# Aluminum mounting



## nrois02 (Mar 2, 2011)

Hey all, Im not sure if this is the right place to post this but I would like to know about mounting my photographs on aluminum. I am a senior and for my final I am making prints that are on the larger scale(i.e. last night I printed some panos. one is 24"x90" and the other is 24"x72")  I saw a Lalla Essaydi exhibit where she had her prints on thin aluminum and the photo went right to the edge. So essentially it was a thin piece of aluminum that the photo was stuck to. Is there a place I can purchase aluminum like this? and also about adhering the photo to it I know there is like a hot press but I would like to do this on my own so is there a spray adhesive that would be good to use with this? If anyone can help or throw some advise my way that would be much appreciated! Thanks!

_Austin


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## nrois02 (Mar 2, 2011)

I would like to have my prints on aluminum with no frame. or if there is another metal i can use to mount thats fine as well


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## nrois02 (Mar 2, 2011)

Hey all, Im not sure if this is the right place to post this but I would  like to know about mounting my photographs on aluminum. I am a senior  and for my final I am making prints  that are on the larger scale(i.e. last night I printed some panos. one  is 24"x90" and the other is 24"x72")  I saw a Lalla Essaydi exhibit  where she had her prints on thin aluminum and the photo went right to  the edge. So essentially it was a thin piece of aluminum that the photo  was stuck to. Is there a place I can purchase aluminum like this? and  also about adhering the photo to it I know there is like a hot press but  I would like to do this on my own so is there a spray that would be good to use with this? If anyone can help or throw some advise my way that would be much appreciated! Thanks!

_Austin

Im looking to have my print mounted with no frame. also if there is any diy ways to do this that would be helpful as well like if I used steel maybe? its not for a gallery but I would like to get as close as possible with out blowing a hole in my pocket. Thanks!


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## RockstarPhotography (Mar 2, 2011)

check metal scrapyards, you may be able to find a cheap piece there.  I would use spray glue to attach it, 3m makes a good product for about 10 bucks a can.


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## dxqcanada (Mar 2, 2011)

Mounting or printing on aluminum ?

Google

ModelMayhem.com - mounting a print on galvanized steel.......

Metal Prints, Photographs Printed on Aluminum ? Bay Photo Lab

Mounting digital photos to aluminum for gallery exhibition.


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## reedshots (Mar 2, 2011)

Spray glue would be your best bet (a very thin layer) and aluminum (steal would be very heavy) at a sheet metal shop maybe even some home improvement stores might carry something you could use.
Have you thought about the poly board (think that&#8217;s what it&#8217;s called) lighter and most likely cheaper.  Kind of like Styrofoam but denser and has smooth backing paper.  Like the mounting board from Mpix, but you can get it a Michel&#8217;s or other craft stores.


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## nrois02 (Mar 3, 2011)

Rockstar - Thanks ill take a look into both

dxqcanada - I would be mounting to aluminum

reedshots - would steel be very heavy if it was only an 1/8 inch thick? I know it would be heavier than aluminum. Ill take a look into a home improvement store. I didnt even think about that. I have been thinking about different materials but when it comes down to it there are two reasons I would prefer a metal backing. A.) It goes with my photography because I shoot industrial landscapes at night time. and B.) I like the way it gives a very clean look. 

Thanks for the help! keep it coming!

_Austin


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## Destin (Mar 3, 2011)

An 1/8 inch thick piece of steel that was 24x90 would be really heavy. The weight of steel varies, but generally mild steel is in the neighborhood of .28 pounds per cubic inch. Multiply that by the volume (270 cubic inches) of that piece of steel, and you looking at 75 pounds or so. 1/8 inch is pretty thick when it comes to steel!



nrois02 said:


> Rockstar - Thanks ill take a look into both
> 
> dxqcanada - I would be mounting to aluminum
> 
> ...


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## RockstarPhotography (Mar 3, 2011)

I'm not sure what you have for tools, but if you could salvage, say, a door from an old washing machine you could cut the front skin off and take a flap disk on a grinder and grind the old paint off.  It would give a cool industrial look to the metal.  Just remember that aluminum is a very soft metal and scratches easy so if your not going to put some kind of industrial "design" on it you have to be very careful not to scratch it.


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## nrois02 (Mar 3, 2011)

Thanks Destin, that clears it up that steel is out of the question. 

Rockstar - I could do that but the project I am working on becomes very critical by the teachers that will be viewing it and if I do this they are going to want to know the reason behind it and why I am doing it. I could come up with a concept for it but would rather just stick with just straight aluminum. 

I was looking at home depot supplys and they had sheets of aluminum for farely cheap. while they are not the right size I could piece them together to make up for the added length of the photograph. If I went through home depot A) would the aluminum be good enough quality if anyone knows this? and B) when putting the added pieces together what would be the best way to connect them on the back?


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## Destin (Mar 3, 2011)

The only way to connect them smoothly that I know of would be to weld them and then grind it back to a smooth surface.You could overlap them and rivet them together, but then you wouldn't have a smooth surface to mount your photo on. I'm not an expert when it comes to metal working though, so there may be a way that I'm not aware of. 

You might wanna look into a roll of roofing tin. I'm not sure you could get it to lay flat enough though. Check them out at your local hardware store and look into it. I don't remember exactly what it looks like, how big/heavy it is, or what it costs, but its worth looking into .


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## RockstarPhotography (Mar 3, 2011)

aluminum is basically aluminum for what your doing.  There are different grades such as aircraft aluminum but it won't matter for you, they all basically look the same, difference is structural for what there being used to build.  Remember aluminum is a soft metal and scratches easy.  If your not going to put some kind of industrial "design" on it you have to be very carful not to scratch it.


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## Offhand (Mar 3, 2011)

Sounds like the aluminium doesn't show so is there a reason the backing has to be metal? There are other substrates you can use that are cheaper, lighter and can be done by a service bureau. Sintra or gatorboard are fairly thin and rigid and photos are usually dry mounted onto them, which is more reliable and cleaner than spray mount. They're also stable, acid-free materials so won't degrade the photo. I've seen corners peel and bubbles form on spray mounted displays.


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## SJGordon (Mar 3, 2011)

The prints you saw were probably printed directly onto the aluminum and not a regular print mounted on an aluminum backing.  As for mounting prints, the size you have without experience is going to be TOUGH if not impossible, without having bubbles form between the print and the backing, or a wrinkle.   For sheet aluminum contact any welding supply place and they can point you in the right direction for metal in your area.  For good sheets that size, bring your wallet... you'll need it.  You are talking almost a full sheet of at least 3/16", but if you don't want it to be "floppy" at only 2' wide and minimum of 6 feet long you are going to have to go thicker.


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## nrois02 (Mar 3, 2011)

Rockstar - Im not too worried about scratching it because it will not be shown. but thanks for the tip regarding if I needed to use some sort of different aluminum or not! 

offhand - the reason for the aluminum mounting is because my overall theme is industrial night time photographs so I would like the metal to give more of the feel of the concept. I talked to my prof. today and he was talking about some sort of tissue that you put between the aluminum and photograph and use a hot press and that tissue turns to an adhesive so that is probably the way I will go. 

sjgordon - the prints I saw seemed to be prints that were stuck to it. they didnt have that machine print look to them. at least Im pretty they were stuck to it. and thats a really valid point I didnt think about the floppyness of the metal. Would the floppy part be a problem when  it is hung on the wall? I dont see it having that much of an issue but it might. maybe if I was to have three spot on the back to hang it two at the end and one in the middle so the floppy aspect wont happen?


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## SJGordon (Mar 3, 2011)

I would think 3 hanging points would take care of any bowing away (of into) the wall when hung.


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## KmH (Mar 3, 2011)

nrois02 said:


> I talked to my prof. today and he was talking about some sort of tissue that you put between the aluminum and photograph and use a hot press and that tissue turns to an adhesive so that is probably the way I will go.


That is called a 'dry mount'.


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## reedshots (Mar 3, 2011)

you could give this place a try.  see what they can do for you.

Aluminum Sheet Craft Metal: All Sizes FAST SHIPPING


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## Destin (Mar 3, 2011)

nrois02 said:


> Rockstar - Im not too worried about scratching it because it will not be shown. but thanks for the tip regarding if I needed to use some sort of different aluminum or not!
> 
> offhand - the reason for the aluminum mounting is because my overall theme is industrial night time photographs so I would like the metal to give more of the feel of the concept. I talked to my prof. today and he was talking about some sort of tissue that you put between the aluminum and photograph and use a hot press and that tissue turns to an adhesive so that is probably the way I will go.
> 
> sjgordon - the prints I saw seemed to be prints that were stuck to it. they didnt have that machine print look to them. at least Im pretty they were stuck to it. and thats a really valid point I didnt think about the floppyness of the metal. Would the floppy part be a problem when  it is hung on the wall? I dont see it having that much of an issue but it might. maybe if I was to have three spot on the back to hang it two at the end and one in the middle so the floppy aspect wont happen?



What about cutting the print into 3 or 4 pieces, and cutting the metal to match the size of them? then just hanging them together on the wall to get the look of one big photo. 

Sounds weird, but I think it would look cool. Here is an example of what I mean, but it is printed on canvas, not metal.


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## RyanLilly (Mar 4, 2011)

I have seen photos mounted to masonite. Its cheap and easy to work with, especially if you have a table saw. You could use aluminum color or even zinc galvanizing paint. There are also paints that give the look of a hammered metal finish. Just a thought if aluminum ends up being to much of a pain, or too costly. In either case you might want to consider putting a an inch or so thick peice of wood or other material in the center of the print, several inches smaller than the overall size of the print, that way it stands off from the wall a bit. It can give a more striking impresion because it is not on the same plane as the wall.


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