Dibond Panels

[Richard Monro]

After spending time with Sharon Knettell's thread on archival polyester supports I started doing a lot of research for my next project which is a 30x56 painting. Finally I decided what were going to be the decisive properties of this largish support.

1 - hydrophobic if at all possible (except for the paint surface)
2 - archival by which I mean it does not lose support strength or sag with time.
3 - good adhesion properties for acrylic paints (the medium I am forced to work with because of reactions to almost all oil paints)
4 - mold resistant
5 - light weight, but structurally strong

Thermal expansion properties were not a consideration as most paintings (except during shipping) reside in a pretty controlled temperature environment.

I finally settled on metal sided panels. Stainless steel by Reynobond was my first choice, but after second thoughts felt it violated criteria number 5.

Dibond panels finally rose to first choice, but the polyester surface on the aluminum poses a question concerning criteria 3. I wish to work directly on the panel's baked polyester surface. Since polyester canvas takes paint so well, what about a baked polyester surface?

What has been your experiences? Thanks

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by Richard Monro

Dibond panels finally rose to first choice, but the polyester surface on the aluminum poses a question concerning criteria 3. I wish to work directly on the panel's baked polyester surface. Since polyester canvas takes paint so well, what about a baked polyester surface?

What has been your experiences? Thanks

Richard,
You could mount the polyester canvas onto the sanded polyester surface.
Use the water based glue meant for flooring linoleum, that worked fine for me when I made some small panels from Masonite and canvas.

[Richard Monro]

Allan,

Thanks for the suggestion. However, my goal is to work directly on the panel like old masters did on wood panels. I have talked to Golden Paints and they recommend a 1:2 mixture of GAC100 with gesso as a primer. None the less my question is, Can one paint directly on the baked polyester surface? Will the paint adhere well like it does on poly canvas?

[Allan Rahbek]

You could also mount a thin Masonite onto the Dibond, that would give you the option of priming with acrylic gesso.

[Richard Bingham]

Modern polyester coatings are pretty much inert. The only problem you'll encounter with the "factory finish" on Dibond panels is adhesion of subsequent paint films. I'd recommend thoroughly scuffing the surface with a fine scotchbrite pad and simply settling in to begin painting.

Naturally, if you're really interested in "archival permanence", I'd recommend that you perform some short-term tests to your own satisfaction. I would not think an acrylic coating would be a good interface between Dibond and oil paint.

Other than the similar chemistry, there's really no correlation between polyester textiles and polyester coatings . . . rather the way that acrylic artists' colors, acrylic fiber and acrylic sheet (plexiglas) are quite dissimilar substances.

[Richard Monro]

Richard,

Thanks for the reminder about archival permanence. I was so focused on the fact that sign painters letter directly to the surface that I was overlooking this weightier issue.

Museum curators consider Dibond panels as archival and it fulfills all of my other criteria. Yet despite my searching, I have been unable to find any information concerning direct paint adhesion properties. I guess I will go with Golden's recommendations about applying a GAC100/gesso ground first.

[David Clemons]

If I understand you correctly, you're wanting to paint directly on the unprimed metal, but I don't understand what benefit you expect from that which a primer wouldn't improve on. A metal primer would still give you a smooth surface of the metal, and even acrylic dispersion ground on top of that (although, not required) would still be very smooth. Here's a page of an FAQ at the Golden site that makes some recommendations you might consider:
http://www.goldenpaints.com/technica.../xvi_metal.php

[Richard Monro]

David, I don't want to paint directly on a metal surface. Dibond panels have a baked polyester coating applied directly to the metal. I would be painting on this surface and was concerned about adhesion properties. In any case, I looked at the information you suggested and found it to be very helpful. Thanks.

[David Clemons]

Yes, that's what I meant: trying to paint directly on the clear coat surface. Sorry I wasn't clearer. That polyester coating is there to prevent oxidation, and is okay for adhesive films like printed vinyl lettering, epoxy paint, or solvent inks, but regular oils or acrylics would be at risk for delaminating unless it is primed first. I'm actually just repeating advice I was given by the manufacturer and sign painters. One guy I spoke to uses them for outdoor murals, and that's how he preps them: buffs with a sander, primes them, and paints in acrylics. The only time I've used it is as a canvas support myself.

[Richard Monro]

Here is input from the Golden Paints technical support staff:

"We are very familiar with Dibond and have successfully worked with a lot of artists who have used it at this point.

We have usually recommended Sherwin Williams' DTM Bonding Primer, which is engineered specifically for the type of baked-polyester finish Dibond comes with.

After a suitable coat of a primer then you can simply continue on with the rest of our products"


Hope this may help all those who may chose to work on Dibond panels.