I have some questions on framing these posters. I have two in the store now. The larger poster image is 46.5 X 63. I really don't want the acrylic to lay on top of the art. The largest mat is 48 X 96 which only leaves about a 1" mat to protect the art from the acrylic and I just don't believe the mat, at only 1", will properly protect the artwork. The poster itself is backed with linen. I will not be mounting this so spacers are also pointless. I have done a few of these and they seem to work against what I know about properly preserving art. What is the best way to frame these things?? Customers also want me to trim down the linen so only the image shows in the frame. Your thoughts on this are welcome please.
Questions on framing an oversize linen backed antique poster.
- Thread starter piper
- Start date
If there is enough spare material on the edges, you could mount it on a strainer frame in the manner of a oil painting on canvas. But you would have to take care not to apply too much tension. Oil paint will give slightly. Paper will split. Just tight enough to hold it flat. Putting a sheet of suitable board on the strainer frame wouldn't be a bad idea.
Then you could make a thin frame to to serve as a spacer, glass/plexi on top of that and the main frame around the whole lot.
If there isn't enough spare material, you could cut a board the same size as the image and use the same method. The edges will be crimped gently by the frame and board. But it won't lie as flat this way.
I have done BIG 'mats' using a plain wood section 3" wide x 3.8" thick with a bevel. It's thick enough to underpin and provides good spacing. But you do have to paint it. Also you must add a blind spacer to lift the glazing off the painted surface or you get weird visual effects when the paint touches the glazing. Done this way you would have to hinge it somehow at the top. And it's doubtful whether it would lay flat. One thing about this method is that you can rip the section down to whatever width you need.
Then you could make a thin frame to to serve as a spacer, glass/plexi on top of that and the main frame around the whole lot.
If there isn't enough spare material, you could cut a board the same size as the image and use the same method. The edges will be crimped gently by the frame and board. But it won't lie as flat this way.
I have done BIG 'mats' using a plain wood section 3" wide x 3.8" thick with a bevel. It's thick enough to underpin and provides good spacing. But you do have to paint it. Also you must add a blind spacer to lift the glazing off the painted surface or you get weird visual effects when the paint touches the glazing. Done this way you would have to hinge it somehow at the top. And it's doubtful whether it would lay flat. One thing about this method is that you can rip the section down to whatever width you need.
adjframes
True Grumbler
Both Peterboro and Rising make 60x104 board, but you would probably need two mats (either mount two to make 8 ply or double mat) to give adequate clearance. You can certainly get acrylic sized to match.
Don't trim anything! ( I'm sure that you know this).
We just did one like this. Way oversized.
We used a linen covered wedge liner from Framing Fabrics to cover the linen border.
We ordered the wedge liner uncovered and covered it ourselves.
You can make the liner and cover with fabric in one piece with no seams if the width of the fabric allows.
Otherwise, you have to cover the 4 sticks and join after.
You can make the wedge liner any size that you need up to about 10' x 10'.
We did this as a DCO (Direct Contact Overlay) with the plexi on the poster and the wedge liner on top of the plexi covering the linen border of the poster.
The DCO was used to help flatten the un-mounted poster a bit, but the customer has to understand that these things are not going to be perfectly flat and mounting is not an option based on the value of these posters.
You can also put the wedge liner under the plexi if you like, but you will need to use a barrier on the back of the liner.
Rob Markoff
PFG, Picture Framing God
Sorry, Neil but I can't agree. I frame many linen backed posters and have consulted with many poster dealers and also those who mount to the linen backing. The "white" area around the outside of the actual poster is what is left over from the linen backing process. The dimensions are arbitrary based on the selvedge left from trimming off the linen and rag paper from the frame that held them while being mounted and drying. They had NOTHING to do with the original. When we trim, we leave 1/16" of the original mounting paper all around the poster to confirm that we did not trim the sheet as furnished to us.
Now I do understand that "protocol" dictates lifting the glazing from the poster, but I also live in the real world. Since acrylic has a different coefficient of thermal conductivity than glass, the realities of condensation happening with acrylic are significantly reduced. We frame for the Alan Airways Museum and they are fine with direct contact from the acrylic.
I will add, however, that there is no way a sheet can self support and all large linen backed posters MUST be hinged, even if using direct contact glazing. We use pieces of linen and BEVA 371 adhesive to attach to the poster and then wrap the linen to the back of the platform/strainer and staple it to the outside edge.
As an alternative to using a "wedge" you could also consider the many flavors of "mat woods" from Framing Fabrics or Raphaels. We often cover them as a mitered liner (wrap each piece individually), join them with metal frame sealing tape (no v-nails) and allow the glazing and backing to hold everything together.
Example: This piece was 80 x 80 and used a matwood as a "spacer/liner" since the piece was out of square and we wanted the "borders" to appear even.
Hey, that's part of what makes the Grumble, the Grumble.
I agree with the hinging, just no mounting.
We are like Framing Doctors with the Oath "We will do no harm".
I frame for the CAF, Commemorative Air Force Museum, and it's a privilege to frame the vintage WWII era items and try to preserve them for later generations to learn and enjoy the history.
Nice Job Rob. :smiley:
I would tend to agree with the direct contact thing if using plexi.
I did this big map - actually two maps joined together a couple of years ago. It's upside down in the pic as I couldn't flip it on my own. I left the cover sheet on the outside. until the customer came it get it.
No conservation issues as the whole thing was a bunch of wartime RAF ops maps laid down overlapping and photo'd. It was printed on two sheets due to printer and paper size limitations. I had a lovely time splicing the two halves together in dead register.
I found that when I laid the plexi on, the vacuum effect tended to hold the flimsy paper down quite well and once in place I sandwiched the edges with P-90. I did add a few hinges along the top edge. I used 3mm plexi. If it had been spaced, it would have needed thicker.
I would add that it was helped by having a sturdy backing. The map was resting on a bed of foamcore, but behind that I made a rigid sub-frame of laminated 1/2" x 4" timber, with a cross piece. The back should never bow out then.
I saw Mrs.customer a few days ago as it happens and it all seems to be holding up well.
I would tend to agree with the direct contact thing if using plexi.
I did this big map - actually two maps joined together a couple of years ago. It's upside down in the pic as I couldn't flip it on my own. I left the cover sheet on the outside. until the customer came it get it.
No conservation issues as the whole thing was a bunch of wartime RAF ops maps laid down overlapping and photo'd. It was printed on two sheets due to printer and paper size limitations. I had a lovely time splicing the two halves together in dead register.
I found that when I laid the plexi on, the vacuum effect tended to hold the flimsy paper down quite well and once in place I sandwiched the edges with P-90. I did add a few hinges along the top edge. I used 3mm plexi. If it had been spaced, it would have needed thicker.
I would add that it was helped by having a sturdy backing. The map was resting on a bed of foamcore, but behind that I made a rigid sub-frame of laminated 1/2" x 4" timber, with a cross piece. The back should never bow out then.
I saw Mrs.customer a few days ago as it happens and it all seems to be holding up well.