I would like to glue my Instant Horizons backdrop directly to a painted wall. Any experience with
Elmer’s Glue? The I H says don’t use water based glue.
Mine are from the Backdrop Warehouse…
They recommend, and I subsequently used, rubber cement.
I’m very pleased with the results and if necessary the backdrop can be peeled off and restuck.
Don’t ask me how I know this. [B)]
Instant Horizons are printed on very thin paper that will dissolve and turn to mush with water based glue. I used 3M contact cement in a spray can to fasten them to Masonite.
No matter how careful you may be, the Instant Horizons don’t match up very well in some cases. The ones I used seemed to have been printed at different times by different companies. Some were darker ink than others, and the scenes didn’t match at the joints. Even the artistry was noticeably different between scenes.
Fastening directly to a painted wall is going to be difficult because the paper tends to develop air bubbles and wrinkles very, very easily, and the paper is so thin that it is impossible to move it without tearing.
I’m not a happy camper at all with Walthers Instant Horizons.
A photographic backdrop from Backdrop Warehouse was much more professionally done and is printed on heavier stock and oversprayed with a protective finish. Considerably more expensive than Instant Horizons, but clearly a case of ‘you get what you pay for.’
I concur the instant horizon’s were a great disappointment so much so I never sued them. They are tacked tot he Sheetrock wall in the work shop with thumbtacks. In the few area’s where I do intend to use photo backdrops but I like to remove the sky portion and use the sky that I’ve painted on the walls. I was contemplating using wall paper paste or a low voc spray adhesive. Spray glue is some real nasty stuff if you use it please use a respirator
jimmkt
I dont recommend using water base glue for the reasons stated that came with your backdrops. And its like it has been mentioned elswhere in this thread, they will practicaly fall apart in your hands. I dont recommend putting them directly on the wall as they will bubble up and eventually they will roll up on you like old windowshades. besides being impossible to get all the air bubbles out from behind them. If I were you I would put up a scenery board or something similar to put them on. As to what to use to put them up with I have had good luck with spray contact cement but you will need to be very careful not to let it touch your backdrop board until it is perfectly lined up because once it touches it is stuck! Good luck with what you decide on. I am sure there will be others posting with suggestions as well. Neil
Their website should also have recommendations on what to use. I’ve also seen rubber cement recommended.
I had all the above mentioned problems trying to use the Walther’s Instant Horizons. I couldn’t get a recommendation from them on how to glue them on. I painted on rubber cement and they wrinkled and I couldn’t get the bubbles out. I installed 8 of them and quit. Later on I had limited success ironing some of the blisters out with a steam iron.
My local hobby dealer felt so bad that later he really came through for me by giving me some good backdrops from Backdrop Warehouse! What a guy! Arron Fagon’s in Dubuque!
For the reasons mentioned, I would never use W\S Instant Horizons. On my around the room 24’x24’ layout I use SceniKing photo panoramas. These are 7"x11" sequential sections, that I glued on the primed Luan backdrop, with giant glue sticks. No mess, no bubbles, removable if necessary. The top sky blue of each of the sequential photo sections is fairly uniform. I matched the top sky blue color electronically at the paint store and painted the area above the 7 inch top margin (that I drew on with a faint pencil line) After two years, the sections are still on the wall. Note the invisible blue blending in the following photo. SceniKing sequential photos include distant mountains,( as shown in the following photo The photo sequences include farm scenes, urban and factory scenes (to mix and match) Cost ?? (about $28/ 8 ft), that you trim and glue on (following the top erasable pencil line). I hide any mismatch of color.with stippled on clouds,(as seen in the second photo). Or blend any variance in color with fry brush technique clouds, stippled on, the photo backdrop. Bob Hahn 
I’ve started experimenting with latex adhesive caulk. Althought I haven’t tried full photo sheets as of yet, I have played around with smaller photos of low horizons and structures glued to the backdrop with the caulk. So far so good. As much as I like contact cement you get one chance to get it right and that’s it. The caulk gives you the ability to adjust things a little. Lance Mindheim
Visit Miami’s Downtown Spur at www.lancemindheim.com
I use the double sided scorch tape.Had no problem at all.With the Instant horizon face down on my work bench, I just put strips of tape around the edge, and a few up & down and cross wise in the middle. Work slowly as you place it on the wall.
Good luck.
Sam