How to frame Microetched Prints

Supplies needed:
Included:

- Microfiber cloth
- Lint free wipes
- Gloves
- Aluminum tape
- The plastic cap that is on the end of the artwork tube

NOT included (you supply):

- Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol, preferably at 90% concentration or higher),

or denatured alcohol to clean glass. You may use solvents that evaporate completely, but DO
NOT use ammonia based glass cleaners that have colors, dyes, etc in them.
- A low humidity room (~50% or less, pretty much the lower the better)
- 2 sheets of single thick (~2mm or thinner) regular glass cut to 29.5" X 21.625" (21 5/8ths), or
75cm X 55cm
- A clean, dry working surface free of dust

Procedure:
1. HUMIDITY- Make sure that you are working in a room where the humidity is under 50%, the
lower the better (below 30% is even better). You are sealing artwork between glass in a case
designed to not allow any moisture or oxygen to enter, and we don’t want a lot of moisture in
there. WAIT if it is a humid day and you don’t have the ability to dehumidify the air. Turn on a
dehumidifier or an air conditioner if available to dehumidify.

2. Cut the glass (TWO sheets at exactly 29.5" X 21.625" (21 5/8ths), or 75cm X 55cm. I use “single
thick” panes which are just under 2mm thick. There is no need to use anti-reflective or UV glass,
regular glass is fine. The artwork is not sensitive to UV light and it is already mirror reflective so
neither UV filtering or antireflective properties to the glass will impart any advantage.

3. PUT ON THE GLOVES. Do not ever handle the cleaned glass or artwork without gloves.

4. CLEAN UP- clear off a large, flat space to work. Work on a hard, smooth surface, not carpet or
any surface that creates lint or dust. Clean the surface thoroughly and make sure that it is free
of dust. After cleaning, do a final wipedown with the dry microfiber cloth to remove dust.

5. Clean the glass using the lint free wipes (NOT the microfiber cloth). Use isopropyl alcohol
(rubbing alcohol), preferably a high percentage (in the USA they supply 91%). You can also use
denatured alcohol. DO NOT use ammonia based glass cleaners like Windex, or anything with
 dyes or color to it as it will leave a chemical residue that might react with the artwork over the
years. You want something that cleans thoroughly and dried without a trace of residue.

6. CAREFULLY remove the artwork from the tube. The surface is extremely delicate. Do not rub,
run your fingers over the surface or touch the image area, only handle by the edges. When
unrolling and moving the artwork, do not twist it or cause the film to fold in on itself sharply as it
will leave a kink on the surface. The best way to handle the art is to remove it from the tube,
CAREFULLY unroll it on the table next to the clean glass, and then take it by the corners and drag
it across the table and onto the glass so that the artwork is being supported by the table at all
times. You want the two signature squares to be readable and in the lower left corner.

7. Using the microfiber cloth, fold the edges inwards on the top so that you have a nice soft wiping
surface without the edges of the cloth coming into contact with what is being wiped. The edges
are a bit harder and might scratch the art. GENTLY wipe down the sheets of glass and the
artwork one last time to remove any remaining dust.

8. Position the artwork so that it is centered on one of the sheets of glass (again, with the signature
squares to be in the lower left corner). You will see a 1/8” (3mm) border between the edge of
the glass and the edge of the artwork as the art is slightly smaller by design.

9. Take the cleanest side of the second sheet of glass and carefully place it down onto the artwork,
making a sandwich. You want the artwork to remain centered and the two sheets of glass to be
aligned with one another. Press gently on the sandwich in the center, then work outwards to
press the artwork flat between the glass. You want the mirror to look as good as possible, but
there will be some minor waves and imperfections. This is normal and OK.

10. Overhang one side of the glass sandwich over the table so that you have room to work
underneath. Apply the aluminum tape so that it overlaps the top glass edge between 1/8” and
3/16” (between 3mm and 4.5mm). Use one piece of tape per side. Let the tape extend off the
side of the edge by a 0.25” or so on each side (6mm), then fold it around neatly.

11. Use the rounded edge of the cap to the tube as a tool to smooth out the aluminum tape on the
top surface. You want it to be very flat and to remove wrinkles. You are trying to make a good
seal on that edge. Fold the overlapping aluminum tape over the remaining edge to make a seal,
and press down but do not yet turn the sandwich over to seal it with the cap tool.

12. Rotate the artwork 90 degrees, then tape the next edge. Repeat for all four edges. Overlap the
tape on the corners and fold the tape down to make a nice seal.

13. Turn the artwork over. Press the tape down with your hands until it is relatively flat, then use
the tube cap tool to smooth out the tape around all sides.

14. The artwork is ready for framing! Mount it into the frame as is, preferably with a backing of
some sort so that you aren’t stapling directly against the glass.