Read on to learn all about the face mounting process, or skip to the bottom to see our comprehensive price list.

SUMMARY

• Acrylic glass cover
• A print on glossy or metallic paper
• Aluminium Di Bond backing

Your photograph or art reproduction is printed and mounted onto the front and back surfaces with high quality adhesive film. It is then fitted with a custom floating hanger, which gives your display the illusion of floating off the wall.

Your plexi face mount will have vivid colors or piercing blacks and whites. This is due to the unique reflective qualities of the plexiglass when it is adhered to the print. An almost three dimensional effect is achieved.

The archival inks will ensure your image remains as bright and beautiful as the day it was printed, for generations. The inks, papers, and mounting film are all formulated to prevent fading or other damage from UV rays.

A plexi face mount is a more permanent choice that results in bolder colors and no wear to the image. Your unique print will be made up of three distinct layers:

• High quality acrylic glass. The crystal clear cover (or glazing) consists of a 3 mm thick, top grade acrylic sheet, cut exactly to size. The edges are neatly routered for sharp corners that are smooth to the touch. Reflection in the space between the print and the glazing is eliminated - because there is no space - so light reflects differently than it does on a framed image. The print appears sharper, and has an almost three dimensional effect.

• A high resolution print. Choose between our two popular paper types for a print that really stands out. Our glossy paper will give an added shine, and a metallic paper will give your image a pearlized sheen that is enhanced by the acrylic. Whichever you pick, your print is create don a high quality, large format printer using special Giclée inks that are UV resistant. This means your image will stay bold and beautiful for decades.

  Once printed, this layer is affixed to the acrylic with a very thin, transparent mounting tissue that contains UV stabilizers that compound the preventative effects of the ink. The tissue will not yellow over time - it in no way affects the look of your print.

• Aluminium Di Bond. Di Bond is a composite aluminium material made by sandwiching a thin, polyethylene plastic sheet between two sheets of painted, .012" aluminium. It is smooth, completely rigid, and made to last.

We will work with you to fine tune or touch up your photograph or other digital image until it is just right.

Can't decide on just one? How about a collage? Our graphic designer can arrange your images in any style you would like, using anywhere from two to eight or more photographs from a family picnic, far away vacation, or photo shoot.

Want to include a whole bunch of photos? Choose a single source image (or simply a shape), and our designer will create a unique photo mosaic of that image using your other photos. You can select up to one thousand images for a mosaic.

Once the image is finalized, sit back and let us create the perfect piece of contemporary wall art.

YOUR IMAGE

Once you have selected the image or images you want to appear on your face mount, the technician will print your photo using a high quality ink jet printer. Archival, aqueous pigment inks - water-based ink that is color fast for up to 100 years - will create a bold, beautiful reproduction of your digital file on your choice of glossy or metallic paper.

YOUR FACE MOUNT

Your print is now ready for mounting!

• First a 3 mm sheet of crystal clear plexiglass is cut to exactly the size of your print. A sheet of Di Bond is cut the same.

• A piece of transparent, tissue-thin film is placed between the Di Bond and the back side of the print, cut to slightly larger than the print. When this "sandwich" passes through a rolling laminator, or a flat bed heat press, the tissue is activated and creates an adhesive bond between the outer materials. It is important at every stage of this process to ensure no dust particles come into contact with the print - even the smallest piece of lint or fuzz will show up clearly in the finished product.

• Another piece of film is placed between the now-rigid print and the plexiglass. When this bundle passes through the laminator or heat press, the film seals the plexiglass to the front side of the print. The film used to adhere the parts of the face mount together is UV stabilized. This means the film itself will not yellow over time, and it will also help to protect the print from light damage. In addition, the film is formulated to maintain a firm bond for as long as your print will be displayed.

  Alternately, the aluminium sheet may have an adhesive already in place. In this case, this adhesive will be used in lieu of a second piece of mounting tissue/film.

• Your print is now securely encased within the plexiglass and aluminium Di Bond, but there is currently no way to hang your bold new decor on the wall. Fear not, this is where an innovate piece of hardware comes into play.

  A float mount hanging system will be installed on the back of your face mount using a heavy duty adhesive. The hanger resembles a metal frame, and can be cut to fit your piece precisely - that is, approximately two inches smaller on each side. This way, your face mount appears to float off the wall, with the hardware invisible from the sides.

  Once the hanging hardware is attached, your plexi face mount can be hung with nothing more than a nail or two in the wall.

The invisible hanger creates the illusion of floating.

PROS

• By attaching the plexiglass directly to the print, a sense of depth is achieved, resulting in an almost 3D effect. Reflection may be diminished compared to a regular framed image.

• Sometimes the glass over prints can dull the image. With a face mount, the combination of the glossy or metallic paper and the high shine plexiglass results in vivid, rich color every time.

• Your face mount is created using the same top of the line inks, papers, and plexiglass used in custom framing. This means your image is equal to a framed print in longevity and quality.

• If your face mount happens to topple off the wall, there is a good chance it will remain undamaged. There is no frame to crack or break, and the plexiglass is unlikely to chip due to the reinforced backing.

• Unlike the foam core backing on a framed print, the aluminium Di Bond protects your print from the back just as much as from the front.

• Once your image is mounted onto the plexiglass, there is no chance of moisture, dust, or other problematic particles working their way between the clear cover and your print - the image will remain just as uninterrupted and clear as the day it was delivered.

DRAWBACKS

• Permanence. Although the materials used in creating your print are archival quality, the plexi face mount itself is not. In order for a print to be considered archival, any display processes carried out must be reversible without damaging the print. Since the mounting film is a permanent adhesive, the print cannot be removed from the plexiglass without ruining it.

• Scratching. The acrylic plexiglass used in face mounting is very durable, but it can still be scratched with rough handling. Unlike a framed print, if the clear cover of your face mount is noticeably scratched, the entire piece will need to be replaced, not just the plexiglass. However, proper care prevents scratching, and small surface scuffs will not overly inhibit viewing.

• A plexi face mount is a bit more expensive than a framed print or Canvas Gallery wrap of the same size.

NOTE: The maximum Fcae Mount size available is 60" by 30". Use our online price calculator for other sizes pricing: Face Mount Price Calculator

A division of USAOnCanvas.com Gallery Picture Frames Sanjose Laser Engraving & Cutting Services