Flattening prints etc

[DaveJ]

Hi guys, I was wondering how you deal with those curled up bits that come out of tubes? Some of them are so springy! Do you guys flatten them? Any rules/tips? Thank you, DJ.

[Jamesnkr]

They need some moisture to relax them. Depending on your attitude to risk and the value of the artwork...

Flatten between two pieces of slightly damp mountboard (use distilled water). Leave standing with weights on top.

Hydrate using Goretex as a barrier.

[Glimpse]

I warm most of them gently in the hotpress... Obviously, this is a no-no for some types of prints, but lithos and giclées are no problem.

Anything that might suffer - wax transfer prints (like custom OS maps), laminated/varnished lithos or anything with embossing or textures - I tend to put between MDF boards (with mountboard or a foam blanket if necessary) and leave with weights on top for a few days.

[prospero]

Some paper will relax totally from being rolled so all you have to do is leave it on a bench.

Other stuff needs a bit of persuasion. Gently slide it between two sheets of mountboard and leave it
for a day (week) or two. Extra weighting doesn't help in my exp.

As for moisturising, you are getting out of the framer's remit and into the restorer's territory. You can come
unstuck big-time if you are not very careful.
Same applies to the use of a heat press. It may work great most of the time but you can't rely on it.

I would only go as far as placing the work between the two sheets and waiting. If that doesn't do it then
you are onto a different level.

[DaveJ]

Thanks guys, yes the water thing makes me very nervous indeed! It's mainly posters, prints, printed photos, not high end stuff. I don't have a hot press so that solves that one! Thanks for the advice, maybe the water trick and hot press one day! I'm glad the solution is simpler thanks prospero. Funnily enough I took a really curly poster out of a tube a while ago and just as I saw your reply I noticed it had flattened itself on the bench! Cheers chaps.

[louisesimon]

Tape a 40mm strip of thick cartridge paper the length of the tube it's come out of and use that strip of paper to hold the poster etc whilst you gently back roll it around the tube. Best though to leave it a few days first flattened under board to ease out the worst of the curl.

[DaveJ]

Thanks louisesimon will try it.