To hinge with linen tape or not

[Territ]

I was looking forward to a fresh start this morning, New Year and all, but....I found that the mat on a digital photograph had buckled while the shop was closed for 2 days. I know it looked perfect when I'd finished with it Saturday.:icon45:
Alas, I attempted to add another mat board to the back to stiffen the whole package but no go. I've determined the problem is the thickness of the adhesive on the mylar strips I used to mount the photo. Soooooo, what do you recommend? Hinges of mulberry paper? - or will the archival linen tape I have be an acceptable substitute? Thanking you in advance for your experiences with both, and wishing for a prosperous New Year for all of us!
Terri

[JPete]

I'm a little confused. I know it's my age but, was the mat in a frame? If in a frame it probably did not have expansion room. Hinge the mat at the top of the back board and hinge the photo to the back board. How large was the photo?

I'd use linnen tape to hinge the mat boards and p90 on the photo unless it is too large or needs an all archival package.

[Territ]

The photograph is 14X18 and I allowed a smidgen of expansion between it and the mylar.

[EllenAtHowards]

Which kinda 'buckle' is it? Is it the sort where the mat becomes kind of wavy? That kind is due to lack of expansion room. Allow about 1/8" in a package for that.
Is it the sort where the opening in the mat almost appears to blossom? That is to say, is it somewhat convex? That could be caused by the Mylar strips being too thick (although never a problem that I can recall). The Fixer here would be some 2-ply rag to space up the edges of the mat, so that the layers are all parallel. (Man, I hate talking without a pencil in my hand....)

[preservator]

If you can cover the edges of the photo, folded paper support strips are the safest option (pictureframingmagazine.com, go to articles index and preservation supplements for more info.) Commercial tapes should not be used directly on art, so if the edges of the item must be exposed, Japanese tissue hinges and wheat starch paste are appropriate. Blotting with desiccated blotter and microdot paste application or feathers only hinges are best for solving the problem of cockling with photos. The problem described
sounds more like a mat problem, however, and not a problem generated by the support elements.


Hugh

[Greg Fremstad]

"Archival Linen Hinge Tape" is an oxymoron. Linen hinge tape is way too strong to be a "Weak link" as hinges must be and it is hardly reversible without a trip to a conservator. Especially the pressure sensitive adhesive style. They require solvents for removal.

Also, a lot of ink jet images on paper are very sensitive to moisture. Using ANY wet hinging method should be used as dry as possible . It would be a good thing to get a sample print (same paper and ink - they are not all created equal) and test your hinging method.