Pressure Mounted Prints

Under changing humidity conditions, sometimes 30x40” Cibachrome prints can exhibit a bit of waviness. This is not a permanent condition; it is due to the fact that Cibachrome is not made on a paper base. It has an archival photographic emulsion on a polyester base.

Photographic emulsions contain gelatin, which is hygroscopic, meaning Cibachrome material absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. When this happens the gelatin coating expands but the polyester base does not expand, resulting in temporary waviness. When the humidity in the air returns to around 50%, significant waviness disappears. We rarely need to pressure mount Cibachromes, fewer than 1% of the 30x40” Cibas benefit from pressure mounting.

We tested virtually every product and have found only one that works properly: Permacolor Permatrans mounting film. This is a pressure sensitive archival adhesive roll material which we first apply to a sheet of polycarbonate plastic .040″ thick. The back of the print is then pressure mounted to the sheet of plastic, which permanently removes any waviness.

We offer this as an option for Christopher’s Cibachromes. We charge $150.00 + shipping for any 30x40″ or 30x30″ print. (40x50″ and 40×40″ prints are always furnished pressure mounted.) Please contact us (or have your gallery contact us) if you have a need for this service.