How To Flatten A Rolled Poster

 Okay so the poster you bought came shipped in a tube, it’s the best way to ship it actually, but you have to flatten it out, here’s a couple well-known ways to do that: 

Put Weight On It: 

Lay the poster flat, image side down.  Find a heavy object, 4 objects actually, and place each one down on the corners of the poster.  Heavy books work, so do bricks BUT make sure you put cardboard or something like it between the heavy thing and the poster, best way to protect the artwork. 

Stop looking at it, go away from it for a day or so, relax, find a place to hang it…I usually leave the rolled poster by itself for 2-3 days. 

Or FRAME IT Right Away 

I’m not a huge fan of this but I know people who do it.  The key to this is that you already have on hand a frame that the poster will fit in, if you do stick the poster in it, put the backing of the frame on, MAKE SURE IT IS TIGHT…and then hang it up. 

Again, I know this works but it sort of scares the bejesus out of me. 

FINALLY…wrinkles… 

Find a clean flat area and lay the poster image side down on it. 

Find a clean bath towel and slightly, SLIGHTLY dampen it, not SOAKING it, just damp (frankly this scares me more than the frame thing). 

Get the iron, ask your wife where it is if you don’t know, set it on the LOWEST heat setting and gently run it over the damp towel.  Check often to see if the wrinkles are still there.  Trust me on this, we know what the backside of a burnt poster looks like so don’t even think of returning it if in fact you cooked it (I’ve fried a few) all else fails, have your wife/significant other help you…by them flowers/drinks/a puppy afterwards. 

There ya go, 

don