Adhesive for attaching canvas to wall

In answer to Mark Vine's query about adhering lined murals to
coving, I suggest testing "strippable" wallpaper adhesives on
similar material to see if it will adhere to the waxy surface and if
it really will be strippable after full drying (at least a month)
without damaging the image.  Avoid Rhoplex and other such emulsions
as they become effectively irreversible as they age.  The dextrin
(or starch-based) "strippable" wallpaper adhesives form a granular
layer that can be separated mechanically, but even these may form
too strong of a bond for safe removal, hence the testing.  The wax
layer will certainly increase the chance of easy removal in the
future, providing that the wax does not initially prevent adequate
bonding for required durability.

Another hedge against fate might be the use of another intermediate
layer, perhaps of a relatively thick, short-fibered, low strength
paper that is glued to the walls to form the base to which the
murals are adhered.  If the need arises to remove the murals again,
the paper interlayer could be split mechanically with a thin blade
or moistened and pulled apart.  The paper should be somewhat
stronger than blotter but perhaps still a water-leaf.  Again,
testing of the method and materials is recommended.

Please satisfy my curiosity as to why a wax-coated lining was used
when the mounting was likely to require an aqueous adhesive? Good
Luck,

Geoffrey Brown
Curator of Conservation
Kelsey Museum
University of Michigan
313-747-0439

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 9:22
                Distributed: Thursday, September 7, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-9-22-003
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