Flattening Posters?

iamloco724

I have posters still in tubes I plan on putting in a portfolio, I don't have room to lay out a poster for more than a day nor is the floor space safe due to room and dog, any ideas how to flatten posters with limited space?

cmalisze

I have a portfolio from Jerry's that I store under a bed. That flattens them and keeps them safe until I am ready to frame them.

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/discount-art-supplies/portfolios-and-presentation/picturesque-pro-presentation-cases.htm

iamloco724

cmalisze said:

I have a portfolio from Jerry's that I store under a bed. That flattens them and keeps them safe until I am ready to frame them.

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/discount-art-supplies/portfolios-and-presentation/picturesque-pro-presentation-cases.htm

I have that portfolio, but you just put them in there from rolled to portfolio?

samjam

I only own a few posters, so I bought a sturdy 3-fold poster board from Staples and put the posters in that. Cheap, easy, simple!

iamloco724

samjam said:

I only own a few posters, so I bought a sturdy 3-fold poster board from Staples and put the posters in that. Cheap, easy, simple!

Don't mind me for asking what might be a stupid question, but how do use the poster board to flatten the poster I can't in vision it in my head and it's been a long time since I used poster board for anything

samjam

iamloco724 said:

samjam said:

I only own a few posters, so I bought a sturdy 3-fold poster board from Staples and put the posters in that. Cheap, easy, simple!

Don't mind me for asking what might be a stupid question, but how do use the poster board to flatten the poster I can't in vision it in my head and it's been a long time since I used poster board for anything

No worries! I put the posters in the center, fold the two sides, store it upside down so everything stays flat.

Or you could leave it right side up and put a weight on the top so the folds stay closed/posters stay flat.

iamloco724

samjam said:

iamloco724 said:

samjam said:

I only own a few posters, so I bought a sturdy 3-fold poster board from Staples and put the posters in that. Cheap, easy, simple!

Don't mind me for asking what might be a stupid question, but how do use the poster board to flatten the poster I can't in vision it in my head and it's been a long time since I used poster board for anything

No worries! I put the posters in the center, fold the two sides, store it upside down so everything stays flat.

Or you could leave it right side up and put a weight on the top so the folds stay closed/posters stay flat.

This works for all sized posters? Like I have a few that are the odd sizes like Baltimore 2013 and one of the Philly 2013 shows

samjam

iamloco724 said:

samjam said:

iamloco724 said:

samjam said:

I only own a few posters, so I bought a sturdy 3-fold poster board from Staples and put the posters in that. Cheap, easy, simple!

Don't mind me for asking what might be a stupid question, but how do use the poster board to flatten the poster I can't in vision it in my head and it's been a long time since I used poster board for anything

No worries! I put the posters in the center, fold the two sides, store it upside down so everything stays flat.

Or you could leave it right side up and put a weight on the top so the folds stay closed/posters stay flat.

This works for all sized posters? Like I have a few that are the odd sizes like Baltimore 2013 and one of the Philly 2013 shows

You should be fine, just measure before hand so you know how big the posterboard has to be. Baltimore is actually one of the 3 or 4 posters I have stored!

PJ_Soul

I have a portfolio, and I lined it with poster board to keep it more solid. I just stack my posters in there (with acid free liner in between each) and put books on top of it if I need to flatten what I just put in. I leave the books for a few weeks. If you seriously have no room anywhere for just one portfolio to lie on its face (surely there must be somewhere??), I supposed they will flatten anyway eventually, if you have them sandwiched in there, but it could take a very long time before they lie flat when you open the portfolio unless it's packed tightly... which you could easily do. Just get more poster board and load it up (is what I use even poster board actually?? I use those thicker almost foamy-textured boards that you get at Michael's. Whatever those are called)

HesCalledDyer

samjam said:

iamloco724 said:

samjam said:

iamloco724 said:

samjam said:

I only own a few posters, so I bought a sturdy 3-fold poster board from Staples and put the posters in that. Cheap, easy, simple!

Don't mind me for asking what might be a stupid question, but how do use the poster board to flatten the poster I can't in vision it in my head and it's been a long time since I used poster board for anything

No worries! I put the posters in the center, fold the two sides, store it upside down so everything stays flat.

Or you could leave it right side up and put a weight on the top so the folds stay closed/posters stay flat.

This works for all sized posters? Like I have a few that are the odd sizes like Baltimore 2013 and one of the Philly 2013 shows

You should be fine, just measure before hand so you know how big the posterboard has to be. Baltimore is actually one of the 3 or 4 posters I have stored!

I use this same method and also have the Baltimore poster. I store about 8-10 posters in each board, with glassine sheets in between each print. Also, try Wal-mart for the tri-fold boards, they tend to be a couple dollars cheaper than Staples, and same brand (Elmer's I believe).

Out of My Mind and Time

If they have been stored in the tube a long time it can take some time. I finally got to my collection and it took months to have them release enough before I could put them in the new flat file. If they have been stored for a long time, just simply let them out and unroll a little themselves. Then look to flat store them somewhere. Portfolios work to. I laid 3 folding tables out and tried to attack 9 at a time. It took several months. I used stacked cds, weights, glasses and would almost surround the edges. Some prints would flip a beer glass right off the table. Most of the prints fit in the flat file but the bigger ones I have in a portfolio. I like the posterboard idea.

iamloco724

Out of My Mind and Time said:

If they have been stored in the tube a long time it can take some time. I finally got to my collection and it took months to have them release enough before I could put them in the new flat file. If they have been stored for a long time, just simply let them out and unroll a little themselves. Then look to flat store them somewhere. Portfolios work to. I laid 3 folding tables out and tried to attack 9 at a time. It took several months. I used stacked cds, weights, glasses and would almost surround the edges. Some prints would flip a beer glass right off the table. Most of the prints fit in the flat file but the bigger ones I have in a portfolio. I like the posterboard idea.

If you put heavy objects on it where should they be placed just corners? Surrounding it completely on the edges? Or everywhere including the middle?

PJ_Soul

iamloco724 said:

Out of My Mind and Time said:

If they have been stored in the tube a long time it can take some time. I finally got to my collection and it took months to have them release enough before I could put them in the new flat file. If they have been stored for a long time, just simply let them out and unroll a little themselves. Then look to flat store them somewhere. Portfolios work to. I laid 3 folding tables out and tried to attack 9 at a time. It took several months. I used stacked cds, weights, glasses and would almost surround the edges. Some prints would flip a beer glass right off the table. Most of the prints fit in the flat file but the bigger ones I have in a portfolio. I like the posterboard idea.

If you put heavy objects on it where should they be placed just corners? Surrounding it completely on the edges? Or everywhere including the middle?

All over is best IMO (not that you asked me, sorry).
BTW, what Out of My Mind and Time said about letting them just sit after taking them out of the tube and loosen up themselves for a while - that's good advice. I do that too. I tried to rush it once and forced it flat right away with weight, and it ended up with a kind of ruffle-ish edge or whatever you want to call it. The paper just wasn't ready to be flat yet.

ldent42

iamloco724 said:

I have posters still in tubes I plan on putting in a portfolio, I don't have room to lay out a poster for more than a day nor is the floor space safe due to room and dog, any ideas how to flatten posters with limited space?

I have the same problem.The only flat surface large enough to flatten a poster is the floor which is not safe from the cats. I ended up buying a folding desk for other reasons so I use that and just have to climb around it & move it for a few days. I stacked some books on the edge to prevent the cats from jumping up on it. You can get the same result from a cheap plastic folding table from Wal-Mart or target, the kind people use for beer pong or to hold food at outdoor parties. I almost bought that but I wanted something with a smooth surface.

PJ_Soul

Alternately, if you get a solid enough portfolio, it doesn't even matter if the pets walk on it.

on2legs

ldent42 said:

iamloco724 said:

I have posters still in tubes I plan on putting in a portfolio, I don't have room to lay out a poster for more than a day nor is the floor space safe due to room and dog, any ideas how to flatten posters with limited space?

I have the same problem.The only flat surface large enough to flatten a poster is the floor which is not safe from the cats. I ended up buying a folding desk for other reasons so I use that and just have to climb around it & move it for a few days. I stacked some books on the edge to prevent the cats from jumping up on it. You can get the same result from a cheap plastic folding table from Wal-Mart or target, the kind people use for beer pong or to hold food at outdoor parties. I almost bought that but I wanted something with a smooth surface.

I find if you put the cats in between poster board with some heavy weights on top they flatten out pretty quick.

ldent42

on2legs said:

ldent42 said:

iamloco724 said:

I have posters still in tubes I plan on putting in a portfolio, I don't have room to lay out a poster for more than a day nor is the floor space safe due to room and dog, any ideas how to flatten posters with limited space?

I have the same problem.The only flat surface large enough to flatten a poster is the floor which is not safe from the cats. I ended up buying a folding desk for other reasons so I use that and just have to climb around it & move it for a few days. I stacked some books on the edge to prevent the cats from jumping up on it. You can get the same result from a cheap plastic folding table from Wal-Mart or target, the kind people use for beer pong or to hold food at outdoor parties. I almost bought that but I wanted something with a smooth surface.

I find if you put the cats in between poster board with some heavy weights on top they flatten out pretty quick.

on2legs

ldent42 said:

on2legs said:

ldent42 said:

iamloco724 said:

I have posters still in tubes I plan on putting in a portfolio, I don't have room to lay out a poster for more than a day nor is the floor space safe due to room and dog, any ideas how to flatten posters with limited space?

I have the same problem.The only flat surface large enough to flatten a poster is the floor which is not safe from the cats. I ended up buying a folding desk for other reasons so I use that and just have to climb around it & move it for a few days. I stacked some books on the edge to prevent the cats from jumping up on it. You can get the same result from a cheap plastic folding table from Wal-Mart or target, the kind people use for beer pong or to hold food at outdoor parties. I almost bought that but I wanted something with a smooth surface.

I find if you put the cats in between poster board with some heavy weights on top they flatten out pretty quick.

How else am I going to frame them??