Applying Frame Sealing Tape

Create a Post
Larry Peterson

Larry Peterson

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Resource Provider
Joined
Apr 8, 2003
Posts
11,679
Loc
Wilkes-Barre, PA
I have always had trouble applying Frame Sealing Tape. Not putting it on but getting the tape to behave when I am putting it on especially when the tape gets near the end of roll. It keeps coming out of the box and won't stay straight. The roll curls and gets in my way and won't stay straight.

My solution is to take it out of the box and hang it on a nail and apply it from there. Works for me.

FrameSealingTape.jpg


FrameSealingTape1.jpg
 
Interesting tip.

I always hate applying sealing tape because I was taught to apply it to the lip and rabbet of the moulding, real pain in the butt. From the picture you are only applying the sealing tape only to the rabbet. Is this common and acceptable? Have I been unnecessarily apply the sealing tape to the lip and rabbet of the frame?
 
I only used to seal the inside of a frame rebate when I was dealing with a difficult closure, ie large frame, dark matt and whiskery wood with the glass shaving off a shower of fish every time it moved. For that I usually used regular backing tape as I do not believe routinely sealing the inside offers any advantages.

Happy to be proven wrong if someone can offer a good reason for doing this.
 
I was taught to deal the inside of the frame to prevent the acid in the wood to migrate to the artwork. Especially if your framing a canvas, the tape would help the canvas from sticking the lip of the frame.
 
To prevent a the paint from sticking to the rabbet I have always used Voltara, foam rabbet tape - but it is also a PITA to apply because it is easy to go on crooked or stretch out.
 
The metal sealing tape (or glass) blocks acid from the wood.
Volara stops the paint/painting from sticking to the lip if no glazing is being used.

There are differences of opinion on how effective and necessary protecting against acid is.
The MCPF requirements say that art should be at least 1" away from any "acid source."
(note: this is one of the key reasons to aluminum tape seal the back of a fillet when putting it in a mat.)

There is also some evidence that the acid from wood is relatively stable unless it is cut cross grain.
This, of course, is difficult to judge in many cases.

So, my rule of thumb, seal if art is closer than 1" and it's not just "decorative" art.
Lip, rabbet, or both - apply the 1" rule, and glass/metal barrier rule.
 
I don't lose a lot of sleep over acid migration from the frame to an oil painting.

What is far more damaging are little bits of stray leaf under the rabbet lip. Also,
some mouldings can have a pronounced ridge or even lumps under the lip.
I've seen paintings with a line around the edge which has impinged itself into the
paint/varnish - with or without bits of gold. For this reason it's a good idea to run the
side of a knife blade under the rabbet to plane off any lumps. Followed by a quick tickle
with a sanding block.

Most of the frames I do have several layers of paint on them which form quite big dribbles
under the rabbet. I use a Stanley scraping tool to shave them and then sand smooth.

For paintings with heavy impasto or ones that have been recently varnished, it's a good idea to
use a fixing method that doesn't push the canvas against the rabbet too hard.

As for tape, I run wet gum tape all over the backs and right up to the rabbet edge. Not so
much for protection but because it looks better. :D
 
I've been Sealing all my frames for canvas and conservation grade framing. But over the past 10 years I have not seen one frame, that I have taken apart to reframe, have the frame sides and/or rabbet sealed with the metallic tape. I'm starting to wonder it it's necessary.
 
To apply frame sealing tape, I first fold it, with straight edge, 1/16" narrower than rabbet width.
Then burnish along folded edge. Unfold and flatten. Apply to rabbett keeping backer on while peeling off as I go.
Burnish into frame, carefully!!! so as not to rip.
 
Thanks for the application tip, Larry. My guess is that you frame almost entirely paper work, using acrylic. Is that anywhere close? Do you use the tape for matted prints, or only those without mats?
 
shayla said:
Thanks for the application tip, Larry. My guess is that you frame almost entirely paper work, using acrylic. Is that anywhere close? Do you use the tape for matted prints, or only those without mats?
Click to expand...

For my frames that don't use mats, I offer two options. The first my "Value Frame" which is a frame, acid free foam core backing and acrylic (FF3 with options for p99, OP3 or OP3/P99). The second is my "Value Frame Conservation Option" which uses Frame Sealing tape, OP3 or OP3/P99 acrylic, rag foam core rather than acid free and a Mylar sheet between the item being framed and the glazing.

For my "Changeable Frames" with mats, the item being framed is encapsulated using a Mylar sleeve so no further conservation such as Frame Sealing Tape, is needed.

The majority of my framing on my site is for newspapers, magazines, comics and comic art. My sales on Etsy is traditional framing for prints, photos and the such. Do to the limits of the site, I don't offer any conservation options there. All frames there have acid free foam core and the same acrylic options as my site.
 
Create a Post
Back
Top