Newbie Advice

Get help and framing advice from the framing community
Post Reply
ShapedByLight
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri 09 Nov, 2018 1:47 pm
Location: Hayling Island
Organisation: Shaped By Light
Interests: Photography Framing

Newbie Advice

Post by ShapedByLight »

I am sure you all know the answer to this, but some advice for a beginner please.
I have a client who wants to paste canvas poly cotton directly onto hardboard backing boards prior to varnishing and framing, I have tried using PVA applied with a roller to the board but this has not entirely been successful as the prints bubble and can easily peeled off.

Any suggestions would be welcome (clean ones anyway!).

Thanks

Joe
User avatar
prospero
Posts: 11492
Joined: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by prospero »

Stretcher bars? :D

Canvases are frequently glued down to boards, but it's not what are designed to do.

If the canvas 'look' is called for, print them on paper. Drymount to board and laminate with canvas textured film.
Watch Out. There's A Humphrey About
User avatar
prospero
Posts: 11492
Joined: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by prospero »

Welcome to the Forum btw. :clap:
Watch Out. There's A Humphrey About
User avatar
David McCormack
Posts: 1442
Joined: Tue 02 Aug, 2011 10:14 am
Location: South Lakes
Organisation: Framing
Interests: Cycling, walking, darkroom photography and laughing a lot!
Location: Cumbria
Contact:

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by David McCormack »

Welcome to the forum :handshake:

IF this has to be done then it can be done successfully. You need to apply plenty of wet glue and get the canvas print on quickly before any of the glue starts to dry out which can cause the bubbles. You then need to weight it all down overnight.

Are these inkjet canvas prints? Better to print with enough border to stretch on bars as prospero suggests :D
"You know, there's a right and wrong way to do everything!"
Oliver Hardy.
https://www.instagram.com/davidaustinmccormack/
ShapedByLight
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri 09 Nov, 2018 1:47 pm
Location: Hayling Island
Organisation: Shaped By Light
Interests: Photography Framing

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by ShapedByLight »

Thanks for the advice. I have printed on canvas paper for the client for samples which would make it easier all round. I have also suggested that the canvas should really be on stretcher bars but she insists that's how her previous defunct framer had done them. I was wondering as the stock is a polycotton that the PVA being waterbased is not taking to it?

BTW Thanks for the welcome :D
User avatar
prospero
Posts: 11492
Joined: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by prospero »

I think you are right to be concerned about the adhesion to a plasticy surface. :roll:

The previous framer is defunct is he? :Slap:

I used to laminate (paper) prints on hardboard more than 30 years ago. Coarse canvas texture.
Still got some of them and they are as good as the day I did them. :D
Watch Out. There's A Humphrey About
lansonframe
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed 29 Dec, 2010 2:41 pm
Location: Launceston , Cornwall
Organisation: Southgate Studios
Interests: Photography , Art , Art reproduction
Contact:

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by lansonframe »

We mount inkjet canvas prints onto 6mm mdf all the time .
Plenty of PVA glue applied with a roller - but you need to get the canvas on pretty quickly !!
Smooth out all the bubbles etc but we then put it through a cold roller which really helps the binding process.

We have in the past used a hand roller which works fine for smaller prints but when you get to larger pieces the rolling machine is a godsend.
We also print on a poly/ canvas blend which takes to the glue fine but we varnish the prints beforehand . :D
Justintime
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sat 26 Sep, 2015 8:48 am
Location: West Wales
Organisation: George The Framer LLP
Interests: Gardening, design, electronic music, good food and beverages.
Contact:

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by Justintime »

Why not use Dry mount film in a Hotpress? It was talked about on the recent Hotpress training day in Bristol.
Steve Goodall said that the drymount film acts as a barrier between the work and the MDF as well.
Justin George GCF(APF)
Insta: georgetheframer
thecreative
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon 01 Oct, 2018 4:51 pm
Location: wigan
Organisation: The Creative Art Company
Interests: art
photography
renovation

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by thecreative »

I mount 370gms inkjet canvas onto 6mm mdf board cut to size prior to painting on with acrylics, good quality acid free pva with decent layflat quality, plenty on the board, spread with a card or spatula especially on the edges, then a hand roller to work it down flat.

Works a treat no great mystery and cost effective - I only work up to A2 so over that you may need one of the techniques mentioned earlier.
ShapedByLight
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri 09 Nov, 2018 1:47 pm
Location: Hayling Island
Organisation: Shaped By Light
Interests: Photography Framing

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by ShapedByLight »

Thanks all for the advice.
I will have another go with the PVA and see if its my deficient technique that's causing issues. The prints are 990 x 300 so a little tricky to handle.
The dry mounting would be perfect but I don't have the space and the money at the mo to put one in. I did find in the odds and sods that came with the equipment some self adhesive rigid pvc foam board so might have a go with that too, but I suspect this might be a pricey option!
User avatar
prospero
Posts: 11492
Joined: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Newbie Advice

Post by prospero »

I've mounted many canvases using PVA. The key thing is keeping it under pressure while it dries. Release paper and
a foam blanket will ensure even pressure. Smaller ones I put in my venerable hard-bed press (no heat). Larger ones
I use two sheets of 3/4" chipboard with piles of books on top.

I would check the adhesion on the canvas first by sticking down a scrap bit and then trying to peel it off. :wink:
Watch Out. There's A Humphrey About
Post Reply