What could be causing my decks to warp?

Midnite

I have two decks on my nightstand that up until Sunday sat perfectly flat. Now both decks are warped. I use these decks a lot and haven't noticed them changing shape at all -- it's like it happened over night. Could this be to do with the weather/humidity? I live in Perth, Western Australia where it's usually quite dry but it's been quite humid and wet here lately. I've also noticed that a lot of my decks that have been stored away are warped too but I believe this is because they've been stacked on top of each other, in Tarot bags rather than their original boxes.
Is there any easy way to get my cards to sit flat again?
 

nisaba

It might be humidity, it might be having thicker laminate on one surface than on the other, it might be how they're shuffled (riffling in particular is very bad for cards and bends them a lot), it might be a matter of not being laid totally flat or not stood up perfectly straight during storage. It might be other factors.

As long as my decks are not curling up into lots of little cylinders (which did happen with one deck), I'm okay with a bit of warping. Like fading, staining and other minor damage, it shows a deck to be well-used and well-loved.

If they get warped enough that shuffling starts to be a problem, I take the whole deck in my hands and gently bend it against the direction of the warp. Then I cut the cards so that the middle cards are on the outside and the outer cards are on the inside, and gently bend them again. If you are more of a perfectionist, you might want to try wrapping a half-brick or other heavy weight in soft cloth and placing it on top of the deck for a few days.
 

Marcus R

Sounds like humidity. I live in Sydney. I find if I leave cards out, the change in weather can have this effect. Pack them away and add some even pressure and they should come good.
 

Marcus R

Sounds like humidity. I live in Sydney. I find if I leave cards out, the change in weather can have this effect. Pack them away and add some even pressure and they should come good.
 

Barleywine

I have a small number of decks that have done that, but I can flatten them enough for shuffling by bending them lightly in the opposite direction a few times. I believe it's due to uneven lamination as nisaba said.
 

Midnite

Thanks, nisaba. Your reply was very helpful.

I should mention that a large crystal sits on top of one of my decks. I thought this would be enough weight to ensure they would stay flat. Obviously not.

Thanks Marcus R and Barleywine for your replies also. :)
 

raheli

You'll need a large, even weight. Like a stack of books.
As for rifling, I do it on some decks, others are too stiff, my VR had been rifled for ever now and there is no wear and tear that isn't obvious on other decks.
 

earthair

At the risk of getting pillows thrown at me, if you riffled AND bridged, you could flatten them out again in a few shuffles! I live by the sea and mine warp if I leave them about.
 

nisaba

At the risk of getting pillows thrown at me, if you riffled AND bridged, you could flatten them out again in a few shuffles! I live by the sea and mine warp if I leave them about.

Riffling and bridging is what CAUSES damage, it doesn't cure it!

<makes careful note of what Tarot-visitor I shouldn't allow to handle my decks>
 

raheli

Nisaba,
I would never rifle someone else's decks!