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How can I mount Fiber Based Photo Paper to rusted steel?

I need advice from serious photographers only. I need to mount B&W fiber based mural prints (40x60) onto sheets of cold pressed steel that have areas of rust. I like the aesthetic of rust but am concerned about adhesion and archivalness of the print. I was told to use Seal color mount mounting sheets. Can I use a hand iron? Do I need to find a business that has a large dry mount press? Is aluminum a better way to go? Any real help is appreciated.

Public Comments

1. I'm not much of a photographer, but I am an artist & framer - so I'll give you the benefit of the knowledge I have in this area... Rust is going to be a problem for you. Since rust is a powder that sits on the surface of the steel, anything you adhere to it will only adhere to the powder, and eventually the powder will come away from the steel, taking your paper with it. And the steel will continue to rust unless you seal it from the air (rust = iron oxide, caused by exposure to oxygen). But sealing the metal with a varnish will only buy you time, it won't guarantee that the rusted portion won't eventually separate from the metal. My vote would go to Aluminum. Upon surfing the Seal Adhesives website, note that heat seal is best used when mounting paper to paper - probably not a good choice for metal. A self-adhesive film would probably work best, but I would suggest you contact them directly for information on which film works best with which support, and also whether their product provides an acid-free barrier between the print & support. http://www.sealbrands.com/websites/sealbrands/sealweb.nsf/htmlalias/selectmounting Sounds like an interesting challenge - have fun with it!
2. Iron and steel is without a doubt a means to an end in terms of archival photographic mediums, one only needs to consider the plethora of 100 year old plus ferrotypes(also refered to as tintypes) one can find perusing any antique store. In terms of iron oxide i.e, rust, the Ph value is around 5-7, which as you know is ok because if that value were over 7 it would be too acidic and this would ruin your print over time as the acids leach into the paper. As far as adhesives, you might want to try PVA glue because it is ph neutral and wont destroy your print. I would also suggest that you mount some kind of glass over the completed project because air can be the biggest contributors to an images archivalness(as well as stop the iron or steel from rusting further) which is why sensitive photos like the worlds first photo by Niepce is encapsulated in a frame of inert gases.
3. Check with your local comminity college art department. I have seen students do this from time to time and it works well when the subject is "industrial" in nature.