The Framers Forum

I framed two 6"x6" photographs in a mount. It was a little tight as the photos were printed right up to the edge, however I left a 3mm tolerance in the mount apertures to accommodate them and hung them using T-Hinges in conservation tape.

Unfortunately the customer has returned complaining that they have not been "mounted flat" as the photos have dished in the centre.

I said I could rectify them by remounting the frames using Photo Mount (Spray Mount type aerosol) or mount them on adhesive board to prevent such dishing happening again but that would be a permanent fix. That is what they would like.

Is this the correct way to do such things?

I would have liked more of a border around the photos so they could be sandwiched more by the mount and barrier board but can see no other way.

Any advice from your wealth of experience would be appreciated.

I normally have this discussion with my customers beforehand.
Photos are printed on thin paper so have a tendency to wrinkle when framed.
Mostly they agree with me drymounting them.

Photo mount/spray mount is not a permanent fixative despite what some of the cans may say. Drymount is the way to go

Just make sure to remove all of the hinges you’ve attached before you stick it down. Otherwise this will translate through to the front as a raised area.

Justintime wrote: Sat 07 Mar, 2026 10:58 pm Photo mount/spray mount is not a permanent fixative despite what some of the cans may say. Drymount is the way to go

I’d be interested to know where they were displayed or left before displaying, because any similar experiences I have had have been with much larger photos, and/or bad storage/handling/hanging position.

The best one was a multi aperture job, left uncovered, face up in the back of an estate car on an extremely hot day.
They all bowed out of their apertures and melted against the glass!

I’ve never had a problem, in normal conditions, with photos that sort of size doing what yours have, with similar margin tolerances and not dry mounted.

The sure cure is of course to dry mount them, but a platform mount or edge mounting strips may be better than hingeing with tape.