Can you iron a poster?

[rudgey]

I have a cheap french music poster to frame, it has lots of creasing and folds. It can’t be mounted on self adhesive board as I would normally do as it has a section missing in a top corner and would show the adhesive board. I’m looking at hinging it after a week between boards to flatten.
The customer has paid good money to frame it properly has it has lots of sentimental value.

I was thinking I could iron the back on a low heat with an iron to flatten it more or should I leave well alone as the customer understands it has had a hard life and that it part of it journey?

What should I do? I always try to provide the best outcome to my customers.

[JKX]

I copied and pasted your post to chat GP
- I agree with it!




“You’re right to pause before doing anything aggressive—this is exactly the kind of situation where trying to “perfect” it can backfire.

Don’t iron it

Even on low heat, ironing is risky:
• Heat can set creases permanently rather than remove them
• It can alter or darken inks, especially on cheap posters
• Paper can become brittle or shiny
• Any hidden moisture can cause cockling or warping

In conservation/framing practice, ironing is generally avoided unless you’re trained in paper conservation with proper equipment.

⸻

Your current plan is solid (and professional)

Leaving it under weight for a week and then hinging is a very sound, conservation-friendly approach.

You could refine it slightly:

1. Controlled flattening (better than just boards)
Instead of just boards, consider:
• Interleaving with acid-free tissue or blotting paper
• Then placing between clean boards with even weight
• Leave for several days to a week

This helps absorb minor moisture and relax fibres more gently.

2. Gentle humidification (only if you’re confident)
If the creasing is severe and you want to go a step further:
• A very light humidification chamber (not direct water contact) can relax fibres before flattening

But only do this if you’ve done it before—otherwise skip it. It’s easy to overdo.

⸻

Hinging approach (especially with missing corner)

Given the damage:
• Use Japanese paper hinges + wheat starch paste
• Consider a float mount so the missing corner looks intentional rather than hidden
• Or use a window mount with spacing so it doesn’t press the poster flat unnaturally

⸻

The key judgment call (this is the important part)

You said it yourself: “the customer understands it has had a hard life.”

That’s actually your biggest guide.

There are two valid outcomes:
1. Preserve character → light flattening, visible creases remain
2. Reduce damage as much as safely possible → gentle flattening only, no aggressive intervention

Trying to make it look “new” is where things go wrong.

⸻

What I would do in your position
• Skip the iron completely
• Flatten under weight with interleaving
• Hinge using conservation methods
• Possibly float mount to embrace imperfections
• Explain to the client that you’ve preserved both the object and its history

⸻

One extra pro tip

Before proceeding, you could even send the customer two quick options:
• “Minimally treated, retains character”
• “More flattened, but still conservation-safe”

That builds trust and protects you from over-restoring something sentimental”

[rudgey]

Thanks, I don’t always trust ChatGPT. In this situation I think it’s correct.
I once put in how do you check if you’re Morso blade is still sharp and it suggested running your finger along it!!!
This was probably pulled from a forum where somebody posted a humorous comment, but it has taken it as fact.

[Steve Goodall]

I used to "steam iron" paper based artwork in a Hot Press REGULARLY. I won't go into the procedure as it sounds like chat GPT knows everything LOL.

All I will say is - it worked to take out creases and folds / flatten tightly curled artwork / re-balance moisture content in water damaged prints / take the waviness out of watercolours.

OH - and none of this involved adhesive - unless you wanted it to.

Thank god for AI eh - whatever happened to "learning your craft".

[JKX]

I learned my craft pretty well - without ever owning a hotpress - I did own one of those big heavy things with a big wheel - briefly!

(I’m the framer FKA RoboFramer - just incase)


If flattening this was paramount - I’d sub it out to a conservator or other experienced person like you, Steve.

That’s all I’d add to what chat GP said and I only posted it as I thought it interesting that it was pretty much the exact advice I’d give - although it did bang on a bit!
Maybe it got it from NYAF - LOL. - where’s he these days anyway? Hope he’s ok.

[JKX]

I hope you don’t mind me mentioning this

……………. It can’t be mounted on self adhesive board as I would normally do ……….

………. it has lots of sentimental value………

.. but this sort of thing, and much more, has something in common with the Mona Lisa - there isn’t another one and it shouldn’t be stuck down - I think you should upgrade your standard operating procedures.

[Steve Goodall]

I learned my craft pretty well - without ever owning a hotpress - I did own one of those big heavy things with a big wheel - briefly!

(I’m the framer FKA RoboFramer - just incase)


If flattening this was paramount - I’d sub it out to a conservator or other experienced person like you, Steve.

That’s all I’d add to what chat GP said and I only posted it as I thought it interesting that it was pretty much the exact advice I’d give - although it did bang on a bit!
Maybe it got it from NYAF - LOL. - where’s he these days anyway? Hope he’s ok.

John - I wasn't having a go at you mate - I was merely amazed what nonsense AI comes up with and how "some people" without our experience may believe everything it churns up.

To be frank - if my question was "can you iron a poster"? I would go away and try ironing a few pieces of poster paper - learning as I went along. If I was listening to advice it would be from a human who had actually done it and not just read something on the tinterwebs.

Hope your doing well and retirement is doing you proud. I'm 2 years in already and loving every minute of it. The only thing I regret about retiring at 59 was - not retiring at 55 which was my original plan. Co-vid got in the way though & turned the world upside down. I had people to look after at work - but it all came together in the end.

[JKX]

Ai can really only share what humans have done, or suggested, it just finds the info super fast … and sometimes of course the info is rubbish.

Retirement is great and couldn’t have happened at a better time, just as everything was starting to go a bit mad. Our shop has changed hands twice since.

[rudgey]

It all worked out in the end, hinged the work and the customer was happy to show its journey (in a bag from France badly rolled.
BTW When I said I normally use self adhesive board I was referring to photos that can be reprinted and with the customer permission..

[JKX]

Great that it all worked out.


“It can’t be mounted on self adhesive board as I would normally do as it has a section missing in a top corner and would show the adhesive board”

That reads that you would have dry mounted it if there wasn’t a corner missing. Good to know that’s not what you meant.