VE6AB Technical

Off The Wall

So over the years I have shot, printed, and framed a lot of photos to hang on the walls of my home, and for others.
If the photo is to be displayed for a long period of time, I will take the time to custom frame it in my workshop with a custom cut matt and a custom made frame.

I have developed many ways of framing photos for display, that includes purchasing framing material in 8 foot lengths, and then cutting the material to length, then mitering the corners to spec in my workshop. I also gather up old barn wood and then make frames from it, and with the right choice of photo, they display beautifully.

Now although I continue to frame photos using the various methods mentioned, I also display photos that possibly are short term, meaning they may get changed out regularely, and these see a different approach used beginning when printed, to preparing them to be mounted on the wall.

The photo shows you how I developed the means to display these prints in this way.

You cannot just stick the photo to the wall, as that looks tacky. So the method that I came up with starting with the image now printed, I then take foam-core board 1/4" thick that I cut roughly to size with a razor knife. If your not familiar with foam-core board, its a thickness of ridged foam sandwiched between 2 layers of heavy-stock paper.

With spray adhesive, I spray the back side of the photo, and one side of the foam-core board, and after a couple of minutes, I carefully place the photo in place on the foam-core board, and with a small plastic roller, I roll back and forth over the print making sure the print is smooth and firmly attached to the foam-core back.

I then square the photo up with the use of a razor knife and a cork backed steel rule or 48" straight edge for larger prints. The next step is to round the corners using a round form and the razor knife.
Then with the use of a small sanding block loaded with fine sanding paper, I clean up the edges of the foam core backing including the print.

I then take lengths of wood (1/2"X1 1/2") that I pick up at Lowe's in 3-6 foot lengths, and cut the required length for the photo to be displayed. I normally cut these wooden mounts about 2" short of the photo edges so they cannot be seen when the photo is displayed on the wall, yet adds the required rigidity to the print keeping it straight, not allowing the print to bow when displayed on the wall.

I then measure and make pencil marks on the back of the print where I want these wood mounts to be placed, and with a hot-glue gun I then glue them in place, making sure to add enough pressure to take any bows out of the print if present.

As you can see, I also cut a slot in place in the upper wood mount (or a slot at either end depending on the length of the print) to allow for the print to be hung on the wall. With the wood mounts pulling the print away from the wall and floating the photo, they display wonderfully.

On a final note, although I purchase sheets of foam core board that I use from a art shop, many printshops offer to mount your print to a foam-core backing if you prefer to do it that way, although you will find your limited to stock sizes they offer doing it that way.
You will still want to round off the corners, as it does wonders in how the print displays floating off the wall.

You should also know that I spray the surface of the print with a matt spray I purchase at a local art shop, allowing the print to be protected again UV light degradation, as well as removing any glare from the photo for easy viewing.

Expand the photo for a closer look.....

Off the Wall...…
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