Cold Lamination of Canvas

[Mike Sellers]

Is anyone using a cold mount lamination using a vacuum press on canvas? Is this an acceptable substitute for spraying or rolling the lamination?
Mike

[bill t.]

Considering that a vacuum press at sea level can exert about 3/4 ton of pressure per square foot, I'd say you're in good shape in that department!  For instance vacuum press techniques are used to warp fairly thick wood veneers around curved shapes.  That's more pressure than at a car's tire footprint.

I'm not sure that adhesive mounting canvas is the best or easiest technique, however.  But if you've got the tools in place, go for it!  The big concern with mounting canvas is that when the sticky stuff is thin and the pressure is not great, the deep canvas texture will only make contact at its peaks.  That's why I favor a thick glue coating, or multiple layers of paperless dry-mount tissue like Fusion 4000 for canvas mounting.  It's a matter of filling in the canvas texture crevices.  But with fairly thick transfer adhesive and (literally!) a ton of pressure, I think you won't get into trouble in that department.

[Craig Murphy]

I use 2 layers of Fusion 4000 with my vacu-press and it works great.  He is talking about surface laminating though I think.
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[bill t.]

Well that would apply to the surface as well.  You gotta get it down into the texture and pressure is the key.

But honestly, that would turn canvas into something a little different.  There's something about the surface texture of canvas and the way it reflects light that are important parts of canvas mojo.  Surface laminating loses that tangible print-like quality and starts looking mass produced.  I personally don't even like the way dry mounting flattens out the canvas surface, but if you dry-mount and only then coat, you can solve certain hazing problems that arise when there is a light directly across the room from the canvas.

FWIW, BC is sending out samples of the new, improved, no-coating-required Crystalline canvas product, so maybe lamination will be beside the point when that's back in production.  I'll wait and see.

[Garnick]

Is anyone using a cold mount lamination using a vacuum press on canvas? Is this an acceptable substitute for spraying or rolling the lamination?
Mike

Hi Mike,

Although I don't use a vacuum press I have mounted canvas with cold(pressure activated) adhesives.  I use a roller system press which is made specifically for pressure sensitive adhesives and over laminates.  I've been using this system for more than twenty years with excellent results.  Yes, excellent results, "except with canvas".  I had mounted a number of small canvases for a customer over a period of time with no problems.  However, I did notice that occasionally a corner would lift and might require another small piece of adhesive to be inserted.  As I started printing larger canvases for him he also wanted some of them mounted and of course I was happy to oblige.  Approximately 6 months after the larger canvases were mounted he called to report that two of them were showing signs of lifting off of the substrate, so I had him return them to me for examination.  I was then able to rather easily removed the canvases from the substrate without any damage to the image.  I then referred him to a local framer who was using a heat activated vacuum press.  My reasoning was that as the adhesive heats up it tends to become somewhat fluid and could possibly "fill in" the canvas texture where the pressure activated adhesive could not, therefore creating a much more substantial bond.  The framer had to do a number of tests to determine the proper heat and time settings for canvas, but the results have been very successful.  Needless to say, I now refer that sort of business to her and there have been no issues thus far.  I have no experience with spraying or rolling on adhesives, but I hope this is of some help Mike.    

Gary        

[dgberg]

Gary,
Does your laminator have a heated roller?
If so Seals Print Guard material works great on canvas.
I like the Lustre. The matte is a little milky looking for my taste.

[Garnick]

Gary,
Does your laminator have a heated roller?
If so Seals Print Guard material works great on canvas.
I like the Lustre. The matte is a little milky looking for my taste.

Hi Dan,

Unfortunately no, it's strictly a pressure activated system for cold adhesives and over laminates.  I agree, that would be a great alternative, but for the most part this is all I need for the work I do.  I use Eco Print Shield, three coats rolled on, works very well. 

Thanks Dan,

Gary