Custom Made Frame for One Sheet - The Plan & Questions

[Roughoutline]

I'm making my own frame for US One Sheet and here is my plan.

Backing board - Acid Free Foamcore
Glazing - Anti-Glare, UV Filtering Acrylic
Moulding  - Wooden, currently plain, might paint black

That is what I'm currently settled on, here are some questions...

I can add in a 5mm wooden spacer inbetween the backing board and glazing, to avoid any potential compression problems, would be very cheap to do, recommended?

I'm going to attach the poster to the backing board using acid free tape, any problems with this?

Finally, any general concerns, questions or suggestions?

[Harry Caul]

Not sure about how to properly implement a spacer, might want to do research on the best methods.  However, everything else sounds fine.

There is a great thread on NSFGE that shows some float mounted folded posters from a Saul Bass exhibition.  I think they look fantastic.  More pics in the thread... but here is one to whet your appetite.

[Mirosae]

Those walls do look very neat. It helps that all have the same frame and are of a similar size

[Roughoutline]

Just sketched out my design and how I think those floating posters were made, apologies for the scrawl!



Is that how they've done it or is it my eyes playing tricks on me? Looks like they are using two layers to emphasise the floating effect, whereas I just wanted air space between the back board and acrylic. The floating effect does look very nice though but I'd have to buy new frame moulding, as what I currently have, wouldn't be thick enough and I'm trying to keep to a budget.

[guest4531]

This is correct.  You need 4 to 6 spacers, you can use foamcore as spacer.

Indeed, some with stick the paper on a thin foamcore to make the poster really float mounted (gap)... although you could simply float mounted on the board (without gap).

Space is not a must if you use plexiglass.  Space is a must if you use glass as glass tend to catch humidity and paper may stick to glass with time.

Note also that to stick poster to board, you can use some special japanese paper hinges or special archival poster tape from Lineco.

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As for me, I found a framer round the corner so I am ready to try my DIY frames as well... but I am still looking for an option so that poster can be change, like an openable-frame or DIY snapframe-like. Any tips would be welcome.  I am thinking of doing frame BUT not to fix the upper border of the frame so that I can slide up the acrylic and replace poster. I am afraid frame may be too weak so I am thinking of using a tiny metal bar accross to hold the side borders, and the top border once placed back will hide the bar ?

[Roughoutline]

I've heard that about acrylic, that you don't need to prevent contact, but its more for potential compression waves.

If I wanted to do the floating effect, I could use the spare offcuts of backboard I'll have, but I'm not sure, I'd have to get new moulding.

I'm going to hold everything in place using retaining clips like these - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310933553755?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&var=610256720333&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

This is the acid-free tape I'm using - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181593441960?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Can't offer any advice on not securing the top border of the frame, sorry.

[CSM]

I don't believe contact between the poster or plexi/glass causes compression waves - it's more so a frame being too small for the poster and when the paper expands it has nowhere to go so it ripples or waves.  Paper needs room to breathe length and width wise...

[Harry Caul]

When I float mounted (with no space between poster and acrylic) my compression waves were 100% eliminated. At least so far. Previously some of my posters had waves -- all of which were mounted in metal poster frames with compression clips.

[Roughoutline]

Cheers for the response CSM, I'll be leaving an inch or half inch around the poster so no worries in terms of squashing the poster. I'll consider doing that.

Question for you, CSM, and Harry Caul the Saxman.

How did you attach your poster to the float mount?

[CSM]

Cheers for the response CSM, I'll be leaving an inch or half inch around the poster so no worries in terms of squashing the poster. I'll consider doing that.

Question for you, CSM, and Harry Caul the Saxman.

How did you attach your poster to the float mount?

I do not have any posters framed float mounted but Matt does obviously.  I believe he used pieces of archival tape on the back and/or hinges but I will let him reply

[Harry Caul]

CSM is exactly right -- Lineco hinge tape and the poster mounted with a T-hinge. 

Basically, you should choose the weight/width of your hinge tape to be as small as possible, but that will still safely suspend the poster.  I used the 1"x35' for my Eastern European posters.  I wasn't as worried about the strength of the hinge holding as my posters are pressed between the acrylic and backing board.  If you don't leave an air-gap there is also a fair amount of static which also helps hold the artwork in place. 

As for the T-hinge, the upright portion of the "T" gets attached to the poster while the cross bar get attached to the backing.  You should also burnish the tape for a better hold. 

[Roughoutline]

I should've mentioned this earlier, but the film poster I'm framing is rolled. Unless there is a special way of float-mounting rolled posters, I'm limited to sandwiching it right?

[CSM]

I should've mentioned this earlier, but the film poster I'm framing is rolled. Unless there is a special way of float-mounting rolled posters, I'm limited to sandwiching it right?

I don't see how the logistics would be any different than a folded poster (unless the rolled poster will not lay flat once unrolled?)

[Harry Caul]

I should've mentioned this earlier, but the film poster I'm framing is rolled. Unless there is a special way of float-mounting rolled posters, I'm limited to sandwiching it right?

If it has a curl to it you can reverse roll it for a few days or a week.  Once it will lay nice and flat I don't see why it would be any problem to float mount it with an air gap between the poster and the acrylic.  I also don't know for sure though...

[Gingerman]

I don't believe contact between the poster or plexi/glass causes compression waves - it's more so a frame being too small for the poster and when the paper expands it has nowhere to go so it ripples or waves.  Paper needs room to breathe length and width wise...

So this is why you guys told me not to stack posters together in one frame.....

I actually like the look of the floating poster, with the air around it. However I am confused, is archival tape somehow functional but lacking an adhesive?
With all that being said, I assume this is for the aesthetics in the display, and other framing methods with "sandwich" and plexiglass are just as safe assuming the backing and such? Or am I missing something?

[Roughoutline]

The poster has a curl, think I am just going to sandwich the motherfudger.

[CSM]

Using a matte board in front of the poster but behind the plexi (obviously) is a great way to get rolled posters with a curl (even folded posters that do not have relaxed fold lines) to lay flat!

[Harry Caul]

The poster has a curl, think I am just going to sandwich the motherfudger.

If you want to sandwich it tight AND give it more of a floating look, you could cut down a piece of acid-free backing board (like thin, non-corrugated cardboard) to just smaller than the poster dimensions.  Your stack would then look like: acrylic in the front, then the poster T hinged to the acid-free backing board, which is mounted (how?) to the acid-free foamcore backing. Then it would still be a tight stack with no air gap between the acrylic and poster, but the poster would be lifted off the foam core a little bit.  That is the next mount that I'm going to experiment with.

I also have some posters with info on the back. For those I was thinking of a stack like: acrylic, poster, PET-G overlay, foamcore backing -- and then cut a window in the back of the foamcore. Having the overlay behind the poster might (?) result in a double reflection, but it should both give the poster in floating look and allow the back to be visible if you flip the frame over. Just some ideas I was toying around with…

[Harry Caul]

So this is why you guys told me not to stack posters together in one frame.....

I actually like the look of the floating poster, with the air around it. However I am confused, is archival tape somehow functional but lacking an adhesive?
With all that being said, I assume this is for the aesthetics in the display, and other framing methods with "sandwich" and plexiglass are just as safe assuming the backing and such? Or am I missing something?

Is your question about the holding power of archival tape related to my comment? If so, I was just referring to the thickness of the archival hinge tapes. For large, heavy artwork you need a heavy duty hinge tape – – Those can be almost as thick as a piece of fabric.  However using thick tape on the poster that will be sandwich flat it might eventually show the outline of the tape from the front.  You basically want to use the lowest profile tape that is still appropriate for that size/weight of the art. In our case, posters are typically very thin and light so I would go with an equally lightweight tape.  Hope that helps.