Alternative Display Ideas for Oversize Posters

     Framing oversize posters can be very expensive. Often the collector either can't affor to do so or the value of the poster doesn't warrant the cost of custom framing in a retail frame shop. Oversize materials are more expensive and the labor to do the framing of oversize pieces drives the cost of the frame job so high, it just isn't feasible. I have customers who buy custom framing from me for regular size items that are within shipping size boundaries. For all those oversize pieces that I can't ship a frame for, they have to figure out a way to display them, often without a frame at all.

     One of the ways I have suggested to display oversize posters without going to the high cost of framing them is to have them linenbacked ang have the linenbacker leave about 3"-4" of excess fabric all the way around the poster. Then have someone put grommets in each corner and, if the piece is really large, put a grommet in the middle of the top side and the bottom side. Then you can get some decorative chain from your local hardware store and hang your piece down the wall from the ceiling like a tapestry. When doing this, there is a tendency for the bottom of the poster to want to curl upward. Take a wooden dowel, cut just slightly less than the width of the poser, and place it behind the bottom back of the linen. Take a metal washer (to cover the grommet) and a screw adn go through the front grommets into the dowel behind the fabric. That will hold the dowel in place and act as a weight to hold the linenbacked piece flat against the wall or at least stop it from curling upward. Now, you have to be careful because, obviously, the poster is exposed to the elements (and a small child's fingers). I would  not advise doing this hanging style for a really valualbe poster.

     You can also try to frame the piece yourself, but I wouldn't try doing it with anything larger than a three sheet or French poster. You might be able to find someone who could provide you the acrylic, either a local framer or a plexiglass distributor. You can purchase the backing materials from either a local framer or an art store. If you are handy with woodworking, you can make your own frame, or buy the frame moulding from a vendor on ebay or locally. Just make sure to get something very sturdy. Measure your poster accurately so you can give the dimensions to the vendor that is cutting the materials for you. Have them cut the frame 1/8" larger than the size of your item. Plexiglass should be cut exactly the same size as your item. See some of my other review guides for particulars on assembling your own frames to maintain support.

    The last option for saving money is to do it yourself and I would only advise this if your poster is not particurlarly a valuable one. Let's say you just have a poster you want to display, the poster isn't worth alot of money, but it is huge. Take it to a local framer and have it mounted onto foamcore, 3/16". Let's say the poster measures 40x60. Head to the hardware store and buy some wood that is about a 1"x2". You can usually find some that is well under .50 cents a foot. Have the hardware store cut you two 37" pieces and two 57" pieces. Get some glue and a picture hanging wire kit. Pick up your foamcore mounted poster. Before you go to bed that night, lay the mounted poster flat down on your carpet or floor (put something under the poster so it doesn't get dirty). Take the wood pieces and run some glue on the wider side of it and place the four pieces of wood in a square on the back of your mounted posters.  The wood is shorter than the length and width of your poster, so center it. Put some weights on the wood strips (phone books, etc.). When you get up the next day, the wood strips will have dried to the back of the mounted poster. The wood strips act as a rigid backing to keep the foamcore from warping, but it also gives you something to attach a hanging wire to. This is called "backmounting" and it gives the illusion of a free floating picture on your wall. It is a really cool look, only to be used for non collectable posters, and it is a whole lot cheaper than framing it. If you can find discount framer, it should only cost you about $25 to mount your poster to the foamcore and under $5 for the wood strips and hanging wire. That's a pretty inexpensive way to display non collectable oversize posters.

     As always, please feel free to send any other questions my way. Good luck and Happy Collecting.   Sue Heim - Hollywood Poster Frames

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