All artifacts are susceptible to damage and deterioration regardless of their age or the medium from which they were created, none more so than those that are paper-based. Drawings/paintings done on paper supports, documents, maps, and photographs are particularly vulnerable to tears and losses, mold spores spotting, planar distortion, tape and adhesive damage, dirt and grime, acidity, stains and discoloration. There are ways to protect these fragile pieces before they succumb to these threats, and rehabilitation methods that can be employed if they already have.

Preventive care can greatly prolong the life of paper artworks from negative environmental and human influences. To protect displayed pieces from dirt, dust, and handling while maintaining a controlled setting, they should be mounted properly using appropriate framing materials and procedures. Drawings, watercolors, gouaches, pastels, etchings, engravings, woodblocks, lithographs, silk-screens and photographs should almost always put behind a glass or plexiglass; however, the work should never be placed directly against the glazed surface. They should properly matted, and be attached to the support with Japanese rice paper using a wheat or rice starch paste (masking and cellophane tape are especially harmful and should be avoided completely). Dry mounting—pasting the sides or the entire back to a support—is almost always irreversible and should only be considered when framing items with a lower value. The procedure is probably best left to professional framers for objects of greater worth.

Paper objects not exhibited should be stored flat, away from sunlight in acid-free containers. It is best to keep them out of basements or attics, as these areas are more prone to water or mold spore damage and tend to experience more extreme changes in temperature and humidity. Collectibles should be carefully handled wearing cotton gloves, as grime and skin oil can cause surface damage.

Conservators who specialize in the treatment of paper collections should be consulted for works that have sustained various types and degrees of ruin. These skilled professionals may offer reparation depending on the condition of the artifact, its future use, its aesthetic importance, what the media will allow, and, inevitably, the client's financial resources. Below are common problems and cures associated with the use of this medium.

Weak or unprotected paper artifacts often develop tears and losses because they have not been housed properly. In the restoration process, tears are carefully aligned, then repaired (usually on the reverse) with narrow strips of torn Japanese tissue adhered with a permanent, non-staining adhesive such as starch-based paste. Holes or paper losses may be filled individually with Japanese paper (the least expensive method), with paper pulp, or with a paper carefully chosen to match the original in weight, texture, and color. The latter is the most time-consuming option, usually reserved for objects of aesthetic value. With archival objects that are not of great aesthetic importance, conservators may simply back the materials with paper inserts that have a similar weight, texture, and tone as the original material.