mounting silk to mount core

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cityfox

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I have an inexpensive piece of silk 36 x 14, that I would like to mount to Mount Core. I've never used it before. I've always used Perfect Mount, but recently, the owner mounted a fabric on mount core and it turned out quite nicely. This piece of silk is going directly into the frame, with spacers and aluminum tape for the sides of the frame. It says to use heat at 130 degrees in my vacumount press. Has anyone worked with mount core, who would love to give any advice. ?? thanks
 
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With silk, I would be very hesitant before turning on a heat press.
Not because MountCor cannot work. It can.
But silk is not paper, and it is not canvas. Heat, pressure, and adhesive can change the sheen, the weave, the hand, and the general behaviour of the fabric. Once it is mounted, it is no longer a gentle or easily reversible treatment.
If this came to me, my first instinct would be to look for a no-glue method.
For a 36×14 inch piece going into a frame with spacers, that seems very possible. I would consider stretching or wrapping it over an acid-free board and securing it from the back, or stitch-mounting it to an archival fabric-covered support.
If it needs support, I would rather support it mechanically than solve the problem with heat and adhesive.
My rule with textiles is simple:
If it can be mounted without glue, do not glue it.
If it can be mounted without heat, do not heat it.
If it can remain reversible, keep it reversible.
For an inexpensive decorative piece, MountCor may be acceptable, but only after a proper test.
And by “proper test” I mean: same silk, same board, same release paper, same temperature, same vacuum cycle, and the real platen temperature checked with a heat strip, Tempilstik, Thermax, or something similar — not just the number on the dial.
I would also look at the test again after a few days, preferably in raking light. Adhesive showing through silk, changes in sheen, or small distortions may not always be obvious immediately.
If there is no extra silk to test, then the actual piece becomes the test — and that is exactly what would make me nervous.
So my honest answer is:
For silk, my first choice would be no press, no glue, and no unnecessary risk.
If it must be mounted with MountCor, I would test first and make sure the customer understands that the surface may change.
 
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I would add one more thought.
With silk, I do not fully trust even the repeatability of heat mounting.
One piece may come out perfectly. Another piece, with the same settings, on the same press, on the same day, may change sheen, show adhesive, or distort slightly.
So for me the question is not: “Will MountCor work?”
In general, yes, it may work.
The real question is: “Will it work safely on this exact piece of silk?”
With silk, I trust the test more than the method.
But honestly, I do not even trust the test completely, because with silk I have seen tests fail to repeat reliably.
In a certain sense, it is a small lottery — and the full result may not reveal itself immediately, but days or even weeks later.
 
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Dry mounting wouldn't be my first choice. But, if you're going to try it, why not use Kool Tack Preserve Ultra foam core?
Framers Inventory has it, and unlike MountCor, it's reversible. That could be useful, if the fabric goes on crooked.
But, please consider what Karlo said, especially about how heat can change sheen or cause other distortions.
 
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Shayla said:
Dry mounting wouldn't be my first choice. But, if you're going to try it, why not use Kool Tack Preserve Ultra foam core?
Framers Inventory has it, and unlike MountCor, it's reversible. That could be useful, if the fabric goes on crooked.
But, please consider what Karlo said, especially about how heat can change sheen or cause other distortions.
Click to expand...
With great respect, Shayla, I understand why you suggest it, and it may well be a better dry-mount board in some situations, especially if reversibility or correcting a mistake is important.
But I am not sure it is the best alternative for silk.
My concern is that it still uses heat, pressure, and adhesive — and, as far as I understand, at a higher temperature than MountCor.
So it may solve one problem, but it does not remove the main risk: silk reacting unpredictably to heat and adhesive.
For that reason, I would see it as a better dry-mount option, but not necessarily the safer silk-mounting option.
For silk, my first choice would still be a mechanical, no-glue method if possible.
 
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We have used a liquid PSA adhesive on some very sheer silks in the past. It allowed us to lift the silk and reposition if we ran into issues. Not sure where to get it anymore or about the archival qualities if that's a consideration but it sure worked well.

There is a company called Simalfa that offers one but I don't know if they sell in small quantities. Their main business is car manufacturers and matress companies.
 
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Tato Karlo said:
With silk, I would be very hesitant before turning on a heat press.
Not because MountCor cannot work. It can.
But silk is not paper, and it is not canvas. Heat, pressure, and adhesive can change the sheen, the weave, the hand, and the general behaviour of the fabric. Once it is mounted, it is no longer a gentle or easily reversible treatment.
If this came to me, my first instinct would be to look for a no-glue method.
For a 36×14 inch piece going into a frame with spacers, that seems very possible. I would consider stretching or wrapping it over an acid-free board and securing it from the back, or stitch-mounting it to an archival fabric-covered support.
If it needs support, I would rather support it mechanically than solve the problem with heat and adhesive.
My rule with textiles is simple:
If it can be mounted without glue, do not glue it.
If it can be mounted without heat, do not heat it.
If it can remain reversible, keep it reversible.
For an inexpensive decorative piece, MountCor may be acceptable, but only after a proper test.
And by “proper test” I mean: same silk, same board, same release paper, same temperature, same vacuum cycle, and the real platen temperature checked with a heat strip, Tempilstik, Thermax, or something similar — not just the number on the dial.
I would also look at the test again after a few days, preferably in raking light. Adhesive showing through silk, changes in sheen, or small distortions may not always be obvious immediately.
If there is no extra silk to test, then the actual piece becomes the test — and that is exactly what would make me nervous.
So my honest answer is:
For silk, my first choice would be no press, no glue, and no unnecessary risk.
If it must be mounted with MountCor, I would test first and make sure the customer understands that the surface may change.
Click to expand...
Tato Karlo said:
With silk, I would be very hesitant before turning on a heat press.
Not because MountCor cannot work. It can.
But silk is not paper, and it is not canvas. Heat, pressure, and adhesive can change the sheen, the weave, the hand, and the general behaviour of the fabric. Once it is mounted, it is no longer a gentle or easily reversible treatment.
If this came to me, my first instinct would be to look for a no-glue method.
For a 36×14 inch piece going into a frame with spacers, that seems very possible. I would consider stretching or wrapping it over an acid-free board and securing it from the back, or stitch-mounting it to an archival fabric-covered support.
If it needs support, I would rather support it mechanically than solve the problem with heat and adhesive.
My rule with textiles is simple:
If it can be mounted without glue, do not glue it.
If it can be mounted without heat, do not heat it.
If it can remain reversible, keep it reversible.
For an inexpensive decorative piece, MountCor may be acceptable, but only after a proper test.
And by “proper test” I mean: same silk, same board, same release paper, same temperature, same vacuum cycle, and the real platen temperature checked with a heat strip, Tempilstik, Thermax, or something similar — not just the number on the dial.
I would also look at the test again after a few days, preferably in raking light. Adhesive showing through silk, changes in sheen, or small distortions may not always be obvious immediately.
If there is no extra silk to test, then the actual piece becomes the test — and that is exactly what would make me nervous.
So my honest answer is:
For silk, my first choice would be no press, no glue, and no unnecessary risk.
If it must be mounted with MountCor, I would test first and make sure the customer understands that the surface may change.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your information. The image on the silk, goes all the way to the edge of the silk. I was hesitant about using a method I'd never tried before, especially applying heat. Everyone here says no heat and that reinforced my nervousness about using heat. I am going to use Perfect Mount. It doesn't require heat and is considered archival. You guys are the best. Karen
 
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I've mounted silk by pre-mounting a piece of drymount Film on matboard and smoothing it onto
the tacky surface. The thing is to give it a quick squeeze in the press - literally bring it to pressure
and then shut it off. This way it it sticks but it doesn't permanently bond which allows you to peel
it off easily if need be. It's not like paper in that it won't expand so won't bubble after mounting.
 
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cityfox said:
I have an inexpensive piece of silk 36 x 14, that I would like to mount to Mount Core. I've never used it before. I've always used Perfect Mount, but recently, the owner mounted a fabric on mount core and it turned out quite nicely. This piece of silk is going directly into the frame, with spacers and aluminum tape for the sides of the frame. It says to use heat at 130 degrees in my vacumount press. Has anyone worked with mount core, who would love to give any advice. ?? thanks
Click to expand...
I’d honestly recommend checking out ProCut Global for frames and mounts. Their mount boards and frame options are really solid for the price, loads of sizes/colours, and the quality has been consistently good in my experience. Definitely worth a look before going elsewhere.
 
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procutframer said:
I’d honestly recommend checking out ProCut Global for frames and mounts. Their mount boards and frame options are really solid for the price, loads of sizes/colours, and the quality has been consistently good in my experience. Definitely worth a look before going elsewhere
Click to expand...
OP being in the USA - and you in UK it’s not worth a look at all!

You’re retail anyway!
 
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Tato Karlo said:
I would add one more thought.
With silk, I do not fully trust even the repeatability of heat mounting.
One piece may come out perfectly. Another piece, with the same settings, on the same press, on the same day, may change sheen, show adhesive, or distort slightly.
So for me the question is not: “Will MountCor work?”
In general, yes, it may work.
The real question is: “Will it work safely on this exact piece of silk?”
With silk, I trust the test more than the method.
But honestly, I do not even trust the test completely, because with silk I have seen tests fail to repeat reliably.
In a certain sense, it is a small lottery — and the full result may not reveal itself immediately, but days or even weeks later.
Click to expand...
Thank you all for your really great advice. At first I tried static mount, but the piece rippled... I ended up using Perfect Mount with no heat. It turned out lovely.
 
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