This is topic Movie Poster Storage in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Scott Oakley (Member # 651) on 02-09-2001, 11:44 PM:
Does anyone know of a good way to store posters? I have about 200 movie posters stored in shipping tubes in my closet. I've been trying to find something else to put them in where I could lay them flat and possibly store them under a bed. I have been looking all over the place for something big enough to hold a 27 x 40 poster and haven't had any luck yet. (with the possible exception being those large steel flat files, but those are just way too expensive!) I'd appreciate any ideas or suggestions anyone has...
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-10-2001, 10:53 AM:
The way museum archives store large documents, such as posters, is called MYLAR ENCAPSULATION. It's a fancy-sounding name but it's really simple in reality.Find yourself some large sheets of clear Mylar. It has to be Mylar. Other plastics give off polyvilyl cloride (PVC) vapors which will destroy the paper. Get enough to cover both sides of the posters and leave a border around the edge of about 1 to 2 inches. (approx. 3 to 5 cm)
Lay a sheet down on a table (or clean floor) and use double-faced tape to make a border around the poster on 3 sides of the Mylar rectangle. Place the top sheet on top and stick it down so there are no wrinkles.
What you now have is a giant envelope you can slide the poster into. Once the poster is in, seal up the last side.
When you want to hang it, you can use the border of the Mylar to stick tape (or tacks) to without hurting the poster inside. Some museums even go so far as to put metal grommets into the border for hanging.
Storage should be done by laying the poster flat, of course. Keep them in a cool, dark room. Humidity control is a good idea, too. At least get a humidity guage. Museums usually do this by keeping large posters and pictures in drawers. If you have seen a blue print cabinet with the giant drawers, you know what I'm talking about. Often they have humidity control built right into the cabinet.
I wouldn't get all THAT fancy, though. I'd just encapsulate them and store them flat, under the bed. If you can come across a blue print drawer somewhere, like a flea market, etc. then I would snag it.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-10-2001, 11:17 AM:
Bankersbox (they make the folded file folder storage boxes) make a carboard version of a engineers blueprint file cabinet. They are relativly inexpensive and are available for esize 36"x48" prints
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-10-2001, 11:49 AM:
What about acid / formaldehide vapors given off by the cardboard? You'd have to make certain that the Mylar "envelopes" are completely air tight.
Posted by Matt Gardner (Member # 572) on 02-10-2001, 12:30 PM:
I used a standee box to store my posters. Its holding about 250 posters flat right now and has plenty of room left over. When I add new posters I just slide the box back under my bed totally out of sight. Its kind of a pain looking for a certain poster but if you make a list they become easy to find.
Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 02-10-2001, 02:31 PM:
There is acid-free backing stock in various thicknesses, and Virgin Polyethylene or Mylar sleeves and bags (Polyolifin Shrink Film too) made just for long term storage purposes--check out the ads for the stuff in almost any issue of "The Big Reel." http://www.bagsunlimited.com (practically in John Pytlak's back yard 
)
I'm facing the same issue myself as I've started collecting Japanese anime movie posters. BTW Japanese standard sizes for posters are 20x29" and 29x40"...
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-10-2001, 03:43 PM:
I would assume that bankers box uses a low acid material since they are designed for longterm storage