The Framers Forum

Hi all, I thought I'd pick your brains and see what other's experiences have been with Arqadia's standard white hinging tape.

We seem to have a few customers coming back because their artwork has slipped. This mostly happens on thicker watercolour paper or rag paper. It's not happened with photographic paper yet.

Has anyone else found this to be a problem with the Art Tape? What other tapes might you recommend to be using instead? I'm curious.

Cheers, Anna

If its self adhesive I wouldn't use it for hinging. I would always use a archival gummed paper tape or Japanese Hayaku tape.

Graysalchemy wrote:If its self adhesive I wouldn't use it for hinging. I would always use a archival gummed paper tape or Japanese Hayaku tape.

Is there a specific brand you'd recommend?

I use the lineco ones from lion.

Graysalchemy wrote:I use the lineco ones from lion.

Great. We have that, too. Take it you've not had problems with things slipping.

I've used Arqadia gummed tape without any problems 999000026 and 999000031

Is it one of their self adhesive tapes you're having problems with? As said these tapes are not best for hinging art. For heavy paper with a texture I use the above gummed tapes with a bit of wheat starch paste just to make sure. Gummed tape can fail if you apply too much water to activate the adhesive. It's worth getting some wheat starch paste as it only takes a quick blast in a microwave oven to make it but I don't even have a microwave so I cook it on the hob which is still no bother

David McCormack wrote:Gummed tape can fail if you apply too much water to activate the adhesive. It's worth getting some wheat starch paste as it only takes a quick blast in a microwave oven to make it but I don't even have a microwave so I cook it on the hob which is still no bother

What's the best technique to wet gummed tape just the right amount? I've always had problems of over-wetting.

I use distilled water (From Halfords) and simply brush it on so it is wet but not flooded.

I do exactly the same thing

I have a soft brush the same width as the tape, wet the brush with plenty of water and then rub the brush on the lip of water container (Gü pudding ramekin! ) to remove excess water and then wet the tape in one pass. It should look wet but not flooded as Grays said.

Never used this tape. But with all pressure-sensitive tapes the clue is in the name. To get a good bond you have to use pressure. Burnishing with an agate (or back of fingernail) will form a decent bond. I've always used Filmoplast P-90 for non-valuable jobs.

As AG suggests, Hayaku tape is a step up. You can tear it to feather the edges. There is a knack to getting a good stick though. Not too wet and leave it to dry before putting any stress on it.

Making your own paste and tearing your own hinges and mixing your own paste is the best way. Probably cheaper than tapes but mixing up a batch of fresh paste is a bit of a bind if you only need to do one hinging.

All in all, for general use P-90 is the stuff.

Excellent. Thanks for all the input!

Will try the brushing and get some wheat starch, too.
We have P90, so will perhaps try that instead of the Art Tape for inexpensive jobs.

What do you all use on photographic paper (not rag paper) when photo corners are not an option and it needs to be hinged too?

I've used gummed tape on Fujicolour Crystal paper without a problem even though I've read it shouldn't work! I've a sample print in a drawer somewhere with gummed tape on the back and it's still stuck fast after five years! Will check again in 2020

I used the 25 mm gummed tape too, we buy it direct though in 50m rolls for resale and in 350m rolls for our use, most pictures mounted in one day was 997 between three of us.