Overlays are a conventional type of mat, offered by many suppliers. Assembly details may vary from supplier to supplier, but with our system the photographs are taped to the reverse of the mat, which is in turn attached to a plain-core page.

Assembling Overlay Leaves

You can order your album from us with the mats supplied loose, or with the mats already attached to the page, ready for the prints. Most of our clients order the mats loose. We’ll assume you’ve designed the album and created the print files using Photojunction and that you’ve ordered the album with the mats loose.

Before you begin

Start by arranging all prints in the order in which they’ll appear. Make sure the mats are in the correct order too. Compare the Overlay apertures and the prints they’re intended to display, and make sure the two agree!

Make sure the album is right way up before you start. A piece of rigid card under the page gives a firmer surface to work on. Most people use one or two pieces of (preferably acid-free) adhesive tape to mount the prints to the mat. We supply the mats themselves with adhesive tape already attached.

First we mount the prints on the mat, and then the mat on the page. Photojunction can speed things up for you by creating a page layout file that will print all the images on a single sheet. Instead of mounting each image individually, all you need to do is attach the layout behind the mat.

Step 1. Attach the prints to the mat 

A light table makes life easier, but it’s simple enough to attach two pieces of tape to the back of the print, lay the print out on the table (tape sticky side up) and hold the mat above it to position the photo within the mat aperture. You can then flip the print and mat over to add more tape (don’t overdo it: two or three pieces will do) before placing the mat on the page.

Step 2. Mount the mat on the page

The quickest way, but with a greater margin for error, is to simply place one corner of the mat first, holding the rest of it clear of the page, and adjust its position before dropping it onto the page. Don’t press the page down until you’re sure it’s positioned correctly.

A more fool-proof approach is to proceed as in the photo above. First, peel back the release layer (backing tape) from the top left and top right corners so that this extends past the mat and you will be able to reach it with your fingers.

You can now safely move the mat around on the page to position it accurately, press it down lightly at the exposed corners, and then remove the rest of the release tape. (Don’t forget any tape in the middle of the mat - work from the bottom, where it can be reached.)

Finally, remember the adhesive is pressure sensitive - rub it down with a cloth to ensure a good bond.