This beginner guide is just to make you know everything about Cricut mats, and here you will get everything related to the basics of Cricut mats, like their sizes, colors, and strengths. Hence, to understand the use of Cricut mat in a better way, you should know which mat to use with which material. No matter whether you are a Cricut beginner or an experienced one, you should know the importance of a correct mat for your project. But what are those different types of mats, and which ones do you need?
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Therefore, if you are someone who wants to learn about Cricut cutting mats, this blog is for you. This guide will let you know everything you need to know, like how they work and their types, and which is an appropriate choice for you. We will also see the important tips and tricks, such as taking care of Cricut mats and how long they last.
What Are Cricut Mats?
A Cricut mat is a flexible and reusable mat that you can use with your Cricut machine to cut different projects. Each Cricut mat has an adhesive area that is used to hold the material in place while cutting. After the cut is complete, it becomes easy to remove the cut material from your Cricut mat and store it for the next project. The Cricut cutting machines are available in different sizes and grip strengths. Hence, you can find the perfect type of mat for a specific material and project design.
What Are The Different Types Of Cricut Mats?
Cricut mats come in different colors and sizes. However, knowing which mat should be used for a particular machine and material may be uneasy. So, let us break it for you.
You get Cricut mats in four different grip strengths. Each cutting mat has a different amount of “Grip” to work well with different types of materials.
LightGrip mat
This is a blue-colored Cricut cutting mat that has a good adhesive designed especially for lightweight materials. You should use the LightGrip mat for sticker paper, vellum, scrapbook paper, light cardstock, vellum, and even thin vinyl.
StandardGrip Mat-Green
This Cricut cutting mat has a medium-strength adhesive designed for medium-weight, heavy cardstock, adhesive vinyl, iron-on vinyl, and stencil vinyl.
It is also used to cut bonded fabric, faux leather, and suede. The good thing about the green mat is that they have good adhesive, which is affordable too. Hence, if you don’t know which mat to use for your project, better to go with the green mat.
StrongGrip Mat - Purple
This Cricut mat has a Strong level of adhesive designed to be used with heavyweight materials such as chipboard, cardstock, magnet sheets, leather, and balsa wood. Adhesives on the purple mat are strong and good for the materials that need to shift while cutting. For example, you have to use the purple mat every time you cut thick materials on your Cricut Maker with the help of a knife blade. However, you need to be careful, as the adhesives are so sticky that they can tear lightweight materials. You need to use a spatula tool, and you will be picking it gracefully.
Fabric Grip Mat - Pink
The Pink Fabric mat is designed with a special adhesive for fabric. This mat has a different adhesive than the other three mats, so you will have to treat it differently when it's about to clean the mat. So, it's good to use the Cricut Maker and rotary blades to cut the bounded fabric to quilt and sew projects.
How To Clean Cricut Cutting Mats?
Cricut mats are adhesive materials that are used to hold materials as they go through the Cricut cutting machine. Types of Cricut cutting mats are available with different levels of adhesive. Usually, a Cricut cutting mat can be used 40-50 times before it starts fading out. Yes, the Cricut cutting mats don't last long and will use stickiness over time. Plus, you can extend the life of your Cricut mat by cleaning it when it's dirty and protecting it between uses.
In case you don't have the Cricut scrapper tool, you should use the old credit or plastic gift card to eliminate the scraps from your cutting mat. Then, run the edge of the card across the mat to release scrap pieces. You should clean the mats regularly with the lint roller or scrapper.
Always remember to replace the plastic protector sheets. The Cricut mats have a clear protective sheet. Also, you can keep your mat clean by covering your mat with a protective sheet between projects.
The last thing to remember is to use the right mat for the right material. For instance, use the LightGrip mat for delicate materials, the FabricGrip mat for the fabric, and the StrongGrip mat for heavy-duty materials.
When Should You Clean Your Cricut Mat?
If you craft with your Cricut mats every day, you will have to clean your mats at least once a week. Usually, the Cricut mats need cleaning after every 2-4 cuts depending on the type of material used. The mat will tell you to clean it whenever you notice that the materials are not sticking as well as they should.
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