How To Dry Mount A Print 12 Steps With Pictures

Fotoflat is dry mounting paper that is removable with low heat after application. On the downside, if your print is exposed to sunlight or heat, it may remove itself from the backing on its own. MT5 is a permanent dry mounting paper that requires high temperatures in order to adhere to the print. The con of this paper is that the necessary high temperatures may damage or burn the print. ColorMount is a permanent dry mounting paper used specifically on resin-coated papers, but it has a very small range of adhesive temperatures. Too high will cause bubbles to form, while too low won’t make the paper stick. Fusion 4000 is a permanent dry mounting plastic often considered superior to the other mounting papers, but when melted can become runny. As a result, some of the paper may transfer onto the front of the print, or the print may shift.

If you plan to have the edges of the backing act as a frame, be sure that they are painted in a color you like prior to mounting the print. Some dry mounting paper can be purchased in package-deals along with the backing board for your print.

If you’re worried about getting the dry mounting paper the exact same size, measure it to be ⅛ inch short on every side. This way there won’t be any overlap and possible smearing of the heated paper.

It is best to have a separate iron to use for dry mounting from your regular clothing iron, as one that you use on a regular basis is likely to be dirty or have scratches that could ruin your print. Instead of purchasing a brand new clothing iron, look for one at a local thrift store and pay half the price. Just make sure the platen is clean and scratch-free so that you don’t damage your prints.

Each time you are ready to move to a new corner, set the iron in the center and slide it out to the corner. This will remove any bubbles that might have formed under the print from the dry mounting paper. Un-tape the sides of the print when you are ready to dry-mount that area. Be careful not to pull the print away from the freshly-mounted backing when you remove the tape.