Pro tip: Check the humidity in your office before you start a big project

I went down to the old drafting room at the Mesa Community College last week to pick up some prints. It was so humid in there my paper stock felt like wet cardboard by the time I got back to my studio. That threw off my line work completely and I had to redo three sheets of a floor plan. I checked the humidity gauge in my own workspace and it was reading 70 percent. Has anyone else dealt with paper warping from moisture like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

alice_barnes3519h ago

Check your paper supplier too. I had a whole ream of vellum go wavy last summer and it ruined a set of elevations. A dehumidifier near your flat files helps a ton.

lily_sullivan8217h ago

Oh man, you're speaking my language! I had the same nightmare last fall with a set of site plans that turned into wavy garbage because I didn't check the humidity first. A cheap little hygrometer on my desk saved me from tossing another batch of expensive paper after that.

grant5699h ago

That hygrometer trick is a lifesaver, honestly. I've heard so many horror stories about paper going wavy from humidity, it's like the universe testing your patience. Alice made a good point about the dehumidifier too, because even the best paper can betray you if the room's off. My buddy who drafts for a small firm lost a whole set of floor plans to wavy paper last spring and he was ready to cry. Glad you found a fix that works.