Mounting Large....what is your preference?

[natas]

I just recently upgraded from a Epson 7900 to a P8000. I have always mounted my prints on mattes I cut myself or just stretched on bars (if printing canvas). Now that I can print 44 wide I was wondering what the majority of you guys here do for mounting larger prints?

[framah]

Depends on the overall size of the piece. Personally, I mount canvases to a substrate rather than stretch whenever possible. Makes for a much more even piece... no chance of the fabric sagging over time nor will you have the possibility of the image cracking at the corners of  the stretch.

There is  foamboard and gator board in 40 x 60 as well as 48 x 96 sizes. Mats come that  large as well.

You said you mounted your prints to mattes.. what do you mean by that?  Do you use a piece of mat board as the substrate behind the print?   That only works ok if the print is a small size.... 5x7 or 8x10. Over that and it isn't rigid enough.

[natas]

Sorry that was a little confusing. I cut mats and frame most of my work now.

I tried mounting canvas to foam board once in the past and it was a big fail for me. I think the spray glue I used was to weak and my technique was bad. So I never bothered trying it again.

I like the gator board option I just wonder how tough it is to do and if other people have other options

[marving]

I've been very happy with black  self adhesive 3/16" gatorboard. The key for me has been to have a mounting pressure roller system called a Polar Manual
Roll Laminator. This applies even pressure to mount the print securely to the board.

I found this to be very easy to do. I do leave space to trim the print to the desired size. For example, I mount 12x18 prints on 13x19 gatorboard and then trim with a razor knife and a steel straight edge. Works great.

I have no idea about how long this will last, but I don't really care as I switch out the prints every 6 months or so.

M. Van Drunen

[dgberg]

Get on YouTube my friend.
Probably a dozen canvas mounting videos.
None of them with spray adhesive.
If your looking for easy just glue to Gator.
Miracle Muck and a $3 roller and it takes all of 5 minutes.
Start with Gatorboard and skip the foam board completely.
Roll it on the Gator then brayer your print down.
Flip it over and trim with a razor, done.