In case you have never seen an engineer print at this point, perhaps you’re living in a cave without a proper WiFi and cannot access Pinterest. Engineer prints are not new, but they continue to be a fun way to obtain large black & white photos. I have printed out several different engineer prints utilising a wide range of methods and have found what works best. On the following lines I’m going to share some great tips for creating engineer prints.
Where can I make an engineer print?
Many places and shops will no longer allow you to print out a photo as an engineer print. However, there are still some local providers who can do the job for you. The paper where the engineer print is printed on is extremely thin and some will say that the photo quality is poor. However, if you have a large picture file with a decent quality picture, you will end up with a great end-product.
What can I mount the engineer print on?
You have a few options when it comes to mounting the posters. You could mount them on a foam board (a lightweight option), or some type of hardboard (a sturdier and heavier to hang option). I’ve used both methods and there are a few disadvantages and advantages to each.
The cheapest option was to use a piece of insulation board cut up into the right sizes. Cutting an insulation board is actually tough work; I ended up using my table saw because an x-acto knife was not really working. In case your prints are smaller, you can use a foam core board with zero cutting required.
Another route to go is using hardboard. I bought a piece of hardboard at a local shop and asked them to cut it to size.
What kind of mounting spray should I use?
If you go ahead and select to fold your prints around your board canvas-style, I recommend not utilising any type of glue. You can simply secure the print with tape on the back of the picture. The problem with spray adhesives as well as with glue is that they tend to cause the paper to wrinkle. I used a few different spray adhesives and found that only one of the engineer prints did not wrinkle. I do not know if this is because of the spray adhesive I bought, or just plain luck.
To secure the print to your board, make sure you line up the picture accurately where you want it and fold the picture gently in half. Spray the adhesive on the board and on the paper, avoiding saturation. In case you spray too closely to the paper or if sprayed for too long, then you risk ruining the print. If you are actually used to spray painting things in general, this step should come easily to you. Use a wallpaper smoother to smooth the print into place. Do the same on the other side and allow the print to dry thoroughly.
How should I frame my engineer print?
You can just choose no frame at all for the prints, this is what I chose for almost all of mine or you can also use moulding to create a frame.
How should I hang my engineer print?
Engineer prints mounted to foam board are very easily hung by using 3M command strips. These are just great since you can switch out the pictures super easily and change up your gallery wall without actually damaging the wall. Usually, I prefer the velcro strips. You can hang engineer prints mounted to the hardboard with sawtooth clips.
