The Framers Forum

For the last ten years I have been using the same company for my mountboard, with 70% using one white colour. I had an issue with boards being full of specks about a year or two back and did speak with the company about it, things had been much better until this summer, but the last few months the boards have all been useless of this particular colour, even from different batches and there just seems no quality control as they are all so obvious to spot. I did complain again so they sent me a different batch of replacement boards, not as bad, but still not acceptable, I can’t cut a single mount without having obvious fluff and hair embedded in the board. Usually I can dig the odd bit out but a 20 x 16 inch board is having about ten bits in and it’s impossible to get any acceptable large mounts.

I am at the stage of having to look for a different company now as this no longer seems just an issue with the odd batch, who do people recommend for mountboard supplier that they have little problems with in terms of quality control and bits in the white boards?

Try MUNKEN from LION or Mainline
MUNKEN'S main feature is that its speck free

I have one internet framer (20 employees) in Germany who only uses MUNKEN. Nothing else

Look here to learn more >>>>

I get the impression that you’re using an “own brand” board, with you talking about changing supplier rather than manufacturer, is that right? Or are you using a printing/photographic supplier, so you're not sure whose board it is? I'm just a bit confused with you talking about changing "supplier", because it's the manufacturer you need to change, not necessarily the supplier.

I've used all the main manufacturers' boards at one time or another - Larson Juhl, Colourmount, Crescent, Daler, Bainbridge - and I haven’t really had a problem with any of those brands, just the occasional speck which I can either remove or work round. The main picture frame suppliers offer boards from at least one or two of those manufacturers.

I tend to use quite a few suppliers so can order boards from different manufactures, but
at present I only use one mountboard manufacturer which is Larson Juhls own boards who I normally order direct from. I don't tend to have too many issues with a few of the other colours, but I use the snow white smooth board a lot and there are just too many bits in of late that I can't cut around or remove as they are too deep and just too many of them.

We use Centrado spectra SW01 Snow White (which is really Daler Rowney tint 1). Some specks, but good price.

I had this issue with previous manufacturers' boards but for the last few years I've been using Munken for my main white boards so it's been much better.
It is double sided so one side is off-white and one side is cream so I show these to customers first and if neither are suitable I move on to Centrado's own range and then Daler and then Colourmount.
As Keith says it is made in its own factory so there aren't the same worries about dark pieces and I reckon if I was to guess I would only have an issue less than 10% of the time which can normally be sorted by cutting around the piece, digging it out, or in very rare cases having to cut again.

Another vote for Munken. It's good value, cuts well, rarely any specks, and it takes paint very well.

Are the Munken boards only available in 800mm wide size?

Chris.h

Yes,
The UK MUNKEN distributors only stock 80 x 120 cms

MUNKEN DUO is also stocked in 90 x 120 cms 1.7mm
and 100 x 140 cms 1.7mm
These additional 2 sizes sell well in other countries

LION also sell MUNKEN PURE in 80 x 120 cm 0.7mm
Used as a barrier, but will also take water colours really well, so popular with artists

I only use Larson Juhl and yes , always specks of some kind.