Kalta
I copied this from the Australian Grumble Board
www.thegrumble.com.au it is a good article on fomeboard which is more appropriate for the type of product that is available in our part of the world, sorry I cannot give you the link direct to the article but it is in the “How Do You Do That” forum…
I’m wondering if it is something in the air in our part of the world…..I’m in the process of examining what my options are for fomecore in Ireland……all indicators are that it is very limited from what I can see… Fome-cor or some brand from Taiwan
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Source
The Australian Grumble
Fome-cor
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Firstly, it is worth mentioning that Hughes were the first wholesale supplier in Australia to introduce foamboard to the Framing Industry. During that time, we have sold foam boards from all of the different manufacturers around the world, so we feel qualified to answer this question.
Generally speaking, Fome board has become the most popular substrate used by custom framers to date, because it is rigid, smooth and easy to process, compared to MDF. Unlike MDF, foamboard does not contribute meaningfully to the deterioration of art mounted against it.
Not all foamboards are the same, and the differences in quality you should look for are as follows:
STRUCTURAL INTERGRITY
The structural integrity of a foamboard is determined by its method of manufacture. There are two methods of manufacture:
1. The Spray Glue Method - One method is cutting sheets of raw foam to a specified thickness, spraying contact adhesive to the surface and mounting surface paper through rollers. The advantages of this system is that are that it is cheap and easy to do. Witness the asian countries (ie: Korea) which are apply this method. Because contact glue is solvent based, it will dry out (like the backing tape on your frame), so it is only a matter of “when” it will let go, not “if”. What use is a substrate to a custom picture framer (with a reputation to uphold) if the paper lets go?
2. The Heated Vacuum Roller Process - The second method of manufacture is complex and expensive, and is only done by one manufacturer, International Paper. This method involves liquid styrene being evenly applied between the two surface papers, and then being processed through heated thicknessing rollers in a vacuum, which expands the foam outwards to meet the rollers, and effectively fuses the core to the surface papers. Thus the dimensional consistency and structural integrity of this product are both vastly superior, as it will not delaminate, and is more consistent in thickness. Because of this, International Paper’s “Fome-cor” brand is recognised as the original, and the best foamboard available.
CONSERVATION DIFFERENCE
Given the above, we must consider the various claims of some brands to be Acid-Free. The only genuine (conservation quality) Acid-free board has thick rag liners, and must be made through the International Paper process. Because the cheaper process is using solvent-based adhesive to bond the paper to the core, it cannot be of conservation quality. In drying out, the solvents release acidic, toxic compounds which will both attack any facing paper applied to the board and the print that is mounted to it. This nullifies any benefit of having applied a surface paper that may have once been “Acid free”.
FACTS FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION
The average “Darcy Doyle” high quality art print has a pH of approx 5.5, Coincidentally, the same pH as the surface liners on standard Fome-cor. So, we can deduce that standard Fome-cor will not contribute to the damage of these standard prints.
For better applications where conservation materials are required by your customer, the “Acid Free” asian/korean foamboards are unacceptable, because of the methods described above (ie: the solvent based glue dries out and releases acid). It is worth pointing out at these stage that these “Acid Free” boards are only “acid free” at point of manufacture, before the “acid free” paper is applied to the solvent based adhesive. For framers interested in confirming this, it is as simple as buying a pH pen (from Zetta Florence), and testing the board being used. Both the results, and the consistency of them, should be of great interest to any framer promoting quality goods and conservation framing.
If your business is interested in promoting conservation quality products, the only acceptable options are foamboards manufactured by International Paper with cotton rag surface papers (and no solvent based adhesives used in the process).
If you must use cheaper asian/korean foamboard, there are a couple of things we would have you consider, based on market feedback we have received.
Application of heat will accelerate the drying of the solvent based contact glue, increasing the risk of the surface paper letting go sooner rather than later.
Excessive application of Spray contact adhesives, can result in the reactivation of the contact glue used, again resulting in the surface paper letting go sooner rather than later.
A COMMENT ON THE TERM “ACID FREE”
An important message for those framers interested in using “Acid Free” products:
The term “Acid Free” is subject to abuse, because dangerous products like ammonia are acid free. So something that is labelled as “Acid Free” does not mean that it is safe for the conservation of artwork.
Chalk (MgCO3 or CaCO3) is widely used as a buffer in paper products to absorb and neutralise excess acid molecules. Excess use of chalk results in paper with a powdery surface, that many tapes will not stick to. We have only found this out through some framers have failures whiles using established high quality tapes (3M, P90, Stylus). Some brands of matboard exhibit signs of this approach to conservation.
It is also worth noting that UV light accelerates the process of activating lignin in the paper to make acid. The overwhelming majority of damage is done by UV Light, not acid burn from backings and mats. I’m sure you will find/ have found this by pulling apart old frames. For this reason, you must consider how your business can promote UV glazing, in conjunction with genuine conservation products.
STICKY BOARDS
With the increasing use of pressure-sensitive boards, the above points must likewise be taken into consideration. What often gets promoted as apples versus apples can be apples versus trucks. Many products that have been developed for the short-term signage industry, have been promoted to unsuspecting Custom Picture Framers as highly affordable, without the necessary education. We are very concerned that boards which should be hanging from fishing line in Coles or Woolworths are finding their way into frames which people pay good money for, and expect to last.
I hope this helps cover some of the questions, and that they make sense to you.
Jared Davis
Hughes Mouldings