Lukabulla

Hi ,
I've been getting lots of Enlargements made by an Online Company in UK ..
But I find after a few months in Glass Frame they start to crincle and look horrible ..

Is there a Best Gauge of Photo Paper which does not do this ?
My old Photos from 30 yrs ago are still looking good , so I assume every one used a thicker paper then .

My present Lab is Very Cheap .. Would a more Expensive Lab be any better or do they mostly use the same gauge of Paper ..

Tnx

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Not necessarily the weight of the paper, the way the images are framed can also be a cause.
I took a course in framing a number of years ago, one thing we did with thin papers was to fasten them to the back panel only on the very top, so that the rest of the image hung free. Also made sure the mat didn't press against the image, even putting a "filler" that was slightly thicker than the image between mat and backing, all the way around the image.
If you do your own framing, that is something to consider, if you have your framing done, discuss this with the person doing the framing.

Lukabulla

Tnx ,
I do my own framing .
Its usually a 10 x 8 inch with either a Cardboard or Wooden Back .. With usually a Corn Flake box between Print and Back .

Image Touching Glass .

Leitz Loc: Solms

Corn Flakes?? There's your problem!! Professionals use only Wheaties boxes? :lol:

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

I hope you don't mind my "picking apart" your framing....
How long do you expect your framed photos to last? If it's a relatively short time, don't worry, but if you would like to have them in the frame for many years, use acid- & lignin-free materials. Available from frame shops, JoAnne's, and I'm sure, even on-line. Corn Flake (or other cereal) boxes just don't fit the bill. Neither does wood.
The filler I meant is to go between the mat and backing but only behind the mat and around the photo. That is, if I am correct and the wrinkling is caused by the photo stretching a bit. A filler around it then gives it space to stretch and still hang properly. That's why you only attach it to the backing at the very top. There are special paper hinges available for that as well.
Another thing about photos: They should not touch the glass. After some time they will literally stick to the glass and will be near impossible to remove without damage to photo or glass or both. Quite often a mat is thick enough to prevent the photo from touching the glass. If not, a spacer should be places between mat and glass. Spacers are available from a frame shop as well.

Lukabulla

My Frames are all The Exact size of the Pictures so no Room for any Matting etc ..

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

OK, so what goes inside the frame then, is first the glass.
Around the outside of the glass and hidden by the frame, a spacer. (They're specially made for this purpose, and are self-adhesive on one side so you can stick them to the glass).
Next the photo, then the backing. Still, "hang" the photo by the top edge and make sure there is about 1/8 inch or so at the bottom of the photo so that it has space to "sag".
If you hang your photos only for say, a few weeks or months, fine. If anything longer: Use acid- and lignin-free materials.

With the acid, there are also differences: there is framing material that has been "buffered" to give a correct ph-reading.
In time the buffer will wear off/out and you're back to higher acid levels.
There also is truly acid-free material. Fair bit more expensive, but if you want to keep your photos a long time, well worth the cost.

I always compare this other crafts, for example, I do a lot of needle crafts. Right now I'm crocheting a table cloth for my daughter-in-law. It is going to take many, many months to finish it and to me it is worth the extra money for top-quality crochet thread. I certainly don't want to give her a table cloth that develops broken threads and holes after two launderings.
Same for my photos: I spent a lot of time taking the photo to get it just so. Then some more time pp, and finally the framing. To me it is worth the very best of materials.

Darkroom317 Loc: Mishawaka, IN

Prints can eventually stick to the glass that way.

Your prints from 30 years ago, are they B&W or Color?

Also, were the prints from 30 years ago mounted to board or taped? Wrinkling occurs because of humidity.

Lukabulla

Prints from30 yrs ago are BW and mounted simply between Board and glass

Darkroom317 Loc: Mishawaka, IN

They are likely double weight fiber based prints in which the paper is much thicker.

Because they are dry mounted to board the paper does not get wrinkled even when exposed to rather high humidity.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Morning Star is correct. I was taught a few times over the years how to frame. Most recently by a museum photographer. Only one thing I was not sure of or did not understand. Morning Star, are you using a cut mat or not? More about spacers? Yes, some people dry mount if any wrinkles bother you. "Paper hinges" at the top are best for archivalness.

Just curious.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I'm a bit surprised todays prints would "crinkle" since I would think they are using "medium" weight resin coated paper. But if you are talking about Black & White paper it might be single weight paper. Personally I only used that for reference, sample, or test prints. I always use double weight for any serious or final printing. There are also "sizing" treatments that print may be given that "cheap" labs are skipping as well.

Note, they all it weight (paper) not gauge, but I think everyone figured that out.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I print many nothing special 8x10s on thin low cost paper, fine, looks good... but thin! OK, If I want to frame this, on 8x10 wood framed canvas I need to stiffen. To do so, I use 3M GP #45 spray onto a 110# card stock. Tape one edge to the table with masking tape. Wax paper is crumpled and place between the print and the 110#. Top narrow edge is aligned and bit by bit (1" ) the wax paper is pulled out and the air is stroked out center to edge so as to adhere.

The myth that "glass" protects from UV is true if there is UV??? What UV, do you have a Xenon Arc lamp in your living room... I think not. So why the glass? Do you like the glare surface in front of the Matt print that looked so good as a matt vs the gloss paper? Keep things simple that prints will last for years exposed to the in house air and light. Pigminted, several generations... but doubtful that in 2075 you prints will be revered. Lukabulla who... well enjoy your 15 minutes of fame now... forget about 60 years from now.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Yes they do!
And I would start tearing apart all those frames. Start with your own, then work your way to your friends houses then sneak into museums and tear those apart.
If you can find some Bruce Jenner Wheaties backers, they are with a lot of money now!! :lol:
SS

Darkroom317 Loc: Mishawaka, IN

Glass protects from environmental factors. Not sure how much of an issue this is for inkjet prints. However, not all 2D work can have glass over it. Oil paintings for example release gases and thus should not be under glass.