Gator Board

[rexford26]

Can anyone recommend a technique for hanging gator board. I have a 120"(L) x 38" gator mounted photo that is being installed in a corporate location for a 6 month period. The idea is that a new piece will replace it at the end of the period so the client wants to avoid repeated "damage" to the wall (yes they are uptight). I was thinking screwed in z-clips but the client keeps insisting on hook and loop. Any ideas?

Joe Pryor
renwick graphic services

[JasonO]

How heavy is it?

[Paul Brewin]

I developed a system (someone else I'm sure has done something similar) for hanging 1/2" thick gator graphic panels in our exhibitions. We adhere 3" x 6" pieces of plastic laminate (e.g. Formica), usually 4 minimum but more for bigger panels; the laminate pieces are inset about 2 to 3 inches from the corners. Then we cut keyholes using a small router, then hang the panels using wafer head screws (the kind used sometimes to button up crate lids). I'll post a pic soon. This technique solved a lot of wall repair problems in the past from having to remove hook and loop from the walls which invariably removed big chunks of wall in the process.

[Paul Brewin]

Here's our simple jig. Been meaning to make one out of aluminum/plex, all nice, but well, eventually :) This one originally accommodated a standard Porter Cable router then we wised up to make use of a trim router. The jig is placed onto the back of the panel, then with the router running, slowly lower the router until it rests in the jig pocket butted to the bottom part, then slide the router up to meet the top (1-1/2" or however long slot you like), then remember to slide the router back to the starting position before removing from the jig.



679680
On the bottom there is a piece of laminate attached which acts as a guide; after you have the laminate piece adhered (BTW we use high tack double sided graphic adhesive "Gudy 808", but in the past we have also used hot glue and contact adhesive) to the back of the gator panel and parallel to the edge, then position the jig so that the bottom laminate piece butts up against it, then the keyhole slots will all be at the same distance from the top edge since you have to plot out the screw locations accurately for this to work right.


681682683
I can post more pics or verbage if you need. If I ever manufacture another version of this I'll post. Thanks for your interest, good luck!

[Jon Talbott]

Even simpler - make gator board french cleats and glue them to the back. The stuff cuts pretty well on a table saw.

[Paul Brewin]

Even simpler - make gator board french cleats and glue them to the back. The stuff cuts pretty well on a table saw.

Yes we've done this before when it's intended to have a panel float off the wall rather than be flush to the wall. On Sintra panels we'll solvent-weld Sintra cleats to the back, that works well.