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Print Mounting Ideas

Matt Shetzer
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Print Mounting Ideas

Looking for some print mounting ideas.

I am wanting to print a lot of my work (mainly astro photos) and hang in my office typically 22x17 (probably 30-50 images). I enjoy the printing aspect, and don't want them framed. I am not worried about protecting the print as I like to rotate my images every couple of years.

I am leaning towards mounting gloss or metallic paper on gatorboard or dibond on a wire track system for ease of rotating images.

Would love to get others ideas on simplifying the mounting process (if I can do it myself that a huge plus).

Thanks
Matt

Jul 04, 2022 at 04:20 PM

dclark
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Print Mounting Ideas

Matt,

I use a variant of what is shown in this video:

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He uses self-adhesive gatorboard already cut to the size of the finished print. Self-adhesive is so expensive I spray 3M adhesive on the back of the print and then place it on a slightly oversize piece of gatorboard (or foamcore). After rolling the print down, I cut the board to size with a metal rule and razor knife.
Also I do not glue the spacer to the back of the board but instead use velcro with sticky side on the board and the spacer so the spacer is attached with velcro. That allows removal of the spacer from the print when finished displaying the print. The same velcro mounting is used on the other side of the spacer to mount the print to the wall. That does mean the wall may get marks where the sticky side of the velcro mounts are attached to the wall. If the prints are replaced you can leave the velcro on the wall so it can be used it with the replacement print.

Dave

Jul 04, 2022 at 07:37 PM

Mick Dooley
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Print Mounting Ideas

I've done something very similar. I cut mdf (sometimes plywood) to very slightly under the print size. Then I made and glued four "spacers" to the underside edges of the cut board making it into a block. I've painted the edges black and screwed in hooks and hanging wire. Then I sprayed adhesive on print and block face. I use a sharp blade to trim off the print overhang when it is adhered. A few times when I had board that was thick enough I did not bother with the "spacers" and screwed the hooks straight into the board. Making the mounting block slightly under size gave me more confidence about lining up, but of course with care and attention it can be done spot-on.

Jul 05, 2022 at 06:31 AM

rdeloe
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Print Mounting Ideas

I need a solution like this too, and the best I've found is the self-adhesive Gatorboard in the video.

At some point in conversations like this, someone inevitably asks, "What about using foam core?" I wish! It's a lot cheaper. But apparently it's a terrible choice because it warps and is easily damaged.

Jul 05, 2022 at 07:37 AM

Matt Shetzer
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Print Mounting Ideas

Thanks for the ideas !!!

Jul 05, 2022 at 07:23 PM

Ischgl99
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Print Mounting Ideas

Another option is using Paramount Board or Ultraboard. I haven’t used either yet, but got the sample kit and am planning on mounting some to try out. The paramount 5 ply is a good thickness for mounting to hang on the wall and the Ultraboard Classic is similar to Gatorboard, but uses styrene sheets on the outer surfaces instead of wood like Gatorboard.

https://mountingboards.com/product/ultraboard-classic-peel-n-stick-mounting-board/

This video shows the different types of boards they have. He also has some videos of how he mounts the photos on the boards.

https://youtu.be/hcmzCj1g6Cg

Jul 06, 2022 at 07:26 PM

dclark
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Print Mounting Ideas

Ischgl99 wrote:
Another option is using Paramount Board or Ultraboard. I haven’t used either yet, but got the sample kit and am planning on mounting some to try out. The paramount 5 ply is a good thickness for mounting to hang on the wall and the Ultraboard Classic is similar to Gatorboard, but uses styrene sheets on the outer surfaces instead of wood like Gatorboard.

https://mountingboards.com/product/ultraboard-classic-peel-n-stick-mounting-board/

This video shows the different types of boards they have. He also has some videos of how he mounts the photos on the boards.

https://youtu.be/hcmzCj1g6Cg

The prices for the UltraBoard Classic are far below the price for comparable self-adhesive GatorBoard. It appears to me that it is not as rigid and dense as GatorBoard, but that is just based on the handling I saw in the YouTube video. Do you have samples of both to be able to compare them?

Jul 06, 2022 at 10:26 PM

Ischgl99
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Print Mounting Ideas

I don’t have a sample piece of the Gatorboard, but I have a ThinWrap from Bay Photo that uses Gatorboard and my sample of Ultraboard Classic is every bit as rigid. The foam core looks identical as well in both. I wouldn’t have a problem using either for my customers, but will probably stick with Gatorboard only because that is what Bay Photo uses and if I need to send a size larger than I can print, I want it looking exactly like everything else.

Also, make sure you get the Classic and not the Ultraboard Mount. My sample of the Mount says it’s 3/16” thick, but is noticeably thinner than the 3/16” Classic, it is also a bit less rigid.

Jul 07, 2022 at 06:22 AM

tomrock
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Print Mounting Ideas

I bought a dry mount press on Craigslist for $40. They're around if you look for them.

Jul 07, 2022 at 06:59 AM

mmm55
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Print Mounting Ideas

How about hangers, like this? https://posterhanger.com

Here's an example in a show - https://theumbrellaarts.org/sustainable-solutions. I saw a better collection of show photos just yesterday but I can't seem to find it now.

Anyway, after the initial cost of the hangers (which seems reasonable) it looks like an easy and inexpensive way to rotate through whatever you feel like displaying at the moment.

Jul 10, 2022 at 09:27 AM

armd
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Print Mounting Ideas

mmm55 wrote:
How about hangers, like this? https://posterhanger.com

Here's an example in a show - https://theumbrellaarts.org/sustainable-solutions. I saw a better collection of show photos just yesterday but I can't seem to find it now.

Anyway, after the initial cost of the hangers (which seems reasonable) it looks like an easy and inexpensive way to rotate through whatever you feel like displaying at the moment.

Some folks find the poster hanging look favorable, whereas many eschew the object impermanence that it creates. I fall into that later camp and much prefer a proper mount. Nonetheless, it is the perfect solution for some people.

Jul 10, 2022 at 01:36 PM

mmm55
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Print Mounting Ideas

armd wrote:
object impermanence

I'm still on the fence about this myself. If my prints were worth more than the cost of the actual print (which they're not), I'd be more inclined to do whatever I could to protect them. In the past I've done just that, but I'm beginning to wonder why. If I can get a few good years out of an unprotected print, and really enjoy the viewing experience, then I can't justify the cost of a quality frame, mat and museum acrylic. Reprints aren't that expensive in the grand scheme of things.

Now if you simply like the looks of a "proper" mat and frame, then that's a different story.

Jul 10, 2022 at 03:34 PM

armd
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Print Mounting Ideas

mmm55 wrote:
I'm still on the fence about this myself. If my prints were worth more than the cost of the actual print (which they're not), I'd be more inclined to do whatever I could to protect them. In the past I've done just that, but I'm beginning to wonder why. If I can get a few good years out of an unprotected print, and really enjoy the viewing experience, then I can't justify the cost of a quality frame, mat and museum acrylic. Reprints aren't that expensive in the grand scheme of things.

Now if you simply like the looks of...Show more →

I tried the poster frames with a variety of media and just didn't like the vibe - that's just me. For relatively inexpensive prints without mats/frames, I much prefer gatorboard or sintra with some glued wood backing to create a shadow effect. I don't even bother coating the prints anymore.

Ironically, today my spouse and I were having a discussion about photograph longevity when we were cleaning out the basement and ran across photos of her grandparents. These B&W from the early part of the 20th century look fabulous, though in the final analysis, the notion of longevity is really an illusion. The kids don't want the photos and when we pass the photos will probably end up in the dumpster. I guess we could digitize them to FB and then what?

Jul 10, 2022 at 08:58 PM

molson
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Print Mounting Ideas

rdeloe wrote:
I need a solution like this too, and the best I've found is the self-adhesive Gatorboard in the video.

At some point in conversations like this, someone inevitably asks, "What about using foam core?" I wish! It's a lot cheaper. But apparently it's a terrible choice because it warps and is easily damaged.

Do you have a Canadian source for (reasonably priced) Gatorboard, Rob?

Jul 12, 2022 at 08:49 AM

rdeloe
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Print Mounting Ideas

molson wrote:
Do you have a Canadian source for (reasonably priced) Gatorboard, Rob?

Alas no. This stuff is expensive so if you find a good source, please let me know! I'll do the same.

We're in the same boat as this guy on DPReview, who also didn't get an answer yet. https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4653525 I'm monitoring this thread to see if something comes up.

Jul 12, 2022 at 10:21 AM

molson
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Print Mounting Ideas

rdeloe wrote:
Alas no. This stuff is expensive so if you find a good source, please let me know! I'll do the same.

We're in the same boat as this guy on DPReview, who also didn't get an answer yet. https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4653525 I'm monitoring this thread to see if something comes up.

The cheapest I've found so far is Uline.ca:

https://www.uline.ca/BL_872/Gatorfoam-Board?pricode=YC884&AdKeyword=uline%20gatorboard&AdMatchtype=e&gclid=CjwKCAjwt7SWBhAnEiwAx8ZLaujtjgtjR1Iy4dZsCn6tM44uQknbWAh7dKabYnoFvguCqIC7iEcc3RoC3UgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

...but "cheap" is a relative term, and they don't carry the self-adhesive stuff.

Edited on Jul 12, 2022 at 11:06 AM · View previous versions

Jul 12, 2022 at 10:44 AM

choti001
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Print Mounting Ideas

Form core totally works.

When I went through an Architecture school, I used to plot 36x72 posters then mount onto form core boards, card board boards, gator boards using adhesive sprays. The trick is you'd have to start laying down a photo/poster from one end and slowly press down towards the other end by using a long piece of form board, wood, straight edge (be careful not to scrape the photo/poster).

I usually glue them onto much larger form board, so I wouldn't have to worry about aligning the photo/poster. Once the photo/poster is successfully glued, then I just cut the form board along the photos with a xacto knife.

Edited on Jul 12, 2022 at 11:13 AM · View previous versions

Jul 12, 2022 at 11:06 AM

molson
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Print Mounting Ideas

choti001 wrote:
Form core totally works.

When I went through an Architecture school, I used to plot 36x72 posters then mount onto form core boards, card board boards, gator boards using adhesive sprays. The trick is you'd have to start laying down a photo/poster from one end and slowly press down towards the other end by using a long piece of form board, wood, straight edge (be careful not to scrape the photo/poster).

I usually glue them onto much larger form board (they have and not worrying about aligning the photo/poster, then once the photo is successfully glued, then I just cut...Show more →

Every piece of foam core I have is warped...

Jul 12, 2022 at 11:08 AM

choti001
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Print Mounting Ideas

This may be costly, but if you don't want to go through printing and mounting yourself, you may want to check with a local reprographic service that can do this for you. I live in California, so I used ARC document solutions for large size plot and mounting on form boards. I haven't done much of mountings from them but they are pretty reliable. They also offer better mounting materials too.

Jul 12, 2022 at 11:21 AM

choti001
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Print Mounting Ideas

They do get warped easily, if they are not stored flat on the ground. Still, they may be the cheapest materials. There are thicker card boards but their cut sections are ugly to look at. It was just good enough for Arch. students.

Jul 12, 2022 at 11:25 AM

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