Moisture. Heat or light. Pests such as ants and termites. Objects falling on them or against them.
You can easily find this kind of ‘archiving’ acid-free plastic online, and most large stationers or packaging stores will stock the cardboard tubes with plugs at either end.
You can either write the titles of posters directly onto these labels, or, use letters to designate each individual tube (for example, ’tube A’, ’tube B’, and so on) and then write numbers corresponding to poster titles. Write down poster titles, which tubes they’re inside, and the numbers they correspond with in a separate ledger.
Use both hands when handling posters and be gentle. Never lift posters by a single corner which can cause tearing. Don’t drag posters across surfaces which could scratch them.
Lay out the largest poster first, then the next largest, and so on, with the smallest poster last of all. You can lay more plastic between posters if you wish, but this isn’t essential. Roll the posters inside the plastic, then tape the plastic so it stays rolled up. Carefully wrap up the ends (like a wrapped piece of candy), or tuck the plastic in at the ends of the roll. Slide the rolled-up posters in their plastic sheath inside the cardboard tube, seal it, label it, and stow it.
Replace any tubes which show signs of deterioration with new ones.
Choose or create a space with a large enough area. It’s better to keep your posters flat if you can. Ensure your posters won’t be damaged by moisture, heat, pests or objects falling on or against them.
Don’t choose a portfolio made of soft, flexible material if you intend to stand it against a wall —- it will eventually start to bend and this could damage the posters inside it.
Alternatively, use clean white cotton, nylon or unpowdered latex or vinyl gloves.
Sheets of acid-free durable card (again, of larger dimensions than your posters) can also be used (instead of, or as well as, plastic) to ‘sandwich’ your posters. Alternatively, use transparent acid-free plastic sleeves big enough to contain your posters.
Stick the labels on the outside of the plastic or card (the side facing away from the poster).
Another thing to think about is weight: a stack can go as high as a ceiling will allow, but If you plan to stack six feet’s worth of heavy reinforced glass sheets, while your posters will stay nicely pressed, it would be much safer to do this on a solid rather than a suspended floor.
Picture frames with glass fronts are ideal for use in a free-stack of stored posters. However, sheet metal which oxidizes, or wooden boards which could warp, leach resins or even play host to damp and mould are not recommended. Another ideal material to sandwich your posters between is flat glass.
Thin glass sheets should not be stacked too high or they might crack under the weight of the stack and cause damage. Reinforced glass is great — but remember this is extremely heavy.
Thin glass sheets should not be stacked too high or they might crack under the weight of the stack and cause damage. Reinforced glass is great — but remember this is extremely heavy.
You can free-stack your poster collection as high as your ceiling if you really want to — just remember, this method creates a lot of work when the time comes to move your posters or simply view them.
