How to mount a 4 X 8 foot ink jet print???

[Kirk Fry]

So the target is a 4 X 8 foot recessed wall. I will have someone print it for me from a drum scanned 4X5 negative that I will have processed in photoshop. I assume they will send it back to me rolled up. After that I have no idea how to mount it. Any suggestions?

Let's see, rubber cement on a sheet plywood?

If they mount it on something I will need a truck to retrieve it (maybe the best solution).

K

[Greg Lockrey]

I dry mount large prints on foam core. Typically mine are 44x96" max because of the paper size out of my printer. You can get foam core in 4x8' sheets at different thicknesses. Really good frame shops have a vacuum press that large, but I use a Seal 24x36 and do it in sections. Never had any visiual indents. Usually pieces this large are also laminated at the same time. I never liked the wet method of mounting.

But if I was going to make an image this size for dispay in a home, it would be on canvas and stretched on bars. If it's commercial in purpose, then the foam core or equivelent would be better. My $.02.

[Bruce Watson]

But if I was going to make an image this size for display in a home, it would be on canvas and stretched on bars. If it's commercial in purpose, then the foam core or equivalent would be better. My $.02.

What Greg said.

Note also that there are two major ways to stretch canvas on stretcher bars. One is to staple the canvas to the sides which then requires using a conventional (as in oil painting) frame to hide the sides. The second is called a "gallery wrap" which puts the staples in the back. The advantage is that you can display the print on stretchers without putting it in a frame.

If you go the gallery wrap route it will take some of your available width of canvas to complete the mount. How much depends on the skill and temperament of your framer and the thickness of your stretcher bars, but usually in the range of two or three inches a side. For example, using 44" canvas this effectively limits you to a 38" image.

If this bugs you, find someone with the bigger printers (Canon iPF9000, Epson 11880, etc.) and print on wider canvas.

Finally, if you are going to display canvas without glazing (which is sort of the point I think) you should really consider having the canvas sprayed with a UV protective coating before stretching. This protects the canvas from the elements and from sticky little hands should that be a problem.

Yet another $0.02 USD.

[Nate Battles]

If it's for commercial purposes, I would mount it on Gator foam. It's much more rigid than Foam Cor. If you want super-rigid, then ask for 1/2 inch Gator. It also will not warp as easily. Large pieces of Foam Cor will bend especially with changes in humidity (unless of course it's then mounted to the wall). I used to mount 4'x8' prints all the time. Find a lab that has a wide format hot/cold laminator. They can run an adhesive film on the back side and then mount it to the gator foam. Choose your lab wisely, trust me it's easy to screw up a print if they don't know what they're doing. You can also have a UV lamination put on the print to further protect it. Since it's inkjet, you may want to request cold lamination and adhesive.


Okay I think we're up to $0.06 now.

[scott_6029]

Gator with a museum mount on the back (plywood) may be more stable for a print that size. I did 30x40 on 1/2" gator (with grey edges) and the image floats on the wall - nice and eliminates the expense of a frame. Then you have choices with laminates should you choose. I did some with a cold laminate and they look more painterly...others with gloss paper and no laminate, different look.

[Steven Barall]

Most of the really large prints I've seen have been mounted on aluminum or Plexiglas. A lot of people will have the prints face laminated to the plexi meaning that the surface of the print is stuck to the plexi so when you are looking at the print you are looking through the plexi.

I know that a lot of people use foam core but my framer friends tell me it's a bad idea and I've seen foam core mounted prints that have a deformed surface from the foam core reacting poorly to the mounting process.

Good luck.

[Greg Lockrey]

Yes, Gator board, I couldn't remember the name last night. It's more permanate, however if you don't want the foam core to warp, you can use mounting tape on the back of the mounted piece and use another sheet of foam core but the reverse side and tape them together. Each natural curve will counter the sheet behind it. Works pretty good I might add. Foam core isn't that costly to begin with. For durability of foam core I have one in my van that's a 30x42" that's been in there for about 5 years, I can still have it framed and looks good. It's my display card for when I go to horse shows and print for photgraphers at the events. So it's been through all kinds of heat and humidity. (Maybe it's the good two sided brand that I use).

[Kirk Fry]

Thanks for help, this is wonderful. I am in the land of discovery here.

K

[Greg Lockrey]

For example, using 44" canvas this effectively limits you to a 38" image.

Not to contradict Bruce but if the stretcher bar is 3/4" thick you can easily use 2" borders for your wrap. So a 44" canvas will get you a 40" printed area. Most stretcher frames come in even sizes, but you can get odd inch size with the better brands. Unless they are hand made, I never came across partial inch dimensions. I have used less borders (1 1/2 inch) and gotten the work stretched. Now pieces this large you will have to have braces put across the back and corners. Also you want to get the best material made so you won't have warpping problems down the road. Another little helpful tip would be if you want a 40x96" canvas, have the print made to 40.1x96.1" so that no white area shows on a frame that's not totaly square. What I do on mine is to put a .8" black edge around the print so that the 3/4 edge is covered in black making it look as though it has a frame already on it. Another $.02 There is always something to learn no matter how accomplished you are.

[robert lyons]

use alu di-bond...stable, archival and ligghter weight than anything else in it's class.....