If you've ever looked at a worn hardcover and wondered what it could become with a bit of cheesecloth and paint, this tutorial is exactly that. I walk through the complete process of transforming an old book cover into a textured, gold-toned junk journal — from sanding the cover right through to finishing the inside panels. Every step is on camera, and the whole thing is more approachable than it looks.
What we cover
Starting with surface prep and cheesecloth application using a diluted PVA glue solution, this tutorial moves through stenciling with modeling paste, layering brown and gold acrylic paint, attaching a metal bookplate with brads, reinforcing the spine with cardstock, and lining the inside covers with fabric panels. The finished journal has that layered, tactile quality that's hard to get any other way.
What you'll learn
How to prep a book cover so cheesecloth actually sticks — not every cover needs the same treatment. A plasticky, smooth-finish cover needs sanding first; a fabric cover can take glue straight away. The goal isn't to strip the surface completely, just to rough it up enough that your hand feels the texture change.
How to mix and use a PVA glue solution for cheesecloth application, including:
- The ratio: roughly two thirds PVA to one third water, runny enough that it drips and flows
- Why runny glue matters — thick glue drags the cheesecloth and tears it; this solution lets you work with a gentle hand
- Using a cereal box liner as your work surface so the cheesecloth peels off cleanly when dry
How to apply cheesecloth to a book cover without holes or lifting, including:
- Applying glue to the cover first, laying the cheesecloth down, then adding more glue on top — the same gentle touch you'd use for decoupaging napkins
- Working the cloth into the spine grooves and hinge creases so it sits flush everywhere
- Using a bone folder to push it into tight valleys
- Wrapping the cheesecloth around to the inside of the cover so the edges can't lift later
Where gesso fits — and when you can skip it entirely — you can apply gesso before the cheesecloth, after it dries, or not at all. I skipped it completely on this journal and went straight to modeling paste. No single right answer here.
How to create a raised stencil design using modeling paste, including:
- Positioning and holding the stencil steady while you spread the paste
- Keeping the paste level so the design comes out clean
- Lifting the stencil carefully to preserve the edges
- The option to mix acrylic paint directly into the modeling paste so you skip a painting step later
How to paint over textured cheesecloth with two colors, including:
- Applying a brown base coat over everything — cover, spine, and edges
- Dry-brushing gold paint over the raised texture with almost no paint on the brush
- Using a baby wipe to pull back gold that lands too heavy — because once it sinks into the cheesecloth grooves, it's very hard to remove
- Building coverage gradually rather than going in with a loaded brush
How to attach a metal bookplate with brads, including:
- Layering fabric, scrap paper, and the metal plate into a simple composition
- Using a tack of glue to hold everything in position before poking holes
- Why you do this step before finishing the inside cover — so the brad backs are hidden rather than punched through a finished panel
How to reinforce a book spine with cardstock — cutting a strip slightly narrower than the spine width so the cover can still close properly, painting both ends so nothing shows, then gluing it in. Once the signatures are bound through it, there's a second layer of security holding everything in place.
How to line the inside covers with fabric panels, including:
- Cutting two panels to fit each cover exactly
- Gluing the fabric strip over the spine first, then pressing it into the hinge grooves on both sides
- Gluing the panels over the top so the join is hidden
- Leaving the panel edges with a little breathing room rather than gluing everything completely flat
- Adding a ribbon closure before the panels go down if you want one — running it across first and then covering the attachment point
Why to press glued panels under weight as they dry — even well-glued fabric will lift slightly at the edges if left unsupported. Setting the cover flat under something heavy while it dries is what gets everything bonded flush.
Tips & gotchas
Sand any plasticky or smooth-finish cover before you start — you don't need to remove all the sheen, just enough that the surface feels rough to the touch. If you skip this, the glue has nothing to grip.
The PVA solution needs to be genuinely runny. If you have to drag the brush to spread it, it's too thick and you'll pull the cheesecloth out of place. When in doubt, add a little more water.
Keep a piece of plastic — a cereal box liner works perfectly — underneath the cheesecloth while you work. If you use paper, the cloth sticks to it. If you go past the book's edges with glue and there's nothing protective underneath, you'll have the same problem.
Pay attention to the creases. The hinge grooves and spine valleys are where cheesecloth most wants to sit proud. Work it in carefully; use your bone folder. If pushing one side down causes the other to lift, that's a sign to work in two stages — do one section, let it tack down, then do the next.
With the gold paint, less really is less. Load your brush, wipe most of it off on scrap paper, and then lightly brush over the raised texture. You can always add another pass. If you apply too much and it settles into the cheesecloth grooves, a baby wipe can pull some of it back, but it's not easy. Build up slowly.
Do the bookplate and brads before you finish the inside cover. I made this mistake on another journal — forgot the bookplate, finished the inside, then had to punch through the finished panel and cover the brad backs with a pocket. It worked out fine in the end, but doing it in the right order is much simpler.
Cut the spine reinforcement cardstock a little narrower than the actual spine. A strip that's exactly spine-width will stop your cover from closing. A slightly narrower piece leaves just enough room for the hinge to move.
When gluing fabric over the spine and inside panels, use proper craft glue — not glue sticks and not double-sided tape. Those are temporary. Glue sticks especially: they feel secure when you first apply them, but they don't hold long-term on books that open and close regularly.
Avoid pooling glue under fabric. Work with enough to bond, spread it around with a cheap brush so it's not concentrated in one spot, and if any seeps through, catch it before it dries.
Once the inside panels are down, lay the cover flat under something heavy. That's what ensures everything bonds flush rather than lifting at the edges over time.
The reinforced spine means you can bind directly through it, and the fabric-lined inside gives you a clean surface to work from whether you're adding a pocket, a title tag, or just leaving it open. The cheesecloth texture holds paint and wax beautifully, so the cover keeps changing slightly every time you add a new layer — which, for a junk journal, feels exactly right.
