Mounting Photo Backdrops

[unittraincoal]

I have decided to have part of my backdrop printed on (2) 40" x 120"-156" inch sheets. What have been the experiences of mounting on styrene vs Masonite? It seems 3m 77 spray adhesive seems to be the most poplar mounting adhesive. 

One option would be to paint the sky and cut out land forms... With this technique. I suppose doublesided high adhesive tape would work as well....  using cut-outs with Masonite painted sky is definitely not off the table.... 


Currently I am mostly leaning towards Masonite, full printed sky and spray adhesive.....I live in a dry climate. I have a friend who has not noticed his Masonite large 20' foot+ backdrop shrink or expand in the last 10 years, his however is painted... I imagine photo paper shrinks and contracts small bit as well ....... 


Anyone have photo backdrops that have been completed for 10+ years?

[Scottl]

When I did this years ago, I used spray adhesive on masonite boards.  I don't live in a particularly dry climate (it is 'continental humid') and I never had any issues with the backdrop.  My basement is climate controlled and is probably quite stable.

I bought a small rubber roller to help adhere the backdrop.  It was invaluable during the process.

[unittraincoal]

When I did this years ago, I used spray adhesive on masonite boards.  I don't live in a particularly dry climate (it is 'continental humid') and I never had any issues with the backdrop.  My basement is climate controlled and is probably quite stable.

I bought a small rubber roller to help adhere the backdrop.  It was invaluable during the process.

Good to know... my basement is climate controlled as well and super dry (Colorado)....

[randgust]

I live in PA, and it goes from bone-dry in the furnace season to hot & humid in the summer with a dehumidifier running in the room.  I did mine on Masonite and it was probably in the top five mistakes I've made on the current layout with no way to fix it.  As the layout is semi-portable and self-supporting, the backdrops are bolted to the benchwork, 48" maximum table length per backdrop section.   So every 48" there is also a backdrop joint, designed as overlapping lap fingers with steel-strap and screw reinforcement across the top edges on a pine strip edge reinforcement.   Everything is primed and painted, and it still expands and contracts about 1/16" per 48" over a season, really obvious despite every attempt to hold everything tight.  I got it tight enough it then forced a compression lip in the summer as it expanded!  (sort of like a tiny continental plate ridge...)  No, never Masonite again.....  The only thing I can do is use Photoshop to take out the backdrop lines in pictures.

As far as for mounting, I have painted sky and add-on backdrop elements.    I just used regular rubber cement, and that was a smart move, because if anything was damaged or faded I could get it back off OK and replace it.  And the excess glue rolled right off.  I've had some stuff up now 20 years, and if it fades out too bad I can simply reprint the elements and redo them, works fine.

[chuck geiger]

Rubber cement.

[cbroughton67]

I took mine to a print & sign company here in Louisville and had them professionally mounted on 0.050" styrene. It's a bubble-free result, unlike my attempts using spray adhesive. The lamination of the styrene, adhesive, and backdrop make it plenty-rigid with no issues with sagging, etc. There's enough "flex" to allow me to curve the backdrop around corners for smooth, continuous flow. Also, styrene means absolutely no issues with changes in humidity or moisture.

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[Cajonpassfan]

Chris, that looks awesome! Nice work!
Is your sky board an integral part of the backdrop, or did you trim the edge....if so a fantastic I job.
Otto K.

[cbroughton67]

Chris, that looks awesome! Nice work!
Is your sky board an integral part of the backdrop, or did you trim the edge....if so a fantastic I job.
Otto K.

Thanks, Otto!

The hills and sky are all one integral backdrop. I purchased them from TracksideScenery.com.

Chris

[sp org div]

Ya
Does look awesome.
So you just glued the styrene directly to the straight wall sections, and left the arch radius as free standing?
Jeff

[cbroughton67]

Ya
Does look awesome.
So you just glued the styrene directly to the straight wall sections, and left the arch radius as free standing?
Jeff

It depends... There are areas that are adhered to the wall using double-sided 3M tape (the thick, foam-looking stuff that comes in rolls), and others where the backdrop is attached to the modules / benchwork using 1x2 supports spaced at about 2' intervals and at seams. It's attached to the uprights using the same 3M two-sided tape. I've had no issues, and it's been mounted like this for at least 4 years. The radius is free-standing and is supported at each end of the radius with the 1x2 uprights. The backdrop comes in 6' to 8' sections, and I make sure the seams don't land in the radius. It's plenty rigid to support itself through the radius.

[unittraincoal]

Great Info!

[chuck geiger]

Just watched YOU TUBE VIDEO on computerized Landscape/Terrain used in CG and movies, guy printed it on a
wallpaper material and used wallpaper paste to put it up.

/>
He is not my brother.

[unittraincoal]

I took mine to a print & sign company here in Louisville and had them professionally mounted on 0.050" styrene. It's a bubble-free result, unlike my attempts using spray adhesive. The lamination of the styrene, adhesive, and backdrop make it plenty-rigid with no issues with sagging, etc. There's enough "flex" to allow me to curve the backdrop around corners for smooth, continuous flow. Also, styrene means absolutely no issues with changes in humidity or moisture.

(Attachment Link)

Is the laminate over the front of the print? and Is it a matte finish?

[Dave V]

Heh...  I could use a good Lizard Head Peak backdrop for obvious reasons!

[cbroughton67]

Is the laminate over the front of the print? and Is it a matte finish?

The only lamination is the backdrop to the styrene. Nothing covers the backdrop itself. The backdrop is printed on a heavy paper from TracksideScenery.com. The print/sign shop uses a machine to mount it to the styrene, and there's an adhesive "sheet" that goes between the backdrop and styrene. That's it. The backdrop itself is otherwise unmodified/unaltered. The photo paper the backdrop is printed on has a matte finish. Joey Ricard, the proprietor, can give you more detailed information on the backdrops themselves, the finish, etc. In my experience as a customer, he's a stand-up guy, easy to work with, and is very accommodating.