Mounting Large Inkjet Prints

[Brian K]

I'm curious as to the methods used by members here regarding the mounting/matting of large, 40"+, inkjet prints. I care about archival permanence and display aesthetics. Do you dry mount, corner mount or hinge? Thanks.

[Jim Becia]

Brian,

You might want to mention the type of paper that you are using. Fine art papers are typically hinged or corner mounted. You will get varying responses on photo type papers. Personally, I like my images on photo type papers (luster types) to be mounted flat. While I have mounted a few with PMA at that size, most of my work is smaller in size and PMA has worked fine for me. Jim

[bob carnie]

We cold mount and in some cases face mount to plexi. We also have hot mounted but prefer the cold under pressure, much more consistent results.

We are using an expensive material for this, Marketed by Drytac as having good archival ratings.

With Ink jets I feel there is not issue of the mount or adhesive making problems before the inkjet fades.
The humidity changes in each season gives too much warping or bubbling issues that not mounting these large pieces are a problem, looks great leaving the shop , but huge problem once the pieces are put in different climate conditions.

[ROL]

With Ink jets I feel there is not issue of the mount or adhesive making problems before the inkjet fades.

LOL :p

I hinge (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=73759&page=2), but then I'm also unhinged.

[Brian K]

Thanks for responding. I'm not yet settled on whether I'm using a matte or a pearl finished paper, or for that matter a rag versus an alpha cellulose. I like a bright white surface, very white, no yellow, so I'm leaning toward alpha cell. About 300 GSM minimum.

Bob, cold mount is the least archival I believe. And doesn't face mount require a super glossy surface for proper adhesion? A paper like fuji crystal archive and not an inkjet paper? Or am I wrong? I'd love to be able to front plexi mount some images because the look is really cool and would serve some of my images well but I'm concerned about longevity.

My concern with large prints like 40", 48" 60" is that corner mounts or hinges will allow sag. So I'm leaning towards dry mounting with Fusion 4000 or Buffermount.

[Ed Kelsey]

I can't imagine hinging a print that large. You will surely get wrinkling with changing humidity. I would dry mount.

[Kirk Gittings]

I dry mount anything 16 x20 or larger, however I never print larger than 20x24.

[Brian K]

Ed and Kirk so what tissue do you use for dry mounting? And are there any issues with dry mounting an inkjet?

[John Brady]

For almost every size I do up to 42x62 I use the Coda press and Coda cold mount one.
For large prints I mount on mighty core. The coda adhesive is acid free and archival and creates a barrier on non archival materials.

www.timeandlight.com

[Kirk Gittings]

To be honest I don't know what the tissue is. A long time back I bought a ton of it and re-boxed it. It is some kind of Seal tissue-the same I use for silver prints.

[Drew Wiley]

Cold mounting can be either done in a modern way using high-tack adhesive foils, or done much more affordably the old-fashioned way wet mounting. Either system is an acquired skill with the potential for something going terribly wrong, so best consigned to a shop with the proper skills and equipment. Large drymount projects can be done sectionally in a heated press, but a test should always be done with a scrap of the same kind of inkjet medium in advance. There is no guarantee that all kinds of ink and paper are equally tolerant of heat. Face mounting is even trickier.

[bob carnie]

Brian - the cold tissue we use is optically clear and ph nuetral FWIW I would consider it as archival as any tissue for heat, I use both and believe neither is better on this regard.
Yes a face mount does require a super gloss, we use flex or metallic Lambda Prints and now we are being referred to a metallic inkjet that is being touted as wonderful for face to plexi.
Most of the other inkjet papers and as well luster lambda prints will give you air gaps which are noticable in the shadow areas. ** don't ask me how I know this**
This face tissue will IMHO out last any inkjet print . But time will tell so I will not put a stamp of approval on this statement.
Early mid 90's I put a cibachrome mural show in the Smithsonian, and for that we used a optically clear silicone to face mount the print to cast plexi and then we backed it with a second face print, therefore you could walk around the whole thing as they were hung from the ceiling. The plexi was bigger than the prints, the edges were sanded and then torched and the plexi melted together , wicked.

This worked very well , the silicone pushed any dirt out , I have not done this since and would not consider it as I do not have the same techs and it really is a messy process. Done right spectacular, wrong you lose your shirt.
As you can imagine each piece was very expensive , but considering where it was to hang the photographer felt it was worth it.
We just got back about 10 frames where we did all corner mounts, the prints have dropped and the client was really pissed, over 10 years ago, basically we charged
to re hinge them back in place. No damage to the prints and I do believe he showed these pieces in unkind humidity or heat conditions for this to happen.
So we are not big on corner mounts for big pieces.
we use the fusion material as well for hot mounts




Thanks for responding. I'm not yet settled on whether I'm using a matte or a pearl finished paper, or for that matter a rag versus an alpha cellulose. I like a bright white surface, very white, no yellow, so I'm leaning toward alpha cell. About 300 GSM minimum.

Bob, cold mount is the least archival I believe. And doesn't face mount require a super glossy surface for proper adhesion? A paper like fuji crystal archive and not an inkjet paper? Or am I wrong? I'd love to be able to front plexi mount some images because the look is really cool and would serve some of my images well but I'm concerned about longevity.
I use Fusion 4000 as well and would not hesitate to use the cold face material in its place. You cannot face mount with heat to plexi, if someone says they can do not listen, I have been working in shops that face mount since the early 80's and the prints will pop right off the mount or bubble , usually after you have paid the bill and at the most inappropriate time.





My concern with large prints like 40", 48" 60" is that corner mounts or hinges will allow sag. So I'm leaning towards dry mounting with Fusion 4000 or Buffermount.

[Brian K]

Brian - the cold tissue we use is optically clear and ph nuetral FWIW I would consider it as archival as any tissue for heat, I use both and believe neither is better on this regard.
Yes a face mount does require a super gloss, we use flex or metallic Lambda Prints and now we are being referred to a metallic inkjet that is being touted as wonderful for face to plexi.
Most of the other inkjet papers and as well luster lambda prints will give you air gaps which are noticable in the shadow areas. ** don't ask me how I know this**
This face tissue will IMHO out last any inkjet print . But time will tell so I will not put a stamp of approval on this statement.
Early mid 90's I put a cibachrome mural show in the Smithsonian, and for that we used a optically clear silicone to face mount the print to cast plexi and then we backed it with a second face print, therefore you could walk around the whole thing as they were hung from the ceiling. The plexi was bigger than the prints, the edges were sanded and then torched and the plexi melted together , wicked.

This worked very well , the silicone pushed any dirt out , I have not done this since and would not consider it as I do not have the same techs and it really is a messy process. Done right spectacular, wrong you lose your shirt.
As you can imagine each piece was very expensive , but considering where it was to hang the photographer felt it was worth it.
We just got back about 10 frames where we did all corner mounts, the prints have dropped and the client was really pissed, over 10 years ago, basically we charged
to re hinge them back in place. No damage to the prints and I do believe he showed these pieces in unkind humidity or heat conditions for this to happen.
So we are not big on corner mounts for big pieces.
we use the fusion material as well for hot mounts

Again, thank you guys for the advice. Most likely I will go with dry mounting because I'm well acquainted with it, either buffermount or Fusion 4000. I will test both materials.

Bob that plexi sandwich sounds really cool, but also really risky.