[astonm]

Anyone out there ever used the ** self-adhesive** Sintra or Gator Board mounting boards ?

When I had my gallery space back in AZ a few years ago, all my prints were framed & matted - ready to go. I also had a TON of space to work with which was great for my propensity for large prints. Now that I'm back up in the Seattle area, I recently got invited to join a gallery co-op and have another go at things.

This potential new space is quite a bit smaller, and the clientele here seem to prefer a more "modern look" to photo mounting (as opposed to the traditional frame/mat)

Moving forward I can have them ready to go on float mounts, but at present I have a TON of large bare prints on lustre that I'd like to be a bit more "user-ready." I was looking into the self-adhesive Sintra & / or Gator Board mounts to slap my prints on. I know they aren't completely "archival" but should last a good long time. Anyone ever used these? Thoughts on longevity? I'm a bit worried about lifting on the edges - are they really that "sticky?"

This sorta thing Self-Adhesive Sintra PVC Board | Pressure Sensitive Sintra PVC

Also considering protection - I like that traditional framing is ready to go - no extra expenses. I worry that if I did mount them without any extra protection that they would be taken home, wiped down or dusted & ruined. Thoughts on Moab Desert Varnish? Especially in the 16x20 to 20x30 range - I can spray paint just fine, but these are pretty big.

I'm torn between making things completely ready to go - thicker mountings that can hang alone w/varnish OR going for bare thin mount that folks can still frame or do as they please. They're currently stored flat - the thought of just rolling them up "poster-style" just kills me LOL

Would love any input anyone might have !

thanks in advance,
Laurie

PS: The gallery is mixed media - paintings, screen prints and only a couple of photographers - I asked the one guy, but he mostly direct prints to metal and didn't have much experience with this.

[jatrax]

One of the ladies in my guild uses that or something similar, but hers are just for backing. She is selling prints that are bagged not hung so the customer is most likely going to put it into a frame themselves.

Most of what I do these days is on metal with a few matted bagged prints. I tried the sticky backer boards once and quickly found I have not the right skills for getting the print straight. Never again, it was quite a mess.

If you are going to be displaying in a bin (rather than hanging) take a look at Redi-Mat They have archival mats in most sizes and if you get the 'package' it comes with mat, backer and clearview bag. Most of the people in our gallery use them or something similar.

[Cipher]

When I was working I did a lot of direct mounting on various substrates. The best result was with a commercial product applied on a smooth substrate (foam core, styrene) with a motorized roller press, then mounting the print through the rollers as you carefully pulled the cover sheet away. It required a far amount of skill, no re-positioning was possible. You mounted on an oversize substrate and trimmed to size afterwards, either flush or with a border, always square. I think it was Drytac or Coda, on a press similar to this:

https://www.mybinding.com/jetmounter-34-electric-laminator-jm34.html?utm_med...SABEgI4T_D_BwE

We never had a return for the adhesive letting go in the twenty years I used it. None of the pre-stuck boards ever held as well. I've tried doing it by hand, with a hand roller, it can be done up to about 8x10 inches, but it is trickier, you really need a roller press to do it right.

[DeadJohn]

I've used pre-cut adhesive gatorboard up to 13x19.

These directions made it easy to mount without any bubbles beneath the print. Don't expose all the adhesive at once. Uncover part of the adhesive, adhere that part of the photo, uncover the rest, finish adhering the photo.

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

[dms]

I mount on illustration boards using Ambico Double Tack adhesive (a film with backing on front and back). Usually about 8"x11", but sometimes up to 24"x36". This is apparently archival--depending on the boards you choose to mount on. It allows the print to be handled and stored--I use plastic sleeves or if very large then a cover sheet of glassine paper. This is easy to do, and inexpensive (I buy 25 sheet packages of 18"x24" Double Tack). Then (later) it can be framed (with or w/o matt)--but it does not allow easy hanging by itself--so showing it may be a problem.

I also had tried Bainbridge Studiotac (permanent and repositionable versions), and found it was too risky--often some of the adhesive dots ended up on the photo ruining it. Adhesive spray is also something I could not successfully use. I believe the old time use of (low temperature) mounting film and a press would work but that means you need to hook up with someone who has a large enough press, but that still leaves the problem of mounting on the wall.

The stiff gator board w/ adhesive looks nice but I also would worry that it may not be archival, and the board may be too thick to readily be mounted in the more usual frame; and having large prints mounted in a way to show and not sell may not be practical.

I would add about cost--mounting a 8"x11" print on a 11"x14" board only costs a few dollars--as a rough estimate $2. (I start w/ large sheets of double tack and large illustration boards, so the cost is low). Other options [such as the gator board w/ adhesive already there] may be much more costly.

[BarryE]

Interestingly, I'm in the process of exploring these mounting options. My traditional framed pieces sell OK, but I for various reasons, am exploring mounting on a substrate. DiBond is looking to be my preferred choice, but Gatorboard is second.

The Youtube clip that DeadJohn indicated, I'd seen. It works, but I'm not skilled enough for large sheets. Rolling and trimming, as Cipher says, is the way forward for me.

Hahnemuhle have a protective spray for their papers, which I'll test. It has good reviews.

First off I'm going to try a professional source to sample a few trial runs on DiBond and Gatorboard to model on if possible. These are manufactured with rolled adhesive and them laminated to protect and give an archival(ish) 50 year life span.

Good thread ...

---------- Post added 01-07-18 at 08:47 AM ----------

Interestingly, I'm in the process of exploring these mounting options. My traditional framed pieces sell OK, but I for various reasons, am exploring mounting on a substrate. DiBond is looking to be my preferred choice, but Gatorboard is second.

The Youtube clip that DeadJohn indicated, I'd seen. It works, but I'm not skilled enough for large sheets. Rolling and trimming, as Cipher says, is the way forward for me.

Hahnemuhle have a protective spray for their papers, which I'll test. It has good reviews.

First off I'm going to try a professional source to sample a few trial runs on DiBond and Gatorboard to model on if possible. These are manufactured with rolled adhesive and them laminated to protect and give an archival(ish) 50 year life span.

Good thread ...

[astonm]

Excellent feedback - thanks everyone! Very helpful suggestions. I saw that video too... he makes it look, sooooo easy. (Yeah, right!! - like those hamburger ads that look so good. hahaha )

I'm currently at the "over-thinking this" stage of things, but I will definitely report back on anything I might attempt.


Keep the suggestions coming ! Thanks so much