Using Magnets in Mini Albums and Paper Crafts
Use thin 1/32 Inch neodymium disc magnets in pairs, hidden under the paper. A 3/8 × 1/32 Inch Disc is the all-round choice for mini album flips, flaps and folio closures. A 1/4 × 1/32 Inch Disc suits cards, treat boxes and small tags, and a 1/2 × 1/32 Inch Disc holds covers and thicker builds. Mark the poles before you glue so every pair attracts, and keep the paper over each magnet thin: every layer weakens the hold.
- All-round size
- 3/8 × 1/32 Inch N52, 1.1 lb
- Cards and boxes
- 1/4 × 1/32 Inch N48, 0.6 lb
- Covers and folios
- 1/2 × 1/32 Inch N52, 1.45 lb
- Thickness
- 1/32 in (0.8 mm), about three sheets of cardstock
- Best partner
- A second magnet: 1.5 to 2× the hold of steel through paper
Why Paper Crafters Use Thin Neodymium Magnets
Many of the designers who teach mini albums, folios and gift boxes online close their projects with thin neodymium discs. A 1/32 Inch (0.8 mm) disc is only about as thick as three sheets of cardstock, so it hides under patterned paper without a lump, yet it’s strong enough to hold a cover shut through several layers. Magnets also never wear out the way ribbon ties and hook-and-loop dots do, and they close with a satisfying snap.
The crafters who review our thin discs use them most for mini album and folio closures, flips and flaps, pocket flaps, card and envelope closures, and treat boxes and gift card holders.
Which Magnets Work Best for Paper Crafts?
All of these are 1/32 in thick except the last two picks. Pull force is the listed rating against thick steel; through paper, a pair holds a fraction of it (see the chart below).
| Use | Our pick | Pull force |
|---|---|---|
| Envelope closures, tiny tags | 3/16 × 1/32 Inch | 0.50 lb |
| Cards, treat boxes, gift card holders, small tags | 1/4 × 1/32 Inch | 0.6 lb |
| Flips, flaps, pockets and page elements | 3/8 × 1/32 Inch | 1.1 lb |
| Folio and cover closures, larger albums | 1/2 × 1/32 Inch | 1.45 lb |
| Peel-and-stick closures | 1/2 × 1/32 Inch with 3M Adhesive | 1.45 lb |
| Big boxes, thick or springy covers | 3/8 × 1/16 Inch | 2.6 lb |
| The same, peel and stick | 3/8 × 1/16 Inch with 3M Adhesive | 2.6 lb |
Our adhesive discs come in matched packs: half have the adhesive on the north face and half on the south face, so one of each always makes a pair that attracts. See paired adhesive magnets.
How Much Paper Can Thin Magnets Hold Through?
A magnet’s pull drops fast as the gap grows, and with thin magnets the paper is the gap. For reference, patterned paper is about 0.15 mm (0.006 in) thick, cardstock 0.25 to 0.33 mm (0.010 to 0.013 in) and album chipboard 1 to 2 mm (0.04 to 0.08 in).
- One sheet of patterned paper over each magnet (about 0.3 mm between them) keeps more than half the listed pull: about 0.33 lb for a 1/4 × 1/32 Inch pair and 0.63 lb for 3/8 × 1/32 Inch.
- Cardstock plus patterned paper over each (about 0.8 mm) still holds about a third: roughly 0.2 lb and 0.38 lb.
- A layer of chipboard between the magnets (about 1.6 mm) leaves only about a fifth of the listed pull. Move the magnets to the surface, or step up to a 1/2 × 1/32 Inch or 1/16 in thick pair.
Even a few ounces keeps a light flap closed. Thick, springy chipboard covers and box lids need more, so give them a larger pair.
How to Add a Magnetic Closure
- Mark both spots. Close the flap and mark where its tip lands on the cover. Place the magnet 1/4 to 1/2 in from the flap’s edge.
- Keep the poles consistent. Keep your magnets in one stack and slide each base magnet off the top without flipping it, so every base magnet has the same face up.
- Glue down the base magnet. The quickest way is to glue it straight onto the board and cover it with paper. For a flush finish, punch or cut a hole the size of the magnet in a chipboard or cardstock layer and glue the magnet into it. Use a dot of super glue such as Starbond EM-2000 or a strong double-sided adhesive.
- Let the base magnet place its partner. Snap the second magnet onto the first; it can only land the right way round. Put a dot of glue on its top, close the flap and press. When you open it, the partner is glued to the flap in exactly the right spot.
- Cover both magnets with patterned paper or a mat, and burnish the paper flat around each one.
- Test it before you decorate. Open and close it a few times. If it pops open, use a larger magnet or less paper over the magnets.
Magnet Pairs or a Magnet and a Steel Disc?
Two Magnets
The strongest closure: through paper, a pair holds about 1.5 to 2 times what one magnet holds on steel. Plan the poles so each pair attracts. Best for covers, flaps and boxes.
A Magnet and a Steel Disc
No pole planning: either face of any magnet sticks to steel. It holds less, so use a slightly larger magnet. Our Steel Discs with 3M Adhesive peel and stick, which makes them handy for swappable toppers and tags.
Ideas for Interactive Pages and Boxes
Folio and Cover Closures
Swap ribbon ties for a tab that snaps onto the front cover. Use a 1/2 × 1/32 Inch pair, or two pairs on a wide flap.
Flips and Flaps
A pair at the free edge keeps a flip or photo flap shut until someone lifts it. Use 3/8 × 1/32 Inch discs.
Pockets and Tags
A small pair holds a pocket flap closed or keeps a pull-out tag from sliding out. Use 1/4 × 1/32 Inch discs.
Swappable Toppers
Put a steel disc behind a seasonal topper and a magnet in the page or box lid, and change the topper whenever you like.
Treat and Gift Boxes
Flip-top lids, book-style boxes and gift card holders snap shut with a pair in the lid flap and the box front.
Cards and Envelopes
Tiny 3/16 × 1/32 Inch or 1/4 × 1/32 Inch discs close tri-fold cards and handmade envelopes without a bulge.
Best Practices
- Pick one pole rule and stick to it. If every base magnet has the same face up, any flap closes on any base, and you’ll never glue down a pair that pushes apart. A Magnetic Pole Detector makes this easy: hold it to a magnet and it tells you whether that face is north or south, so you can mark a whole stack in a minute. Other ways to find the poles: identifying north and south.
- Stagger magnets on stacked pages. Magnets in pages that close on top of each other, such as waterfall flips, also pull on each other through the stack. Offset them by about 1 in, or line them up with the same face up on every page so they attract instead of pushing apart.
- Keep the paper thin over each magnet. One layer of patterned paper is ideal. Every added layer weakens the hold.
- Use two pairs on wide flaps. On a flap wider than about 4 in, a pair near each corner keeps it from twisting open.
- Glue the magnets well. Use super glue, or adhesive-backed magnets or our 3M Adhesive Dots. Water-based craft glues and glue sticks grip the smooth nickel plating poorly, and hot glue is too hot for thin magnets.
- Add magnets after heat and pressure steps. Die-cutting machines and embossing folders can crack magnets. Pouch laminators and heat embossing tools run hotter than the 149°F (65°C) rating of thin discs.
- Store loose magnets in a closed container. Thin discs stick together in stacks and are hard to find once they fall into a paper pile.
Keep Small Magnets Away from Children
Small magnets can cause serious internal injuries if swallowed, especially two or more. Don’t put magnets in albums, cards or boxes made for young children, and keep spares out of reach.
Will magnets damage photos or paper?
No. A magnet doesn’t affect paper, ink or printed photos. Our magnets are nickel plated, so they won’t rust inside a dry album. For keepsake albums, keep a layer of paper between the magnet and any photo.
Do I need to know which side is north?
Only when you pair two magnets. Keep the same face up on every base magnet, or let the base magnet pick up its partner as in the steps above. A Magnetic Pole Detector shows which face is which at a glance. With a steel disc, either face works.
Will these magnets affect my phone or credit cards?
Not at this size, unless they’re pressed right against a card’s magnetic stripe. Don’t carry loose magnets in your wallet. See magnets and electronics.
Is magnet to magnet stronger than magnet to steel?
Through a gap, yes, which is why pairs make the best paper closures. See magnet to magnet vs. magnet to steel.