Hinges and Floated Artwork - Picture Framing Magazine

potential for weight
bearing with superior
T-peel and shear
strength, the Vhinge
sacrifices that
strength for being
invisibly hidden
behind the art. A Vhinge
should always
be reinforced with a
horizontal crosspiece
to prevent it from
peeling off due to gravity and/or
the weight of the art on which it is
used (see Diagram 2).
As with T-hinges, the reinforced
horizontal strip applied
over the adhered V-hinge may be
made of rice paper, a pressure-sensitive
tape approved for use with
hinges, or a gummed paper tape
(see Photo 2). Unlike the pendant
hinge, these are often placed horizontally
so the length of the hinge
is pasted to the art, rather than
vertically—with the width or narrowest
portion attached to the art.
S-Hinges
Whether called an S-hinge, pass
through, folded, suspension tab, or
concealed pendant hinge, this
method is one that allows the art
to visually float in the center of
the frame. These hinges are
mounted on one end to the back
of the art while the other end is
fed through the backing board and
mounted to the back of the
mounting board (see Photo 3).
The S-hinge is first mounted
to the back side of the art and
allowed to dry. Slots are cut in the
backing board at the proper position
just slightly wider than the
hinge. The sharp paper edges of
the 4-ply board should be rounded
to prevent cutting of the rice paper
48 PFM _ December 2004
Photo 2: V-Hinge—This hinge is similar to a pendant
hinge (discussed last month) but is placed on
the back of the art and folded back onto itself
(left hinge). If reinforced with a crosspiece, it is
drastically strengthened (right hinge).
Photo 3: S-Hinge (or Pass Through)—The
hinge is fitted through a slot that has been
cut into the backing board to be affixed to
the back of the mount board. This photo
shows the hinge, already glued to the art
with starch paste, after it has been fed
through the prepared slot in the backing.
hinges when they are being passed
through, or otherwise handled.
Next, the hinges are fitted through
the slots in the backing board (see
Diagram 3) and glued to the back
of the mount board, out of sight.
As with the V-hinge described
above, the basic S-hinge is subject
to peel failure if the frame is rotated
or mishandled and the weight of
the art is allowed to pull against the
hinge. Therefore, the S-hinge
should be reinforced with a horizontal
crosspiece as with the Thinge
or the reinforced V-hinge.
Jumbo Hinges
Another option to help reinforce a
thin hinge is to create a jumbo
hinge. The jumbo hinge is a bit of
a hybrid in that it is a standard
strip of mulberry rice paper that
has been wet feathered 1" wide
and 4" to 6" long. It is folded at
its midpoint and glued together
with starch paste—except for a 1 /4"
section at each end—to create a
double thick hinge. Those last 1 /4"
ends are left unglued and flared
out into a “T” shape for mounting
to the art (see Photo 4).