Questions on Picture Framing

[Lars Thomas]

I've recently purchased 3 pieces of art . . .Ok, I'll come clean, they are really just posters. They are the ‘Best Picture’ movie posters from the year each of my kids were born. I want to frame the aforementioned ‘Art’. I don’t have a problem with the frame itself, but I am unsure how to mount the poster. I know they have foam-board and the craft borgs – is that what I use? How do I attach the poster to the foam board? How deep/wide is the rabbit to hold glass, art and backing? Any other advice is appreciated. Thanks. Lars

[Joe Pelonio]

Lars,

You are making the frames yourself? The rabbit varies depending on what's
being mounted, an oil painting on canvas for example has to be a lot deeper. When I do posters I prefer 1/16" non-glare acrylic rather than glass. I use 3/16" foamcore for the backing, cut the exact poster size and no adhesives. That won't work on the fairly standard depth 3/16" rabbit for inexpensive craft store frames. If these are meant to become priceless momentos you might even glue (just a thin bead) craft paper (moisture proof) or tyvek just to the back of the frame itself after mounting everything to keep out any humidity.

[Lars Thomas]

Yes, I will be making my own frames. So the foam-core presses the picture agaist the glass (or arcylic) to keep it in plass, I suppose? Does this also hold true if I mat the picture?

[Lee Schierer]

I believe the normal process is to mount the poster to the foam core with double sided acid free tape. The same is true for the mat.

I usually secure the foam core in the frame with finish type brads into the sides of the frame on the back. Then I seal the back with an acid free brown wrapping paper cover. I apply a thin bead of glue to the back of the frame and spread it out. I dampen the craft paper and set it in place over the frame with the glue on it. I get out as many wrinkles as I can. When the paper dries, it will shrink slightly and pull up drum tight. Trim the edges with a razor blade.

[Joe Pelonio]

Lee is right, but I prefer not to adhere the poster to the foamcore because it will be held tight anyway by the brads or staples and can always be removed and rolled up in the future. There's also the risk of getting a wrinkle or scratch while sticking it down.

If you mat it I'd do the same, no adhesive, keeping the poster itself intact. When you make your frame put sample pieces of all the various materials to be layered and get a good measurement and try to do the rabbit so that the craft paper backing is as flush as possible with both the frame and the foam core.

[Lars Thomas]

Thank you gentlemen, that's exactly what I was looking for.