What's your method for mounting Posters?

[Tim Kingston]

Hi,

When mounting a poster or other material that has no adhesive we use a double sided laminate material ( Artic Blue something? ). I usually apply it to the board (cold roll lamination ) first and then apply the poster , mounting the paper similar to how you'd apply a laminate. The only other way I can think of is to apply the Artic blue stuff to the poster first. I hesitate to do this because I'd have to run it through the rollers face down and if something goes wrong , I'm basically screwed.

What goes wrong is I sometimes get a few bubbles and using the current methods I can adjust or redo it before the print is affected.

This Artic Blue stuff is the only thing I've used and it's pretty much at the end of the roll. I don't do this very often and usually it is someone's prized possession and often in fragile condition, which makes me very cautious.

So please, if anyone has some advice on which method and materials they use, I'd appreciate it! Thanks, Tim.

 

[GoodPeopleFlags]

Can you just print on adhesive vinyl?

 

[MikePro]

rubber cement and a roller. use as directed.

 

[rfulford]

Ultramount already has the adhesive applied at the factory. Look into it for your foam boards.

 

[Custom_Grafx]

I would put the double sided on the poster first so I could then work with it the same way I work with self adhesive vinyl like I'm used to.

If the adhesive is on the board... then I can't reposition and set it right...

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Can you just print on adhesive vinyl?

+1
Mounts way easier and generally costs less in the long run!

 

[Tim Kingston]

+1
Mounts way easier and generally costs less in the long run!

"I don't do this very often and usually it is someone's prized possession and often in fragile condition, which makes me very cautious."

Usually what happens is someone brings in something. For example, this week a woman brought in a poster that her daughter had hanging in her room as a child to adulthood, now she wants to mount that same poster on a board.

If it were mine I would not touch the original. I would scan it or photograph and reprint it. But it's not mine and they want the original mounted.

 

[Custom_Grafx]

"I don't do this very often and usually it is someone's prized possession and often in fragile condition, which makes me very cautious."

Usually what happens is someone brings in something. For example, this week a woman brought in a poster that her daughter had hanging in her room as a child to adulthood, now she wants to mount that same poster on a board.

If it were mine I would not touch the original. I would scan it or photograph and reprint it. But it's not mine and they want the original mounted.

I would tell them to go to a framer and put it under anti reflective glass/acrylic and to not glue it to anything.

If you want the business, take it, but you take it to a framer and put on a margin.

Sorry, but gluing an original to anything is something I would never do.

 

[Pat Whatley]

usually it is someone's prized possession and often in fragile condition, which makes me very cautious.

Is the adhesive film you're using acid-free? Are you using acid-free foam board?

 

[OhioSignShop]

We mount and laminate hundreds of posters on Sintra (pvc) and Gatorboard. Avoid FoamCore as it will warp and dent. We run the printed roll of posters (42" wide x 100') thru a hot roll laminator to apply a glossy or matt or texture front surface laminate and at the same time apply the adhesive to the back of the posters. After the roll is run thru the laminator we rough trim each poster on three sides and final trim on one edge, this edge is then aligned to precut boards- exactly- and run back thru the rollers as we peel off the adhesive sheet backing as it heads into the pinch rollers. We then final trim the other 3 sides of the mounted poster and stack it flat. Some tips: add a little bleed and cut marks to the posters for exact registration to the edge of the boards, if you have heavy ink coverage right to the edge of the poster use cold laminate on top rather than hot and it will not peel off at the edge. Get a lint roller and clean all the boards prior to lamination, any little spot of grit will show as a big bump in your poster. Wait 12-24 hours after printing to laminate if possible. You can avoid mounting by selling your client an aluminum display frame (www.ffr-dsi.com) and just snap the posters into the frame. Mounting and UV protective laminating is still best. Glossy front laminate makes all the colors appear richer, UV laminate will add to the client cost (and your profit) but makes a much better and longer lasting poster.
Sources of equipment and supplies: GBC, Seal, Grimco, Fellers, and for boards try Laird Plastics.
If you are just doing a few posters I would send it out rather than trying to do it by hand. I have never seen a good mounting job with the spray on stuff, unless it's small (11x14) sheet and then you dont have the first surface protection of a laminate.
As for printing on poster paper with adhesive. I have tried this with mixed results as it tends to bind in the mounting rollers for some reason when mounting one or two sheets. Gets worse near the end of the roll and the stuff is not cheap. You may have better results but i burned thru a dozen rolls and ended up sending the rest back to the vendor. That was 4 years ago so maybe the stuff has improved.

 

[shakey0818]

I would tell them to go to a framer and put it under anti reflective glass/acrylic and to not glue it to anything.

If you want the business, take it, but you take it to a framer and put on a margin.

Sorry, but gluing an original to anything is something I would never do.

Less liability and remains in the same condition.