hand painted Chinese wallpaper

Hazany

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Posts
264
Location
Philadelphia
We are framing 3 pieces of hand painted Chinese wallpaper (worth $3000). The client doesn't want any kind of glazing in the frame. I suggested permanently mounting them on 4ply mat board that is glued to gatorboard. I would be using a cold roller press as these are large.
The issue is that the paper does not lay flat and is wavy. Pressing on it creates a crease somewhere. We know this because we tried one! Ouch!
Someone suggested glueing them to some kind of fabric or canvas and then stretching them like canvas. I don't see how we wouldn't get a crease that way.
Any suggestions? I will try to attach pictures. Thank you in advance.
Bruce
Vision Graphics
 

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Gatorboard really isn't suitable for use in situations where conservation is important (it is not acid free). I'd say to look into sintra, or a similar PVC foam sheet product.

We have mounted these types of wallpapers in the past, the only thing that worked was making slits to relieve the differences in geometry between the paper and the mounting substrate.

You don't get away from the creases, you can only decide where they will be ultimately located.

Good luck!
 
If you are going to glue/permanently mount to a backing board it is no longer conservation framing - you are changing the art and it may significantly reduce the value. I would very definitely speak to the customer and explain that gluing to the backing board is not Conservation and may reduce the value of the art. If they tell you t o go ahead I get a sign-off that is very specific.

What is the size?

There is just some art that is not going to lay flat without help. Myself, I would really push DCO (Direct Contact Overlay) with a good quality acrylic glazing. At least that way you are not changing the art by gluing it to a backing board.

You could also use Preserve Ultra Kool Tack. That is totally reversible and acid free. If you don't have a press large enough maybe your vendor does or another shop.
 
These are 36x53 which will fit in the heat press.
They are wallpaper (made by the Gracie Company) which is meant to be glued to walls (in really fancy houses). So gluing them is okay even though they cost so much. That's why the client suggested it.
But as Wilson mentioned, when something doesn't lay flat, you can decide where the crease will end up or you can cut slits. If we cut slits, it would be obvious in the design of the picture.
I am guessing the wallpaper installers end up with creases and maybe cut here and there but it would be hard to see such issues on large walls.
If we don't mount them, even under acrylic, they would look wavy which isn't an option.
 
If I recall correctly, we had to call the client in for a a little while, we applied a repositionable adhesive over the substrate, the wall paper was then applied by hand with the client there to OK where the slits had to go.

I'm curious to see if you come up with a different approach. You may want to talk to you client about what they envision vs what is possible.
 
How about keeping them in (unmounted) scroll form, and including that as part of the framing design?
 
I can suggest the scroll type of framing as a last resort.
We were just discussing what Wilson suggested which is that if the adhesive is not very aggressive at first and we can lift the paper off and reposition it, we have a better chance. Luckily there is about 12 inches of extra paper all around the part that will be framed. Perhaps we can push the creases to the outside edges that get trimmed.
 
I am just afraid that a third person might make a mistake and cost me a few thousand! I am going to test acrylic medium gel which I have used before for mounting.
 
After noting the size that you have stated, I think that these sections of wallpaper are leftovers from a project. They are not even long enough to go from the floor to ceiling of any room that I know of. With my appraisers hat on, I would like proof that these "remnants" are worth $3,000.
As for mounting, I would contact a poster conservator who regularly applies paper art to a substrait of fabric.

https://bradbury.com/studio.html
 
Yeah, what Jerome said. This wet mounting stuff is tricky. If a poster conservator can't do it, I wouldn't try to do it myself.
 
If we don't mount them, even under acrylic, they would look wavy which isn't an option.
If you learn about Acrylic/DCO framing, you will know how the pressure and padding of the assembly would make the papers perfectly flat.
 
devils advocate idea
use wallpaper paste to mount to sheet rock or sintra....
you could still cold press vacu mount using a foam sheet on the top
 
The wallpaper is custom made to this size for the client. I can’t have someone else handle it. It took months to get it. I definitely have to glue it somehow. I don’t trust the roller press or the vacuum press for mounting these. They have to be mounted “by hand”. I will report what we end up doing. Thanks for all your advice. I will do some studying and experimenting.
Bruce
 
In case anyone is interested I wanted to let you know how this wallpaper project progressed.
We had to learn all about wallpaper installation and buy all the proper tools. We practiced with cheap wallpaper to learn about any possible problems - There were many!
It turns out that wallpaper is best installed with wallpaper paste. The paper was very wavy but the paste relaxed and flattened it. There is what they call 'booking" the wallpaper. Booking means letting the paste expand for a few minutes before installation.
3 of us rehearsed every move ahead of time and were successful. There are no creases or bubbles now that we are done.
Bruce
 
Glad that worked out. Hope you charged apprpriately for all your time and effort (and risk).
:cool: Rick
 
Rick,
This was a big loss of time and money but once the frames are safely out of here, I will be happy.
 
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