Silhouette - which mat to choose?

The mat is an essential accessory for working with a cutting plotter. It is covered with glue, to which we attach the cutting material, so that the sheets as well as the cut parts will not move. Plotter mats from the manufacturer Silhouette can be purchased in several variants. At first, the choice of the right one can cause minor problems. It is difficult for beginners to determine which mat will be suitable for their requirements. I will try to dispel any doubts and explain what the differences between the different variants of mats are and what each of them will be most suitable for.

Standard mats

The standard mat is usually the first one we deal with after buying a plotter, and that's because it comes with the starter kit. It is ideal for starting your Silhouette adventure. It can cut paper up to 300g and various types of transparencies. To begin with, it's best to choose a paper with a slightly higher weight, preferably more than 180g, and bet on less complicated designs to cut, as the glue is quite strong at first, which can lead to damage to openwork and thin-paper cut designs when removing them from the surface of the mat. With time, the glue will gently weaken and cutting delicate materials will be easier.

The standard mat is available in dimensions suitable for different models. These are 20.3cm x 30.48cm for the Portrait 3, 30.5cm x 30.5cm for the Cameo 4, 38cm x 42cm for the Cameo 4 Plus and 60cm x 60cm for the Cameo 4 Pro, respectively. For plotters with a wider working area, smaller mats can be used thanks to the ability to adjust the device's roll spacing to match the width of the mat.

Mats with strong adhesive

These are mats used for cutting into materials such as stiff sheets of paper, fabric or thin felt. They will work great with a rotary blade when making small fabric blanks without a backing, or with a kraft blade when creating creative foam or magnetic foil projects.

You will purchase mats with strong adhesive, just like standard mats, in sizes suitable for the working field of Portrait 3, Cameo 4, Cameo 4 Plus and Cameo 4 Pro plotters.

Mats with weak adhesive

If you are creating designs from delicate materials such as thin foils, tissue paper or openwork designs from lightweight paper, a mat covered with a weak adhesive is the ideal choice. This will allow you to easily remove even the most delicate designs from its surface after cutting without the risk of tearing the elements or the unsightly curling characteristic of removing paper from stronger mats.

Mats with light glue quite like standard and strong mats are available in sizes suitable for Portrait 3, Cameo 4, Cameo 4 Plus and Cameo 4 Pro plotters. You can use the smaller format mats with plotters with a larger working area after adjusting the roll spacing.

Pixscan mats

The pixscan mats are designed for people who want to cut out hand-created designs or elements of their favorite scrapbooking papers. The mat needs to be calibrated with a phone or scanner, and then after applying the material with the design to be cut out, take a scan or photo. The image of the mat will be transferred to the program, where you need to make cutting lines around the elements you want to cut out.

The pixscan mats can be purchased in a size suitable for the Portrait 3 and Cameo 4 plotters. In our store you can also purchase a mat that fits the Silhouette Curio model.

It seems that there is no mat that can meet all requirements at the same time. Depending on the type of projects you intend to create and the device you are using, you need to decide on the right type and format. This will allow you to get the most out of your plotter and the materials you will be using. Hopefully, after reading this article it will be easier for you to make the right choice. However, if there were any doubts, our advisors are here to help and will be happy to suggest which option will be best for you.