How can I mount a linen canvas painting to a board?

raggydan · #1 09-27-2009, 11:41 AM

Can anyone advise me as to how I go about mounting an acrylic painting on canvas to a masonite board without damaging the painting.Can I use glue if so which type?What is meant by the term archival?
I have read a few posts that have mentioned wallpaper paste?Or acrylic medium...which acrylic medium?
Apologies for my ignorance.

Regards.

KennD · #2 09-27-2009, 05:52 PM

Hello, Raggydan. It should be easy to mount your canvas to Masonite. Use the clear acrylic medium as a glue. Spread or brush the medium onto the board, and brush medium onto the back of the canvas, and then place the canvas onto the board. Allow to dry. That, in my opinion is the simplest method to use. There are other glues, such as PVA glue that would also work, as well as various acrylics sold for bonding purposes, and even acrylic gessos are supposed to work too. If you wish to experiment, go ahead. I prefer the simplest possible approach. Good luck.

mick11 · #3 09-28-2009, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raggydan

What is meant by the term archival?
Regards.

Hi raggydan,

This is a term often misused by artists on the other side of the pond.

It actually relates to the preservation of documents, or storing/preserving other works on paper.

Framers refer to minimum, budget, commended, conservation, or museum quality mounting and framing.

Check out this site for what is involved and the uses of each category

http://www.fineart.co.uk/Public/Stan...fo_Advice.aspx

Steve Collins · #4 09-28-2009, 10:37 AM

I've read conflicting reports on whether or not masonite is a suitable substrate for artwork, and have concluded that you need to be careful. As I understand it, tempered hardboard is unacceptable, while untempered is fine. If you don't know for sure which kind you have (or can't find out), I would recommend that you not trust it.

My personal preference is to mount on birch plywood. As long as the painting is fairly small (less that 2' in either direction), it's a good, stable surface. I posted instructions on how I mount canvas/linen to birch a few months ago here --> http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/show...44#post7573644

The same steps work for hardboard as well, though the corners are tucked a bit differently, for the obvious reason that hardboard is thinner than plywood.

Steve Collins · #5 09-28-2009, 10:55 AM

I tracked down the article I had read about hardboard. The author, Eric Thompson, makes artist grade gesso panels and has, understandably, done a lot of research on the subject. Briefly, he concludes that the only artist grade hardboard panel left is Louisiana-Pacific’s Standard Hardboard. Masonite isn't manufactured anymore.

Here's a link to the article --> http://www.truegesso.com/~truegessol...inued%20-2.pdf

And here's a link to the company website, True Gesso --> http://www.truegesso.com/main2-13.html

Steve Collins · #6 10-15-2009, 11:57 PM

I should have read the original post more carefully. My instructions for mounting canvas to board using gesso doesn't apply to anything other than raw canvas or linen.

Using acrylic medium should work, and I don't think it matters which one you use. Either gloss or mat would be fine.

Perhaps someone else would know whether or not dry mounting would work? That generally involves pressure (from a vacuum or mechanical press) and some moderate heat (170 degrees F for a couple minutes). What I don't know is whether or not that's too hot for the acrylic. I also suspect it wouldn't work very well if the surface of the painting isn't smooth.

KennD · #7 10-21-2009, 08:42 PM

Hi again. I don't recommend heat mounting. That is mostly used for photographic displays. Stay with the acrylic mediums.
As for the meaning of archival -- in the U.S. it means to us artists longevity, and staying the same, the way the art work looked when it was finished. In other words, archival is the means to achieve a long life for the piece, whether painted, carved, welded, built, etc. Its kind of a touchy subject for many artists, since back in the 1940s and 50s there was a reaction to it, with many artists, well-known, stating they were only painting for the moment and to hell with the future. Very nihilistic. I subscribed to this as an art student (a kind of rebellious streak in me then), but changed my mind in the early 50s. Archival also means to many, Museum Quality -- since much archival info comes from museum conservators. Hope this tidbit satisfies.

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