Tyvek

Carolyn Lamb <carolynpaintingconservator [at] rocketmail__com>
    writes

>I have to make a waterproof dust cover for a church painting 26 feet
>high by 21 feet wide. I was thinking of using tyvek but will have to
>join several 3 metre widths together.

I recently made a dust cover for a large Tintoretto (approximately
12 x 8 feet) in our collection that is to hang in a ceiling.  I
chose Tyvek because of environmental issues (ambient cycling,
potentially extreme RHs) and to minimize weight.

I machine-stitched soft Tyvek cut from roll stock with polyester
sewing thread.  Because sewing makes holes in the fabric, and I was
concerned about moisture permeation, I left very large seam
allowances down the center seam (there was only one seam).  I lapped
and folded the excess, and secured it on either side of the seam
with a 3M double-sided tape, using one of our stock tapes that
adhered well.  I was less concerned with the archival qualities of
the tape because it does not touch the painting, and because the
stitches are is the primary "adhesive".

I folded the excess Tyvek at the edges over several times, and
stitched the loop side of Velcro through all the layers (the
painting is an irregular octagonal shape, so each side was shaped in
situ).  Because of the nature of the stretcher I could not attach to
it.  So I attached the hook portion of the Velcro to the wooden
frame with the same double-sided tape and staples, avoiding the
hanging hardware, plates, etc.  When the dust cover is attached,
tension on the Velcro can be adjusted so that the Tyvek is fairly
taut, without apparent affect on the fabric's integrity.

Serena Urry
Detroit Institute of Arts


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 20:41
                 Distributed: Sunday, February 25, 2007
                       Message Id: cdl-20-41-002
                                  ***