Framing large prints

I have been matting and framing my prints 11x14 in 16x20 frames with no problems. I had Mpix print a 16X20 photo for me. I placed in a frame with a mat and the picture has all waves in it and not laying flat. What can I do to fix this. Should larger prints be prepared and framed differently?

Larger prints I mount on a poster board using 3M Super 77 photo mount.

They'll be flat for keeps.

I've been simply taping my prints to the rear of the matte, but like you have noticed, it does not lie perfectly flat. To prevent this I've started using 3M spray photo mount adhesive and gluing the print to the backing board rather than the matte. It is very effective.

But there has been a discussion on this right here and I'm tempted to try the double sided sheet on a roll.

Sounds like a problem I recently had with Mpixpro.

I spent a lot of money and ordered TWO 20x20 matted framed prints from them, which after only 11 months the prints started buckling and coming out of the mat. Mpixpro left me high and dry and didn't respond to my emails after they said they would fix the problem, then emailed me to tell me they cannot resolve the issue.
I will be wary purchasing any products from them in the future if their products only last such a short amount of time.

noxcuses1 wrote in post #15280839
Sounds like a problem I recently had with Mpixpro.

I spent a lot of money and ordered TWO 20x20 matted framed prints from them, which after only 11 months the prints started buckling and coming out of the mat. Mpixpro left me high and dry and didn't respond to my emails after they said they would fix the problem, then emailed me to tell me they cannot resolve the issue.
I will be wary purchasing any products from them in the future if their products only last such a short amount of time.

You have just pointed out a very good reason for a decent sized border. I usually leave at least 25mm, maybe 35mm on each side to make sure the matte holds the print. Also use a good thick paper because thin papers buckle very quickly.

But this spray glue is available in my local High Street and thats the solution to the buckling. I've had no luck sourcing the double sided sheet so have given up on it.

It is NOT the labs fault guys, more the end users fault.

Did you print that 16x20 borderless? If so then that's one of your problems. I too printed all my 13x19 prints of my Epson R1800 at home and framed them, shortly after framing them waves started to appear. Then a good friend of mine told me to stop printing large and borderless, try to print a with at least 1"- 2" on each side of the images giving you plenty of room to go past the matt opening. Also if you don't want to do that, your best bet is to mount the image to a foam core board as the backing then insert that into the frame behind the matt. But for best result print the image size you want on a bigger paper then try framing that and see what the results will be, guaranteed that will will fix your issue.

13x19 on a 16x24 (centered) and so on.

Also when print the image make sure you give yourself a little of room near the edge of the image for matt overlapping, this will give you playing room when framing your image, trying to meet the edge of the image to inside edge of the matt is a nightmare and no need for more problems.

Sevan

Are any of these prints that are buckling, waving, whatever, mounted? If not, there's your problem.

The ambient temperature & humidity in your home, business, the lab, wherever, is not static. It changes all the time. Your print paper reacts to these changes and will cause buckling.

Properly mount the images (either yourself or at the lab) on archival mat board, masonite, foam core, whatever, and you will never have a print buckle again. We mount everything 8x10 & larger and have never had a comeback due to buckling.

Waviness is often associated with constraining the print at all sides, so that as temperature and humidity affect the paper it can only warp and get wavy. I normally only attach a print along a single edge, not two or four edges.