Poster Board Cutting Templates

Alright, I know these cutting guides aren't pretty, but they are VERY useful!  Here's why.  I find I often want a pretty shiny mat, frame, or border around card elements - examples:

I LOVE Hunkydory's Mirri board - but it gets a bit expensive.  Right now I could buy 10 sheets (8.27" x 11.7") for $6.99.  At that size, I could get TWENTY 5" x 7" or 5" x 6.5" pieces (my most common card size) - which comes to 35 cents each.  Since these sheets aren't fully 8.5" wide, I can only get 2 A2 size pieces - but even if I COULD get 4 per sheet, it would be 17 1/2 cents per A2 piece.

BUT, I find if I go to my local craft store in the fall, as the holiday season nears, I can purchase several colors of the shiny metallic POSTER BOARD (22" x 28") for $1.19 - or often quite a bit less on sale (I've gotten it as low as 4/$1!).  From one sheet, I can get SEVENTEEN 5" x 7" pieces - bringing it to 7 cents each for this size - obviously I could get more of each of the other sizes, so they would be even less!!!

I find it works best to cut it into my most commonly used sizes - easier to store & easier to use when needed.  

I use mostly 5" x 7", then 5" x 6.5", then A2 (4.25" x 5.5") and tall ones (9" x 3 3/4")  SOOOO, I made a couple of cutting guides.  The first cuts a whole sheet into 5" x 7" sized pieces.  The 2nd cuts a whole sheet into a variety of the other sizes.  My cutting guides aren't pretty, but I'm saving them here so I can easily find them - and maybe they'll help someone else too!

Here they are cropped so they're a little easier to see.  First is the "KEY" - what size each letter stands for (in inches):

The first guide is the easiest.  It simply cuts as many 5" x 7" as possible - with a 3" x 7" piece remaining:

To use this one I turn the poster board over & measure on each of the short sides of the poster board marking at 5", 10", and 15" from the bottom. Use a long straight edge to draw a line between marks forming THREE 5" wide strips & leaving one strip that is 7" wide.  Carefully cut along these lines with scissors.  Using your paper cutter, cut each 5" strip into 4 pieces - each 7" long.  Then cut the 7" strip into 5" wide pieces.  You should get 5 of these with a smaller piece left over.  These leftover pieces are great for die cutting smaller elements like flowers or sentiments.

The 2nd cutting guide is a bit more complicated, but it cuts several pieces of the remaining sizes I might want:

This guide gives me EIGHT pieces that are 5" x 6.5", SIX that are 9" x 3.75", FOUR that are 4.25" x 5.5" (USA size A2), ONE more 5" x 7" and a couple smaller leftover pieces.  This one takes a bit more careful measuring & cutting!  I suggest you read through the entire description before cutting anything, so you're clear about what you'll be doing. 

1. Place your piece width-wise in front of you and proceed as follows. Measuring from the bottom at 6.5" and 13" gives 2 strips for cutting the size B (5" x 6.5") pieces - BUT only take these strips down to the 20" mark (measuring from the left side).  As you can see from the picture, the rest will be used to get some other pieces.  The top 9" strip needs to be a bit longer - 22.5" from the left.  After measuring carefully, cut away these strips using scissors.  This should give you two strips that are 6.5" x 10" and one that is 9" x 22.5".  From the first two strips, you will cut FOUR pieces that are 4.25" wide.  From the 9" strip you'll cut 6 that are 3 3/4" wide.  
2. Now, the remaining piece is a bit oddly shaped as part of it is 5.5" wide and part is 8" wide.  Using your paper cutter, cut 5" off the 8" wide side, and set the rest aside momentarily.  Trim an inch off the piece you just cut - so it is 7" x 5" rather than 8" x 5" (these smaller leftover strips work great for borders!)
3. Returning to the piece you set aside, trim the rest of the 8" wide side off so the whole strip is 5.5" wide.  This 5.5" strip can now be cut into FOUR pieces that are each 4.25" wide (making FOUR A2 sized pieces).

Addendum: Here's an additional guide if you want more that are 5" x 6.5" (I'm not sure how useful this really is unless you make this size card all the time - I'm inclined to just cut 5" x 7" panels with the idea that I can cut some of them down by 1/2" if need be!):

1. Measure on each of the short sides of the poster board marking at 5", 10", and 15" from the bottom. Use a long straight edge to draw a line between marks forming THREE 5" wide strips, & one that is 7" wide.  Carefully cut along these lines with scissors.  
2. Using your paper cutter, cut each 5" strip into 4 pieces - each 6.5" long (you'll have a couple of inches left over).  
3. Then cut 7" strip into 5" wide pieces.  You should get 5 of these with a smaller piece left over.  
4. Trim 1/2" off each of the 5 pieces to make each 6 1/2" long (save remnant pieces for borders).

And if you want more that are A2 size (4 1/4" x 5 1/2"):

1. Measure 17" from the left along long side of poster board at the top & bottom.  Draw a connecting line and cut along this line.  Set remainder aside.
2. Without turning this 17" piece, mark on the left and right sides to divide it in 1/2 & then 1/2 again (horizontal lines at 5.5", 11", & 16.5").  Cut along these lines to give you 4 strips that are 5.5" wide.
3. Using the paper cutter, cut each of these 4 strips into FOUR pieces that are 4 1/4" wide - total of 16 A2 size pieces.
4. The piece you set aside is 11" wide.  Cut a 7" wide piece from this - then cut TWO 5" x 7" pieces from this (should leave you with a 1" x 7" strip which you can save for borders).
5. You now have a piece that is 15" long and 11" wide.  Cut this into FOUR pieces that are 11" x 3 3/4" wide.  (If you wish you can trim these to 9" x 3 3/4", or leave them as is.)