What Are Foam Mounts?

Basics

• Foam mounts consist of a square or rectangle of thin foam with your print directly on the front. According to one manufacturer -- Australia's Prints R Us -- customers order them to show off everything from movie posters, family portraits and business logos. The customer chooses the photo and sends a digital copy to the foam-mounting company, which applies the photo to the foam and makes it look professional with a nice finish.

Options

• Customers who purchase a foam mount have a number of options to choose from, from the thickness of the foam to the finish of their photo. Companies can create foam mounts on a variety of foam materials, from foam core to styrene. Most companies offer consumers several different standard sizes, with the option to select a custom size for very large or irregularly sized mounts at an extra cost.

The Process

• After you e-mail your print to the company -- it should be a minimum of 6 inches by 8 inches -- it will print the image on professional photo paper using archival ink and give it either a glossy or matte finish. The technician then uses a vacuum press and a heat-seal glue to affix the photo to the foam board. Some companies will add a black or white edging behind the foam mount for a classy contrast.

Tips

• Since these foam mounts are ultra light, you can hang them using an adhesive, removable wall hook. Check with the manufacturer because some foam mounts -- including those made by Mpix -- are designed specifically to be framed, and may warp if you don't put the foam mount in a frame. This is often the case with a foam mount that has rough edges.