Mounting Systems

Mounting should be used only for reproductions and commericial artwork, such as posters or maps, where conservation is not a priority.

If an original piece of artwork is permanently mounted, it will adversely affect its value. Mounting will hurt the value even of collectible reproductions, such movie posters.

Cold mounting systems use a wet adhesive that is not water soluble and drys or cures at room temperature. This allows for mounting without an expensive heat press. However, the process is messier and more time consuming, and some artwork may be affected by the adhesive. The mounted piece is not available immediately. Do not allow the adhesive to contact the artwork itself.

Dry mounting uses a heat activated adhesive to permanently afix a piece to a sturdy support, such as foamboard. Once a piece is dry mounted, it cannot be removed. Dry mounting should be used only for reproductions and commericial artwork, where conservation is not a priority.