much heartbreak later.

Simple “rule of thumb” for spine width

Every maker has their own formula, but a gentle starting point is:

• For copy-weight or coffee-dyed paper with mostly flat decoration, aim for a spine roughly as thick as your text block before decorating.
• If you already know you love chunky clusters, fabric, buttons, charms, plan for a spine that is about 1.5× the thickness of your plain pages.

Stack your folded signatures together without the cover, squeeze them lightly in your hands, and measure the thickness. That gives you a real-world feel for how much room you have.

Using a hidden spine to give yourself options

If you are working with a chipboard cover that already exists and has a fixed spine, you can still build in flexibility with a hidden spine. This is a separate piece of cardstock or thin chipboard that you sew your signatures to, then glue into the cover.

A hidden spine lets you:

• Choose a slightly narrower text block than the cover spine, leaving “air” for embellishments.
• Replace or adjust signatures later if you misjudge the bulk.

For step-by-step ideas, see your guide on adding signatures to a chipboard cover without sewing.

📚 Page Count, Paper Weight & Layer Thickness

Three things control how full a journal feels even before you decorate it: page count, paper weight, and how wet your supplies are.

Choosing page count

For most junk journals with mixed media, these ranges feel comfortable:

• 1–2 signatures, 8–12 sheets each (32–96 pages once folded and counted front and back) for a slimmer, flatter book.
• 3–4 signatures, 6–8 sheets each for a chunky but still closable journal.

If all of your paper is coffee-dyed and you plan heavy decoration, lean toward fewer sheets per signature or fewer signatures overall.

Paper weight and bulk

• Copy or printer paper (80–100 gsm) is brilliant for junk journals. It is light, folds well, and takes ink and light wet mediums without building extreme thickness.
• Cardstock (200+ gsm) is wonderful for covers, tuck spots, and a few stand-alone pages, but an entire journal of it becomes bulky very fast.
• Coffee- and tea-dyed paper feels thicker after soaking and drying because of wrinkles. It is beautiful but counts as “more than one” in terms of bulk.

Wet mediums and warping

Every layer of glue, paint, coffee, ink, gesso, or mica mix contains moisture. The more you add, the more your paper expands, ripples, and thickens.

For tips on how much moisture is “too much” and how to dry pages flat, you can peek at your guide Why Do My Journal Pages Warp, Wrinkle or Stick Together.

🍬 Choosing Flat vs Chunky Embellishments

Not every element needs to be flat, but if every page has a big cluster the book grows quickly. Think of your decorations as a mix of flat fillers and special chunkies.

Flat fillers that keep bulk low

• Printed ephemera and clipart fussy cuts.
• Stickers and washi tape.
• Labels, word strips, and stamped images.
• Thin lace, trims, thread, and stitching.
• Vellum or tracing paper windows.

Chunky elements to sprinkle in lightly

• Thick fabric clusters and layered flowers.
• Buttons, metal charms, and beads.
• Wax seals, chipboard pieces, and heavy resin embellishments.
• Bulky paper clips and dangles on the outer edge.

A gentle guideline is to keep most of your pages very flat, then choose maybe 6–10 “showstopper” spreads in the whole book where you go wild with bulky elements.

Glue choices and thickness

Adhesive itself can make pages thicker. A big puddle of white glue dries raised and can cause warping. For most paper-on-paper work, reach for:

• Glue sticks or thin layers of tacky glue for flat pieces.
• Fabri-Tac or similar solvent glue for fabrics, lace, and heavier embellishments, applied in a thin bead rather than a wide smear.
• Double-sided tape for pockets and flaps that need to sit flat.

You can go deeper into glue choices in your article Which Glue Should I Use? Adhesives & Fasteners for Junk Journals and Moving Pieces.

🎀 Taming Bulk in an Already-Full Journal

What if the damage is already done and your journal is a proud little alligator right now. You still have options.

1. Press and train the spine

• Close the journal as much as is comfortable.
• Wrap it with soft elastic, a ribbon, or a wide hair tie.
• Place it under a stack of heavy books overnight.

This will not make a huge book suddenly skinny, but it can soften the curve and train the spine to sit more neatly.

2. Move or remove the chunkiest pieces

• Look for thick embellishments placed close to the spine fold. Those are the biggest space-eaters.
• Gently pry them off (solvent glues like Fabri-Tac may release with a little patience), then move them toward the outer edge of the page or onto the cover.
• If something truly does not fit, give yourself permission to remove it and tuck it into the next journal.

3. Add closures that support the shape

Sometimes a journal is happily chunky and just needs help staying together.

• Ribbon or lace tied around the cover.
• Elastic wrap, either through eyelets on the back cover or as a removable band.
• Button-and-string or buckle closures on the side.

Closures do not fix bulk, but they turn “uh oh” into “intentionally chubby and cosy.”

🪄 When to Start Volume Two

There is a quiet moment most journalers reach when each new spread feels harder to work on. Pages buckle, the book will not stay flat, and you start worrying about breaking the spine. That moment is your friendly sign that it may be time for the next volume.

Good clues:

• The covers no longer touch even with a gentle ribbon tied around them.
• The spine creaks or feels stressed when you open it wide.
• You catch yourself avoiding certain pages because the book is awkward to work in.

Finishing with a few pages blank is completely allowed. You can add a closing page, write a little “end of volume one” note, and let the next journal pick up the story. Your shelves will look like a beautiful series.

❓ Small Troubleshooting FAQ

What if my spine is already too narrow?

You can sometimes rescue things by adding a new outer spine over the old one. Create a slightly wider spine piece from chipboard or heavy cardstock, wrap it in fabric or paper, then glue it over the existing spine to widen the book. For more structure ideas, your chipboard signatures and hidden spine guide can help.

Can I still use mixed media if I want a slimmer journal?

Yes. Focus on:

• Thin, watery washes of paint instead of heavy opaque layers.
• Ink and stencils rather than thick texture paste on every page.
• Flat collage pieces with just a few raised details.

 

Should I seal my pages to keep them from sticking?

Light sealing can help, especially over mica or very glossy mediums. Use matte spray sealers or a very thin layer of clear gesso and let everything dry completely before closing the book. Your warping and wrinkling guide has more details on drying and pressing pages safely.

📚 Helpful Related Guides

If bulk management is on your mind, these articles pair nicely with this one:

• Why Do My Journal Pages Warp, Wrinkle or Stick Together?
• Which Glue Should I Use? Adhesives & Fasteners for Junk Journals and Moving Pieces
• How to Add Signatures to a Chipboard Cover Without Sewing

🎁 Free Clipart Sampler

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