With Pagemount leaves, the prints are trimmed to sit within the aperture and are mounted with repositionable, pressure-sensitive film. It will be obvious that different mounting techniques are required to assemble pages in the Pagemount style, but be reassured that the process takes longer to describe than to do!

Assembling Pagemount Leaves

As with many new things, first time is hardest. If you approach your first album with due care, practice will soon make perfect. Our mounting film takes up to 2-3 days for the full, permanent bond to develop. Not only can you reposition something which you may have mounted badly, but if you find a major mistake next day the situation can probably be rectified.

You can order your album from us with the mats supplied loose, or assembled to the stage shown in the photograph - that is, with the mats already attached to the page and repositionable film in place ready for the prints. Few 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 mounted on the pages.

Before you begin

With normal “overlay” mounting, the prints are attached to the mat, and then the mat to the page. With Pagemounts, however, because the prints are trimmed to sit within the aperture, the mats must be positioned on the page first. Otherwise you’ll have no idea where the prints are to go.

Start by arranging all prints in the order in which they’ll appear. Compare the Pagemount apertures and the prints they’re intended to display, and make sure the two agree!

Step 1. Trim the prints

We recommend that all prints of the same size be trimmed to the same dimensions, leaving the same gap (about 2mm) on all sides between the print and surrounding mat. If you used Photojunction, the images will be automatically be sized to this “trim size”. You’ll just need to trim away any white  border. Otherwise you’ll need to measure manually. We recommend using a rotary trimmer, as in the photo, available in most studios. (Use Google to get product specifications and distributors for Rotatrim. We recommend the Professional range.)

DON'T TRIM PRINTS TO THE SAME SIZE AS THE MOUNTING FILM. The normal 2mm gap between the print and the mat will make the print slightly larger than the film.

Step 2. Mount the prints

Use the tip of a graphic trimming knife (or similar) to lift the release layer - be careful not to pick up the adhesive as well.

The easiest and most fool-proof method is to peel and fold back the release layer along one edge only (30mm or so). Form a sharp crease in the release layer by rubbing with your finger.

Align the photo over the area where the adhesive is not exposed before bringing it in contact with the adhesive along the exposed edge.

Align the print in the aperture by eye, rather than by measuring.

If you’re unhappy with the alignment (even after tacking the print down on the exposed portion) you can lift and reposition as necessary before exposing the rest of the adhesive.

Reach under the print, grasp the release layer and remove this progressively, smoothing down the print in the same direction as you do so.

Laying the print down on the adhesive progressively from side to side in this way, and smoothing it down as you go, will avoid any chance of air pockets under the film.

It’s easier to mount prints in non-rectangular apertures as overlays rather than as page mounts because there is no need to trim the prints.

Finally, remember this is a pressure sensitive adhesive: press the print down all over with a soft cloth. Make sure the page mount too is carefully pressed down.