The Framers Forum

Hi all,

Hoping you can bring me out the head fog I have got myself into. I have a roughly torn cardboard piece to frame. Customer has asked for it to be glued to the soundboard but I'm a little hesitant to do this. Can the collective suggest a better way? I was thinking dry cold mount but worried it will crush the cardboard.

Thanks all

If the customer says glue it then that is what you should do.

Yes, use some wet glue A good conservation glue (or even wheat starch paste if you fancy ) will hold it well without the risk of it being crushed under rollers. Some weights will be needed while it dries such as heavy books used with some foam or similar. I always have a bottle of Evacon-R handy for jobs like this.

misterdiy wrote:If the customer says glue it then that is what you should do.

Yes but, it doesn't feel like the right thing to do at all, they have chosen quite a bright board and should they wish to ever change it ... i would rather it was semi/fully reversible, rather than risk damaging it should they want it redo at any point.

David McCormack wrote:Yes, use some wet glue A good conservation glue (or even wheat starch paste if you fancy ) will hold it well without the risk of it being crushed under rollers. Some weights will be needed while it dries such as heavy books used with some foam or similar. I always have a bottle of Evacon-R handy for jobs like this.

Thank you, with what it is i just don't want to use PVA or a wet glue and risk damaging the piece. I was also hoping for a semi reversible method but that looks unlikely.

Platform, Sink or Hedgehog

If it's window-mounted and you can cover the edges then a platform mount will work and is totally reversible. If the art is thick, as I suspect it is, then a sink mount will be better, also totally reversible.

If it is to be float mounted with the edges visible then it's got to be a hedgehog mount which is reversible with just the paper hinges left in place.

I still thing we are wrong to doubt what the customer wants. he has come into your workshop and asked that you stick the item down onto a board and I still believe that is what you should do. For reversibility use a wheat or rice based starch adhesive, but I wouldn't be going against what the customer has asked you to do.

misterdiy wrote:I still thing we are wrong to doubt what the customer wants. he has come into your workshop and asked that you stick the item down onto a board and I still believe that is what you should do. For reversibility use a wheat or rice based starch adhesive, but I wouldn't be going against what the customer has asked you to do.

I completely agree, normally it would be done as per instruction. But ... knowing how much was paid for this piece, I do feel like I have to go back to the customer with options. If it turns out that glue is still preferred then that's what happens.

MarkR32 wrote:Customer has asked for it to be glued to the soundboard

That'll ruin his piano

Write out the customers instructions on the invoice, get them to sign it, both your copy and their copy of the invice , then do as asked

The customer has asked for it to be glued down. That does not mean that it has to be glued down in such a way that it cannot be removed at an later date. It is not that hard to stick it down with small dots of PVA glue leaving spaces in between where a bone folder can be inserted at a later date and slid sideways to separate the areas where the dots of glue were applied.

I would put a little PVA glue onto a saucer, or something similar and pick up just enough glue on a cotton bud, so that not too much is applied. You don't need very large spots of glue to do this, certainly no more than 3mm in diameter and possibly less. This should if possible / practical be weighted carefully while the PVA sets, Take care not to use too much weight and crush the displayed item.

Having no idea what the item looks like, it is difficult to make recommendations about spacing between the dots, so you will need to decide this for yourself, but something like 20mm to 25 mm between the glue dots will make it possible to insert a small bone folder. You should take into account the likelyhood of distorting the item when removing it using a bone folder, when deciding the spacing of the dots.

Tell the customer what you are intending to do and warn them that there may be consequences if the item is later removed. Write this on the order and get them to sign it indicating their acceptance and absolving you of responsibility for these risks. If they are happy with this, then go ahead and do it!

The durability of a torn piece of cardboard is at best an unknown and even doubtful matter, so the life span of the artwork is anyone's guess!