How to Mount Photos on Mats
Mounting your photography on mat boards is a surefire way to make your work look better and more professional. However, according to an article on the photography website Unblinking Eye, mounting your work has other benefits as well. By mounting, you save your photograph from excessive handling, and from inevitable curling. Your print will be more durable and better preserved.
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Things You'll Need
- Cut mat boards (2 more than necessary for photos) Photographs Dry mounting tissue Tacking iron Paper cutter Ruler Pencil Eraser Mounting press
Instructions
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Plug in both the tacking iron and the mounting press. Preheat the mounting press to the temperature stated on the instructions to your dry mounting tissue.
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Place a sheet of the dry mounting tissue on the back of your photograph. Once the tacking iron has heated up, very lightly touch it to the dry mounting tissue near the center of the back of the photograph and move the iron in small circles for five seconds. The heat will tack the mounting tissue to the back of the photo.
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With the mounting tissue attached to the backside of your photo, trim the edges on the paper cutter so that your photograph and the tissue are exactly the same size.
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Place the photograph face up on the approximate center of the mat board. Using the ruler and pencil, adjust the photograph so that it is centered exactly on the board and mark lightly where the four corners belong in case of shifting.
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Hold the photograph in place with two or three fingers on the center of the print-you may find it prudent to wear a glove while holding the photograph down to avoid damaging the face of the print. Gently lift a corner of the photograph, leaving the mounting tissue in contact with the mat board. Use the tacking iron with light pressure and small circles as before to tack the mounting tissue to the mat board itself. Repeat on two other corners, for a total of three corners.
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Place the two extra mat boards in the mounting press, and put the mat board with your photo on it in between them. This way, neither surface of the mounting press has direct contact with your piece and direct heat damage is avoided. Close the mounting press and wait for two minutes.
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Pull your photo and mat board out of the press. Carefully check each corner of your photo to ensure that it has been fully adhered to the board. If any part of the photo appears to be lifting, check the temperature of your mounting press and press it again at the correct temperature for another minute. When finished, be sure to erase any visible pencil marks.
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Tips & Warnings
If you do not have or want to purchase a mounting press, check with your local university or professional photography store to see if there is a time you could use their equipment.
Both the mounting press and tacking iron can become extremely hot and should be used with caution.
