Professional art hanging Question

[Jaxilon]

For the first time, I had a watercolor I painted professionally printed. It is on Kodak professional metallic photo paper, face mounted to plexi-glass and I admit it looks absolutely fabulous.

Unfortunately, the shop failed to guide me adequately and I now have a 22 x 26 inch piece that I need to hang. Had I been made aware of it ahead of time they could have drilled holes for stand-outs. I'm left wanting to use french cleats but wondering if it's safe to use a two sided tape against the back of the photo paper since they didn't discuss with me how this would be displayed and there is no backing. I don't want to damage the photo paper because if you damage that it that wrecks the image. I now know I should have had a dibond or sintra backing added to sandwich the image. I do have a 3" white border that was part of the image so I could take a chance using two sided tape to attach a foam board french cleat. The whole piece is very light.

So, any ideas on how durable this metallic photo-paper is? Can I use some 3m type acid-free tape to mount the french cleat to the back of the piece or am I basically stuck with having to use a regular frame or even those stupid L-shaped clips that are sometimes used to mount a mirror on a wall? I could try drilling my own holes for using stand-outs but there is always a chance the plexi-glass will split and that would totally destroy it.

I've got to do this today for a gift and I know it's a long shot one of you just happen to know the answer and are on right now, but my google-foo is not answering my question.

I know some of those two sided Velcro tabs for hanging images are supposed to be removable and I have some that will hold up to 9 lbs which is more than enough. I might use them to mount the picture to the cleat and then hang it but it's going to be an experiment.

Help!

[Redrobes]

I dont think I am the best person at all to answer this question but I have a small bit of knowledge about some of it. PM Gamerprinter perhaps ?

I do know a lot about drilling plexiglass tho. Plexi-glass normally refers to acrylic (instead of polycarbonate) and acrylic comes in two types which is extruded and cast. Cast is normally clearer and drills just fine tho it can shatter if its stressed a lot. The extruded stuff instantly melts on a drill bit and gums up. Then it cools and solidifies the moment it stops and embeds your drill bit into it and its hard to get out. Extruded is cheaper and normally used for secondary glazing so its 50:50 which one you might have on a picture framing job. If you do drill it then do it slow with a small bit and then let it cool for a minute or so and then use larger bit and work up to your final size. If you go with a wide bit and fast to start with then it will gum up or shatter.

So I say - Dont drill it !

I can tell you this tho. You can buy small bits of acrylic online for not a lot. 3mm is very popular thickness. You can get some of that and cut it out and drill that bit instead. If you know you have bought Cast then you will be fine and if you screw up you can try again. To attach one bit of acrylic to another is simple *IF* you use the right glue and there is only one right glue and its called plastic weld cement - or Dichloromethane.

This:
https://www.amazon.com/Weld-Acrylic-.../dp/B0096TWKCW
or
https://www.amazon.com/EMA-Plastic-C.../dp/B00QQNNWIW

or any similar provider of the same stuff.

Its like water but it evaporates almost instantly so usually you need an applicator bottle. You can use a paint brush and thoroughly wet it up and get it on to the part quick. You put two pieces of acrylic together and only then apply the water thin liquid to it and it cappilaries into the joint. About 20 seconds later its firm about 10 minutes later its as though it were one piece of acrylic. Do not try to apply the glue to one part or the other or the place where its going to fit then put them together after. Put the pieces together first. Try it on some spare and see then you will get it.

Reviews saying its rubbish stuff usually have people applying it wrong because it just evaporates and does nothing. It doesnt glue anything other than acrylic either. Its not like normal glue.

So you can make your own mounting lugs out of acrylic and glue them on.

[Jaxilon]

Thanks for responding RR and for all your insights, this is not an area I have much knowledge of. I felt I had to move forward and I think I have a solution that will be sufficient even if it's not what I wish it was. Attached is a photo of my finished application. Basically I used removable Velcro stickies designed for hanging pictures to attach foamboard as a French cleat. I bought a sheet, used a skillsaw and razor to cut the lengths and that's it. They will need to attach the wall mount side but then can just hang the image on the cleat. I figured worse case you leave the backside of the Velcro on the film and put it in a frame.

I won't do that again, next time I'll know to have them drill for me. I did find a webpage talking about how a step bit won't crack the plexi so maybe if I have to deal with this again.

I will share a picture of the front if anyone is interested but it's not a map.

Here's the back but it's a sideways view: