XL Backing Board suitable for Level 1/Museum Frame Wanted

[Fellows Framing]

Hello,

Can anyone recommend a suitable backing board for museum level frame for artwork sized 198 x 73cms please?

Also looking for recommendation of where to purchase myler/melinex/polypropylene for barrier layer between undermount and backing for museum framing.

Thanks all in advance.
Regards
Sarah

[Justintime]

What about a Wessex foamboard like FO15? It has lignin free face papers.
Polypropylene film is available from Wessex and Larson Juhl. Larson 999000059, Wessex Poly30/32

[Fellows Framing]

Hi Justin,

Thanks for the reply.

I did think of fo15. Its 5mm thick so wanted to know if anything out there thinner. Should cope with the thickness ok though as its going to have to be strong wide and or deep moulding anyway.

Noted re polyprophylene. Any idea for mylar melinex as well?

[Tudor Rose]

We buy our rolls of melinex/mylar from here:

https://www.preservationequipment.com/

[Justintime]

Jo will hopefully correct me if necessary.
Mylar/Melinex are Dupont brand names for Polyester wrap.
The only difference between polyester and polypropylene, that I can find, polypropylenes cannot absorb moisture and polyesters can (thanks Google).
I'd love to know why to choose one over the other too.

[Fellows Framing]

What thickness polyester roll would you recommend please Jo for barrier in frames between undermount and backing board and general use?

Hard to visualise how thick 12,36,50,75,100,125 microns is!

Thanks

[Tudor Rose]

Hi

We have 75 and 100 and really don't need much beyond that. The rolls last for a long time but its worth having. Don't forget you can always ask for samples. You want something that will be useful enough around the workshop for various tasks - like corners, supporting items in frames and so on. Some of the strips that PEL sell are 50 micron though, so even that would be fairly robust. It just depends what situations you might be using it for.

If you imagine that the kind of film polyprop wrap you buy from places like Larson-Juhl to wrap mounted prints is 40micron that will give you a better idea of the thickness. That would do as a barrier between backing board and undermount at a push, but I tend to prefer the thicker versions for that.

The polyester PEL sell is archival and equivalent to Melinex and Justin is right, Mylar and Melinex are brand names. Polyester is more UV resistant than polypropylene and I assume the UV element is why it is the preferred material for supports etc.

[Not your average framer]

Polyester is much more resilient and durable than polypropylene, you can buy both of them from packaging suppliers. Common gauges available fro packaging suppliers are 19 micron and 39 micron. You can get thicker gauges, but most suppliers usually stock the two gauges I have already mentioned, they are normally supplied as 1 metre wide rools which are usually 600 metres long. Polypropylene is much cheaper than polyester, but polyester is substantially more durable than polypropylene.

[Fellows Framing]

Thanks all for youre help
Sarah