Waviness on Framed Prints

Information on shipping, storing and repairing your art, plus your reviews on products for art collecting, making, storing, etc..
User avatar
sidaldo
Art Expert
Posts: 1043
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:02 am

Mon Apr 18, 2016 4:25 pm

The waviness is purely down to the change in temperatures. Paper is always expanding and contracting so it's pretty natural for the fibres to form a wave. Take them out of the frame and flatten them out for a while. They should go back to being normal.

PS: Framers fault for using any sort of tape, that will leave loss of paper at the back. Advise you to not remove the tape and let it be. Only should be handled by a professional conservation studio if need be.
User avatar
CHR1S
Art Expert
Posts: 1008
Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2010 8:52 am

Thu Apr 21, 2016 8:47 am

Also depends on how much tape the framer used and how much room he left in the frame for the paper to move. If there is too much tape across the top of the print it's going to be more prone buckling and waves. If the frame was cut the exact size of the print then there is no room for the print/paper to move if/when the paper expands and contracts.

I would have mounted the print on museum board with a 1/8 inch margin all around. And hinged the print with just two tabs of mulberry paper and wheat paste, (one tab on the top left, one on the top right). Mulberry paper is much more pliable and forgiving than tape. Tape is rigid and won't flex the same way mulberry paper will.

And some paper is just more prone to buckle and wave regardless of how well it is mounted.
User avatar
peacedog
Art Expert
Posts: 3160
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 12:46 pm
Location: Denver, Colorado
Contact:

Sun May 29, 2016 2:14 pm

sidaldo wrote:The waviness is purely down to the change in temperatures. Paper is always expanding and contracting so it's pretty natural for the fibres to form a wave. Take them out of the frame and flatten them out for a while. They should go back to being normal.
This is incorrect. There are many reasons paper buckles, temperature changes being low on the list. Type and thickness of paper, type of ink, thickness of ink laid down, amount of unprinted surface vs. printed, and barometric shifts all play a far more important role. As well paper doesn't tend to just flatten out by letting them lie out, it needs to be pressed.

And:
CHR1S wrote:Some paper is just more prone to buckle and wave regardless of how well it is mounted.
dskdaniel
Art Expert
Posts: 3572
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:43 pm
Location: Hollywood

Sun May 29, 2016 2:25 pm

The only print I have I've noticed this on (knock on wood) is Kosowski's Lolita. Boy was that a bummer to discover. I feel like on that one it's definitely a combo of the paper quality and ink weight.
willg
Art Expert
Posts: 4313
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:00 am
Location: Chucktown

Sun May 29, 2016 2:37 pm

Doesn't look like any spacers were used as ceevee mention, which would lessen the waviness. The print resting directly on the glass is not ideal. I live in a humid area and had a cheap print framed in my son's room with no spacers. A few years later when I removed the print some parts of the paper had adhered to the glass and came off with it.
User avatar
fdi1001
Art Connoisseur
Posts: 300
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 5:40 pm
Location: Dallas, TX
Contact:

Sat Jul 16, 2016 3:15 pm

If you want the print to last, it should be against the glass since it will eventually become one with the glass. That is the purpose of the mat board or spacer.

In regards to the waves some of the stuff said so far is sort of correct. All paper based products, and in fact all wood is subject to waves and warping with temperature and humidity changes. The only way to truly stop a print from waving is the permanently mount it to the mounting board with something like dry mounting. However, if the mounting board is acidic, or becomes acidic it cant be replaced and it can hurt the print over time. This is more an issue when trying to preserve things for lifetimes. I have heard that most of Ansel Adams prints were drymounted.

So some waves are ok and natural, however, improper framing can make things worse. Yes paper will contact and expand with temperature changes and that is not the big problem. The problem is if you completely tape one or more edges of the paper down to a the mounting board so the paper is not free to move. The problem is that the paper and the mounting board will not expand and contract at the same rate. If the mounting board shinks faster than the paper the paper is forced to buckle. That is why the paper needs to be free to move. Proper archival mounting usually means just hinging perhaps two points at the top so the paper is mostly hanging inside in the frame and the only fixed point is the just a small line between the two hinges. Using a mat board that overlaps the image can help keep the edges of the paper down without restricting the paper from expanding and contracting under the mat. Photo corners, mounting stips, or mat cut outs are other ways to mount the image loosely without adhesive.

You can see an example of hinging here:
https://www.framedestination.com/pictur ... -mounting/

When you look for a framer, try to find on that is Certified by the http://www.ppfa.com/
It will not be a guarantee, but will indicate you are much more likely dealing with more of a professional.
Frame Destination, Inc.
Picture Framing Blog
Facebook
LinkedIn
User avatar
Luckyslev
Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:56 am
Location: Louisville, KY

Sun Jul 31, 2016 3:44 pm

Thanks for the framing tips and explaintions! I was always concerned if the waviness was moisture seeping in or if it might be gravity and improper mounting techniques.
"Hey baby Jesus, you wanna do Pilates?"
hvbias
Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 9:03 pm
Location: Northeast, USA

Fri Aug 19, 2016 9:55 am

I recently noticed this with waviness my diplomas. I got them framed at Michaels and it's been so long that I can't recall what options I went.
Post Reply