The Framers Forum

A customer has brought in a print in for framing and said it has been rolled up in the back of the wardrobe for the last 30 years. She brought it out of her car on a very windy day day, unrolled, and it was flapping about in the wind. I had a head in hands moment

It does have a few bends in the paper, but what concerns me more is that I can't get it to lay flat due to what I can only describe as waves in the paper. I have tried placing it under even weight but still the waves are clearly visible.

Two questions...
1. If I leave longer under weight, do you think the waves will flatten out?

2. Would putting it in a hot vacuum press make it flat or does it run the risk of the waves remaining forever?

I dont have a vacuum press so it would mean me finding another local framer who does who I could go to as a customer myself.

She said the print isn't of any value (but I suspect sentimental value).

Hope you can advise.
Thanks
Lisa

Leaving it under weight will cause no problems if unsuccessful.
There are ways with heat and/or moisture but it needs someone with experience and even they may not make any guarantees.

Then there is a de-roller which is basically a glorified roller blind - it could work but it could make things worse too, depending on paper thickness etc.

It’s not in your remit- if you don’t already work with a paper conservator, suggest the customer either finds one or allows it to be framed warts and all.

Then find a paper conservator for the next times.

You say it’s a print. Is it a Giclèe print on good quality paper? What size is it? Can it be cold mounted onto a substrate to flatten it out? What about self adhesive board if the customer is ok with that? I’m also a watercolour artist and often flatten out my work, if the paper is cockled/rippled by dampening the back of it and placing it between two clean boards of say MDF and placing something heavy on top. Leave it overnight to dry through and this flattens out watercolour paper. However I wouldn’t try this with thinner paper as you will probably make it worse?

Thank you for responding.
It's not glicee but a heavy paper which is approx 40x30cm.

When I have tried to flatten it its as if (and I know this sounds silly) the paper is wider in the middle than at edges, therefor it leaves a raise section wherever you get to last.

I have put it back under some heavy weights and will call the customer later today to see what optionss she wants to go with.

Thanks again.

If you can find a local framer with a Hotpress, I put it inbetween two sheets of mountboard for ten minutes with just heat, no vacuum, to warm it up, then 10 minutes heat and vacuum. The moisture in the mountboards helps relax the paper. Afterwards, you have to take the whole package out and weight it while it cools. Works for me most of the time. It's not a big ask, I wouldn't charge to do that for a fellow framer. (if they sign a disclaimer...)

Putting it in a heat press can work sometimes - but not always. It depends on the nature of the paper and exactly how
it has deformed. A lateral wave is fairly simple, but if there is a localised 'bump' then it's more difficult.
The fact is that the paper will have swelled and the surface area of the bump will be slightly greater than the area that it
bumped from. Therefore any attempt to push it back down will result in a halfmoon crease. In cases like that the only option
is the relax the whole sheet, usually by total immersion in water and keep it flat while it dries.
A job for an experienced conservator.

Thanks Justin. My search for someone local who has a hot press hasn't been fruitful as yet, but I will keep searching.

Prosperous, I think your description of a "bump" is what it is, although only slight, but it is what is stopping it laying flat along with the waves.

Why is it, what you think should be the simplist of jobs, end up turning into a nightmare.

People tend to expect that we have magic ways of doing things. Framing and Restoration are two different skills.
While we might have little tricks, it takes years of experience to be a restorer and working with paper is fraught
with danger. I've learned just enough about restoration to know when to leave well alone.

This is what I am dealing with. Note that I have deleted the actual image of the watercolor painting for copyright reasons. The wood block in the image is a support for the acrylic to keep it off the table as there are standoffs behind the flat acrylic sheet. That curl is from the manufacturer of the 300# Arches paper by the paper mill. The paper size is 100cm x 125cm. The artist insists that I make it flat. I do not have a magic wand.

I am using 5 hand torn paper hinges on the top, 4 on the bottom and 3 on each side.

Justintime wrote: Thu 02 Mar, 2023 10:40 am If you can find a local framer with a Hotpress, I put it inbetween two sheets of mountboard for ten minutes with just heat, no vacuum, to warm it up, then 10 minutes heat and vacuum. The moisture in the mountboards helps relax the paper. Afterwards, you have to take the whole package out and weight it while it cools. Works for me most of the time. It's not a big ask, I wouldn't charge to do that for a fellow framer. (if they sign a disclaimer...)

That's a great tip Justin - where did you learn that one

From the Master himself!