civilized ku # 826-27 ~ print presentation
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 01:51PM 
"Floating" prints • click to embiggen
Frame corner • click to embiggen
Frame backs • click to embiggenSeveral questions have been, re: my exhibit print mounting.
The exact proceedure started with 1/2" thick 28"×36" foamcore sheets cut to size. In my case, I got 4 12"×12" and 2 24"×24" boards from each sheets. Then the prints were spray mounted - Krylon Spray Adhesive is archival, acid-free, and non-yellowing - on each board and trimmed flush by cutting 1/4" from each side of the print/board sandwich.
I had a friend pre-make the wood backings which were made to have a 3/4"-1" setback from the print/board edges. These backs were attached to the foamcore board with spray adhesive. The backs provide stiffness / warp-resistance and a nice "floating" effect. If time had allowed, I would have stained the wood backs black.
All in all, this is very visually pleasing - no glass = no glare / reflections - and is very inexpensive as well. The only issue is surface protection. In order to address that issue, I am attending a Protect Your Prints seminar (Ken Allen Studios, Feb. 8, in Brooklyn) where, amongst other methods, spray coating technique will be addressed.
gravitas et nugalis
Featured Comment: Mary Dennis asked: "Did you have to use a press to get the prints smoothed out on the foamcore or simply able to smooth by hand? ... I'm curious approximately how much it was per 24×24 to do this method?"
I did not use a press in order to smooth the prints. Keep in mind that the prints were on Epson Premium Semimatte 260 (258gsm) paper which is 10.7 mil thick - i.e. rather stiff and heavyweight paper. After positioning the sprayed paper on the board (with the assitance of my assistant), I placed a double layer of tissue sheeting on the print surface and, working from the center outward, used the side of my hand to apply pressure in a smooth even stroke out to the edges of the print.
It is also worth pointing out that the back of the print and the board itself must be free of even the smallest speck of particulate matter. Even with the stiff thick paper, it takes only a miniscule particle to create a tiny but noticeable bump in the surface of the print.
As tedious as this process sounds, it's well worth noting that I lost only 1 print in the course of mounting 38 prints.
Re: cost - my foamcore cost was approximately $8 per 24"×24" print. That price is including the shipping cost for the foamcore - that cost was nearly 2/3 of the cost of the foamcore itself. If you could buy the board locally, the cost would drop to around $5.35 per 24"×24" print.
The spray mount cost was $15/can x 2 for all of the print mounting - 12 24"×24" and 25 12"×12" prints - which, best as I can estimate, is about $0.16 per 24"×24" print.
The only cost that I can't estimate is the cost of the wood backing frames. They were made by a friend with "scrap" wood that he had around his shop. He made them for free, although I am treating he and his wife to dinner in a nice restaurant. That said, I would hope to pay around $20-25 for additional backing frames - all of the prints I have sold have been requested to have the same mounting as the prints in the exhibit.
If that price is acceptable to my friend, that would bring the total material cost, per 24"×24" print, to about $30-35. That's a very reasonable cost for that size print.
Reader Comments (5)
Thanks for the mounting info. The mounted prints look great.
Very nice Mark. Did you have to use a press to get the prints smoothed out on the foamcore or simply able to smooth by hand? I have done this with a few small prints but never anything as big as your 24x24's. This may be none of my business but I'm curious approximately how much it was per 24x24 to do this method. Guess I could pretty much figure that out for myself but if you were inclined to share...
not sure about that dinner - the friend is a rabid Green Bay Packers fan...
I was wondering about those additional mounting details myself. Thanks for supplying the info, and thanks to Mary for asking. I think the method looks great and given the short lead time, a good solution.
@ the wife/stepmother...just treat them to a dinner of pierogies, kielbasa and perhaps some cold cuts smothered in fries and slaw at your house instead?