Masonite is also used as a canvas for painting.
Hardboard, or Masonite, is a thin, dense board made of wood fibers bound together to add uniformity and strength to the panel. It is favored by artists for mounting work because its thinness allows it to be used with traditional mats and frames and its stiffness makes it an ideal mounting surface for presenting artwork. Depending on whether dry or wet mounting is chosen for the image, the process to mount Masonite can either be simple or complex and time consuming.
Instructions
Dry Mount
1. Use a ruler and pencil to make reference marks on the Masonite for where the corners of the photograph or drawing needs to fall to be centered on the board.
2. Cover the area of the Masonite that will be outside the reference marks with painter's tape. This prevents the spray adhesive from coating the edges of the board and potentially attracting dust and other airborne debris to the surface.
3. Hold the can of spray adhesive 10-12 inches from the board at a 45-degree angle. Coat the exposed Masonite with an even layer of adhesive. Move the can back and forth across the surface while spraying to ensure even coverage.
4. Line up the bottom edge of the image with the bottom reference marks on the board. Lay the drawing down onto the board, image side up, slowly. Make sure the image lines up with the reference marks. If it goes off line, peel the image up and try again.
5. Smooth the image with a brayer, rolling it from the center out to the edges. Allow the mounted image one hour to dry. Peel off the painter's tape. Spray the entire board with a light, even coating of spray fixative to seal the image to the board.
Wet Mount
6. Cut the Masonite with a table saw so the board is 1 inch larger then the size of the image to be mounted.
7. Prime the board by painting a thin layer of gesso over the smooth side of the board. Wait for the gesso to dry completely; the time depends on the humidity in the room.
8. With a ruler and pencil, measure in from the edges of the board and make reference marks for where the corners of the image must be placed in order for the image to be centered on the board. Place the board next to a clean sheet of blank newsprint (not a newspaper).
9. Fill a tray with water and submerge the image. Wait one minute and transfer the image from the tray to the newsprint. Lay the image face down on the paper.
10. Dip a sponge in the tray of water and wring the sponge to remove excess water. The sponge should be damp but not saturated. Wipe the back of the image with the sponge and the gessoed side of the Masonite to dampen the surface.
11. Paint the back of the image and the front of the Masonite with a thin coat of acrylic gel.
12. Carefully lift the picture up by the corners, line up the bottom edges with the bottom reference marks on the board and lay the picture, face up, in position. Make sure the picture is lined up with the marks. If it is not, peel the picture up and redo the placement. Use caution because wet paper is more prone to tear then dry paper.
13. Roll the picture with a brayer to smooth any wrinkles and remove any air bubbles. Work from the center out to the edges. Wipe any gel squeezed out from under the image off the board with a damp paper towel.
14. Coat the image and board with a thin, even layer of acrylic matte varnish. Paint in one direction only, either horizontally or vertically. Let the matte finish dry and apply another layer, working in the perpendicular direction to the first. If the first layer was painted vertically, the second should be painted horizontally. Let the board and image dry for 48 hours.
