Help! I have been mounting my photos onto 1/4” foam board to give them a floating effect. I spray the foam board with spray adhesive and then use my wife’s rolling pen to adhere them...

wet3843

I have been mounting my photos onto 1/4” foam board to give them a floating effect. I spray the foam board with spray adhesive and then use my wife’s rolling pen to adhere them together. Sometimes I get a good bond and sometimes I have air bubbles in the photo. I am looking for a method or some equipment to improve this procedure outside of spending a couple thousand dollars on a heat press. I print up to 13”X19”. Any suggestions?

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

wet3843 wrote:

I have been mounting my photos onto 1/4” foam board to give them a floating effect. I spray the foam board with spray adhesive and then use my wife’s rolling pen to adhere them together. Sometimes I get a good bond and sometimes I have air bubbles in the photo. I am looking for a method or some equipment to improve this procedure outside of spending a couple thousand dollars on a heat press. I print up to 13”X19”. Any suggestions?

Yes, change your title to something that addresses your problem!
"Help" could be the title of just about every thing here.

Now, to your issue:
I use a brayer and start in one corner.
I use a non-stick separator sheet between the print and mount board to keep it from sticking to the areas I'm not working with and work it down to the opposite corner.
I still occasionally get bubbles.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/103740-REG/Testrite_44LB_Print_Roller_4.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwr32BRD4ARIsAAJNf_1sSroikE_QKwKArCrDSXD6sq0og9aZH5XwWtnYUvJECDqO5jeCjtwaAp1BEALw_wcB
The rolling pin may be too large to drive out the air bubbles

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

Use a pin or sewing needle to punch a hole in the foam board behind the air bubble, then re-roll. Might solve the bubble.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

DeanS wrote:

Use a pin or sewing needle to punch a hole in the foam board behind the air bubble, then re-roll. Might solve the bubble.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

I believe you’d do better with a roller or brayer and starting from the center of the picture working your way out. That way you’d be pushing any air bubbles out the the sides top and bottom.
Remember to use a slip sheet of some sort so you don’t get adhesive ov the rolls/brayer or the picture.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

GoofyNewfie wrote:

Yes, change your title to something that addresses your problem!
"Help" could be the title of just about every thing here.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Or use dry mount tissue, a cloth and an iron (being careful with the heat). I have B&W prints mounted this way that have been around for 50 years with no yellowing or loss of adhesion, BUT they were on regular mat board, not foam.

Ed Broussard

TriX wrote:

Or use dry mount tissue, a cloth and an iron (being careful with the heat). I have B&W prints mounted this way that have been around for 50 years with no yellowing or loss of adhesion, BUT they were on regular mat board, not foam.

I mount 11x14 on up I buy my adhesive mount boards from Tyndall in Michigan, I roll back the protector sheet about an inch then I make sure the is square and even. I have a small paint roller use for trim work, then I tap at the top of the photo in the center one time in the middle so the photograph sticks the I take a soft glove the slide from the center out one at the time. Then I peel back protected cove about 4 inches at a time then take the paint roller and roll from center out to the edges I do this three or four times. The paint roller is soft does not scratch the print make the bottom of the image is clean or you bumps from the small specs.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Ed Broussard wrote:

I mount 11x14 on up I buy my adhesive mount boards... (show quote)

Another good technique. I’ve also found that rather than trying to line the print up perfectly with the board, it’s easier to use an oversized board and later trim it to match the print. Last time I looked, Walmart (of all people) actually carried adhesive mount boards, but I’ve never used them.

wet3843

Thanks everyone for giving me some new options for mounting my photos.

Hip Coyote

I buy foam boards from Walmart or where ever I can. I spray the back of my photo with an adhesive (one that can be undone if needed.) I then simply put the pic down on the foam board putting the middle of the pic onto the board first (so its kind of bent in a "U" shape.). I have a very soft rag that I wipe it a bit with and never have had a problem. No bubbles, etc. Cut the board after the pic is mounted. For that I use a purpose made foam board cutter and purpose built straight edge. Works like a champ.

If I have a small inter-club contest, I just use some double sided scrap-booking tape rather than adhesive so I can take the pic off and put it in my portfolio (and use the board again on a smaller photo.)

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

A dry mounting press for up to 16x20 or even 20x24 should no cost thousands of dollars on the used market. It pays to try to locate one IF you do lots of mounting. OR, you can purchase some dry mounting tissue and use an ordinary household iron and some Teflon coated protective release paper to place between the iron and the print. A little experimentation on some discarded prints helps you establish the temperature setting and the method. With a bit of practice, you can dry out your prints in Gator-Foam, Foam-Cor, Cor-Plast, Masonite, or certain kinds of plywoods.

Spray adhesives are hellish and air bubbles can be the least of your problems.