Mylar or Premium clear Acrylic - choices, choices it is so confusing

[JBergelin]

Last year one of my good customer's daughter made Dad for Fathers day a collage of pictures of her and him over the years.

It is cute and memorable but alas it is falling apart. 24 x 30 thin paper with photos attached with glue - I think it was white elmars - glittery stars here and there foam letters - I love you daddy - plastic poster frame, chipboard backing glass and some sort of foam tape or poster plaster along the edges.

I have been able to remove the glass with little damage - will mat and reframe.

So the question - I need to overlay the pictures so they do not peel off the thin paper which I have wet mounted to foam board. So far so good, the wet mount went well but I am concerned that her pictures will peel off over time - the stars are already coming off.

I was planning to use 1/8 inch acrylic to stablize the pieces as I am getting ready to cut I glance over and see my handy dandy roll of Mylar.

We keep preaching that the photos should not touch the glass so i am cringing as I consider the acrylic (better than glass so I read) now I am wondering about the Mylar - we seal historical documents in it for conservation. Would it be better than the acrylic?

What is the difference?

I so appreciate this knowledge base - thanks guys and gals.

 

[Jim Miller]

Acrylic would be my choice for the glazing. Clear polyester film would be too flimsy to use as 24" x 30" glazing, especially if you expect it to press the items.

If you're thinking that pressing glazing against the items will hold them in place when the glue fails, you'll probably be disappointed to see them loosen, shift, and perhaps fall out of place. The problem is that expansion/contraction cycles would probably cause the pressure of the glazing on the papers to be undependable. That pressure, even if you could maintain it, would not substitute for proper mounting.

Unless you can and will remaove and remount all of the items, I suggest telling your customer that the deterioration will continue. In any case, I suggest disclaiming any responsibility for the future of that amateur-glued assembly.