Question blueprints

[mayos]

A local dentist's office had a set of blueprints of their office framed less than a year ago(we didn't do them). They were the old original "blue line" prints. Now they have completely faded out to blank paper. They have a copy of them an architect had made several years ago on what seems to be a vellum type paper. Does anyone know how sensitive to light this paper would be? The paper is a translucent milky white with black printing. I'm in a quandry on what measures to take to make sure this set doesn't fade out as the originals did.

 

[Dave]

Hi Jerry ...sounds like these are xerographic prints and should be relatively light fast. Never hurts to use glazing with UV protection though.

If there is any doubt take them to an engineering copier place (even Kinko's or CopyMax, Staples etc. can usually copy them) and have regular xerographic prints made. In fact the copies are relatively cheap so I would just make additional copies and frame them. Then you can give the original copy set back to the dentist.

 

[Accent Images-fotosource]

They may be the original drawings. The original drawings may have been made using either pencil, drawing ink or if done with CAD equipmenmt may be an inkjet or a lazer type printer. If done using CAD equipment the Architect can easily create another set. Depending on the "ink" used it could be like any inkjet print. According to the Wilhelm Institute some inkjets are good for 100+ years while others are good for 90 days or less when exposed to different amounts of light and different qualitiy of air. Since blueprints are usually made by placing the original drawing, made on vellum over the blueprint paper and then run through avery high intensity light to expose the paper through the vellum. The blue print paper then is run through the developer cycle which frequently has ammonia fumes to develop the blue print.