Canvas to self adhesive board

[Trecelyn]

Hi
I hope everyone is keeping well under the current circumstances!

I have a cistomer who has two un-mounted pieces of art on canvas. They are not large - 55cms x 16cms and 35cms x 20cms. They are not valuable works of art (bought on holiday in Africa). I have thought of float mounting them using ColourMount THICK TAK 3mm Self adhesive board as the backing. These boards use an acrylic adhesive. Will the canvas degrade more than normal using this type of adhesive?

Thanks in advance

T

[Not your average framer]

All self adhesives hare a manufacturers specified storage life and then a service life. After the storage life and the service lfe have expired. What happens? Certainly nothing helpful. Plenty of people still use self adhesive board, you pay your money and you take your choice. It usually lasts for years and it's quick and easy! Just be aware that it's not the best, it's not a conservation procedure and one day, there may be problems.

[Trecelyn]

Thanks for the reply!

Would it be better, or should I say more professional, to use perhaps thin ply and PVA glue?

The reason for asking about self adhesive board is that I have quite a lot left over from a job on which I over-ordered !

Thanks again!

[Not your average framer]

I would say that is the framers decision. I have given you some knowledge about the fact that self adhesives are not completely permanent. You won't be the only framer who uses self adhesive boards, because many do so! Also if the self adhesive boards are the type with a grey core core, they are not conservation quality.

Not everything necessarily has to be conservation quality and for some jobs it does not matter either. The whole point about being a properly knowledgeable framer is that can make those decisions in a sensible and intelegent manner.

Things you need to consider:

Is the self adhesive board going to be the principe support for the artworks of canvas and if so is the self adhesive board adequate as the principle support for the canvas and if not, is a secondary method of support required to add some extra mechanical strength, or durability.

A lot of modern day materials are much improved compared to some of the materials in bygone days, so many modern day material have a superior service life and may take longer to degrade that what was about in earlier era's.

Will the artworks be additionally protected with a backing board in contact with the rear of the self adhesive board. Reasonable durability may be a meaningful question in this regard. Is it a family heirloom, or something of personal, or intrinsic value?

Durability does not necessarily imply conservation standards, but certainly some level of resilience should be considered as appropriate for each job and situation. The idea is not get you used to making good judgement calls for each job and each situation. This is what preparing to become a guild commended framer is largely about. Not all of us may have taken the guild commended framer qualification, but we certainly need to understand how to evaluate and determine the most appropriate method of framing to suit each job that comes our way.

Customers have a reasonable expectation that we will know these things and that their things are safe in our hands. Learning to be a good framer, is a bit of a learning curve a we don't necessarily learn everything overnight. It takes time a we learn while working on the job. I learnt quite a lot working in a very busy framing workshop on a 6months training placement. Not all of us will be in the same situation, some will be one man band start up businesses, but there arealways members of this forum ready to give advise.

I'm not saying that any one of us does everything exactly the same way. We are all different in various ways and there will be those whose particular advice and methods may be just right for each one of us and our needs, or preferred ways of working. So don't assume that any of us are some sort of framing guru. We are all at some point on our own individual and sometimes quite different journeys.

I hope you will enjoy your own particular journey and have some great experiences along the way.

[YPF]

Such pieces obtained whilst on holiday in Africa and brought in for framing are little more than acrylic paint on a bed sheet.

With the agreement of the customer and having explained all the pros and cons most agree to having them stuck down to a board and then framed.

Most frequently I cut a piece of 3mm self adhesive board the same size as the image, lay the art on it and get it accurately positioned and then either run it through a Jetmounter or pop it in the Hot Press (with no heat). Excess fabric is wrapped around the back of the board and neatly taped down.

If the customer wants a mount the positioning of the SA board is less critical.

Alternatively, you could use a wet glue, there are very high quality PVA glues available. Just be careful it is not too wet as it could seep through the thin fabric.

Without a Jetmounter or Hot Press then a lot of weights on top for a long time to ensure best adhesion.

[JFeig]

Would it be better, or should I say more professional, to use perhaps thin ply and PVA glue?

The proper adhesive to use would be EVA based adhesives. (fabric glue)

This is the base chemistry used in the propitiatory conservation BEVA® that is used to line canvas paintings etc. There are generic options for this type of adhesive.

[Not your average framer]

EVA is often the adhesive coating used in some dry mount tissues. It's good stuff.

[Trecelyn]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply.

Regards

T.