How to Apply Composition Notebook Covers?

How to Apply Composition Notebook Covers?

Back-to-School usually peaks in August as families prepare for the upcoming K-12 school year and the fall semester at universities. However, if you are starting in August, you’re already late to the game, especially if you want to get a head start and save serious cash on deals. 

Even with sales, the prices add up fast. Especially if you have multiple kids in one household and find yourself giving in to their demands for licensed backpacks, notebooks, and pencil cases— that is, if they even can try, because I sure as heck couldn’t myself growing up. 

Thankfully, there is a brilliant workaround. It lets your kids express their creativity and personality without forcing you to overspend on expensive, licensed merchandise. 

Applying the Composition Notebook Cover 

Applying a notebook sticker cover is usually pretty straightforward, but hey, accidents happen! To help you get it right the first time, here is how to do it completely stress-free with a linked supply list, but for the most part, you can use things from home.

Supplies Need

Directions

Step 1: Trim Your Cover

If you printed your cover at home on one of our recommended sticker papers, grab your scissors or a paper cutter and cut it out.

Tip on margins: Depending on how you printed it, your cut might be exact. But if you printed it with a "bleed" (extra design around the edges), don't sweat it right now! You can just fold the extra paper inside the notebook or trim it off at the very end.


Step 2: Prep the Backing

Take your notebook sticker cover and flip it over so the design is facing down. Instead of peeling the whole back off (which is a recipe for disaster!), just peel back a small portion of the backing along one edge.

 

A person's hands are shown cutting a sheet of colorful patterned vinyl or craft paper with a white machine in the background on a wooden desk.

Step 3: Align with the Spine

Carefully place the sticker cover over the notebook. Align that exposed sticky edge perfectly with the black edge of the composition notebook. Take your time here—peeling back just that small portion of the backing is exactly how we prevent those pesky air bubbles right from the start.

A person's hands are shown cutting a sheet of light blue sublimation transfer paper with a lobster and lemon pattern using a black knife, with a purple crafting machine and an iron in the background.

 

Step 4: Position Your Hands

Now that the first edge is stuck down, turn the notebook so the bound portion is closest to you. Grab your ruler or squeegee. You’re going to hold the loose backing paper with one hand and your ruler with the other.

Step 5: The Smooth-and-Pull Trick

Slowly—but not too slowly, because, remember, we’re avoiding air bubbles!—Start pulling the backing paper away from you. As you pull the backing off with one hand, use your squeegee or ruler with the other hand to firmly smooth the sticker down across the notebook cover.

A Quick Disclaimer: Depending on your sticker cover's design and how dark it is, you might still see a bit of the original notebook cover peeking through.

Pro Tip: I highly recommend buying an extra sticker cover or two just in case you make a mistake on your first try.

And there you have it—a beautifully covered, totally custom notebook! It may take a few tries to get it right, but once you get the hang of it, I won’t be surprised if you mass-make them or if your friends or family are impressed and ask for one themselves. 

Learn More?

If you choose to make, buy, or own, you can use the affiliate links provided in this blog post for some of the materials I have used and personally loved, as well as the recommendations I have received. 

Here are some recommendations for vinyl sticker paper options compatible with dye-ink inkjet printers.

Here are some recommendations for dye-ink inkjet printers.

If you would like to learn how to design your own in Canva. Check out this blog article: How to Make A Notebook Sticker Cover with Canva for a guideline and video tutorials from my YouTube Channel and other fellow creators. 

However, you can purchase our composition notebook sticker or a made-to-order composition notebook with a sticker cover from our back-to-school collection.

 

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