How to Flatten a Rolled Diploma

You’ve walked the stage at graduation and thrown your mortarboard in the air with the rest of your class. You may have received a diploma with a red ribbon for show during the ceremony or an empty diploma cover. Still, most colleges don’t deliver your diploma for several months after your commencement day. Typically, colleges and universities will mail your rolled diploma scroll home in a cardboard tube to protect it from damage while in transit.

While it does a good job protecting your degree from the elements, a mailing tube often causes your diploma to become curled. Luckily, you can fix and frame your diploma after it’s been rolled up; just follow these easy steps to flatten curled paper gently.

When Will I Receive My Diploma?

The specific date you can expect to receive your actual diploma will differ based on the school you attended. Typically, December graduates can expect to receive their diplomas at their permanent address in February or March. Similarly, if you are a May graduate, your degrees are typically sent out in July or August.

However, it doesn’t matter when you receive your diploma in the mail. You can still order a custom diploma frame from Church Hill Classics ahead of time. They already know what size diploma frame you need based on your year of graduation, so be sure to enter your class year during checkout. That way, you will automatically have your licensed frame in the correct measurements, because they have an extensive database of diploma dimensions.

If you purchase an unlicensed or generic frame, however, make sure you follow the directions at checkout for how to measure your degree. You’ll need to know the printed diploma size in order to calculate what size degree frame you’ll need.

How to Flatten Rolled Paper

When it comes to de-curling your diploma, you want to be extremely careful not to damage it. These steps are best for flattening rolled paper in a gentle and safe way.

1.) Locate a dry and clean, smooth flat surface (like a table or counter) and carefully unroll your diploma facedown.

2.) Before putting a weighted item on each corner, place a cloth, napkin, or towel on top of the diploma to protect it from damage. Tissue paper can also be used for this step.

3.) Place some weight on each corner of the diploma. If you don’t have paperweights, use household items like heavy books, coffee mugs, or salt and pepper shakers. Most heavy objects will do the trick. Make sure they’re clean and not so heavy that they would crush the paper.

4.) If you have a diploma that’s larger than 11″ x 14″, add weight to the center and the middle of each side to help the diploma lie flat.

5.) Check on your diploma’s progress every few hours, adjusting the weights as necessary. It shouldn’t take more than 24 hours to flatten your diploma.

6.) Remove the weights and pick up your diploma. If it doesn’t roll up, it’s done flattening. However, if the corners of the degree roll a bit, do not worry. They will lie flat once framed.

*Important tip: Do not iron your diploma or put it in the oven on a baking sheet. Many diplomas are made of sensitive materials, such as sheepskin or parchment paper. Regardless of the diploma paper used, it could become permanently damaged by the heat.

Protect Your Degree in a Custom Diploma Frame

Once you have a smooth, flat college degree, make sure you safeguard it in a Church Hill Classics degree frame. If you’re not sure what size you need for your licensed diploma frame, have no fear. There’s nothing to measure; we already know the dimensions of your diploma, so that the white background of your degree will fit perfectly in our college diploma frame. Consider companion frames for your commencement keepsakes, like a graduation cap frame or an honor stole shadow box.

The best part of this method for flattening a rolled diploma is that you can also use it for other papers. Whether you have an art piece or printed family photos rolled up in a rubber band, you can help them lay flat with these easy steps. With a little care and patience, you can safely restore your diploma to its original form, ready to be proudly preserved and displayed for years to come.