Framing Made Easy

Framing a Rolled-Up Print

Even if that poster from the museum shop has spent ages in its tube―rolled up beyond recognition, seemingly never to lie flat again―there’s hope. One option: Bring the print to a framer and have it professionally dry-mounted. Most places won’t do this on the spot, so the job will cost you the mounting fee (about $20 for a standard-size poster), plus two trips to the store. Option number two? Buy a self-adhesive foam board and stick the print down yourself.
 
 

What You Need

• Crescent Perfect Mount Self-Adhesive Mounting Board ($1.50 to $19.60, dickblick.com)
• Hardcover book
• Utility knife
• Cork-backed metal ruler
• Frame

 

How to Frame It

Step 1: To make the print easier to work with, roll it out, using heavy books at each corner to keep it flat. Let stand for a few hours.
 
 Step 2: Peel back a few inches of the adhesive foam board’s protective film. Line up the print with the edge of the board. Unroll the print onto the board while peeling back more film.
 
 Step 3: Use the spine of a hardcover book to smooth out air bubbles. For larger air pockets, use a pin to make a few holes in the foam board (not the print) to help release the air, then smooth with the book.
 
 Step 4: Trim excess foam board using a utility knife and a metal ruler, then insert the piece into a ready-made frame.