Old maps on canvas, cotton rag, and other materials
The Unique Maps Co. can create beautiful old maps on a wide range of materials, including canvas, cotton rag, foam board, aluminium and even self-adhesive vinyl.
Take a look at my old maps on canvas collection.
The normal material that I print my old maps on is very high quality matte paper. The paper I use weighs 190gsm (10.3mil), which feels a bit like card. This is the best way to create beautiful maps that look virtually identically to original old maps. If you want to frame your map, I would always recommend sticking with my standard paper.
But if you are trying to do something different with one of my old maps, they do look good on other materials too.
Get in touch with me if you want to order a map on one of these alternative materials.
Canvas
My box canvas maps are a good option if you are looking for an alternative to conventional framing. Canvas is a little cheaper than framing, and you might prefer the style and texture of canvas. The trade-off is that canvas has less detail than paper, so your map won't be quite so sharp. At larger sizes though, this isn't much of a problem.
Sometimes, a big box canvas is exactly what a room needs. If that's the situation you find yourself in, get in touch and get a lovely old map on canvas!
Fabric
I bet you've often wondered if you could have an old map flag... flapping gracefully in the wind... no? You haven't?
Oh, well, anyway... I can print lovely maps on fabric. This can be a very cost effective solution if you put a hanging baton across the top.
Get in touch if you'd like to talk about a fabric map.
Cotton rag
Cotton rag is essentially just very high quality paper. Usually it has a bit more texture than 'normal' paper. It is generally very thick and heavy. Cotton rag is also quite a lot more expensive than printing on my normal paper.
If you are framing the map behind glass or acrylic, you won't notice much difference from cotton rag.
If you want a printed map but don't intend to frame it, then cotton rag can be a good option.
Foam board
Another method of presenting a map without a frame is on foamboard (also known as foamcore). Foamcore is totally rigid and can stand up on its own. But it is not rugged - it will still easily break if someone hits it or it falls onto the floor.
If you want an old map as a reference - for a historical book you are reading, perhaps - then getting it on foam board is much more cost effective than framing and obviously has no glare at all, as there's no glass or acrylic!
Self-adhesive vinyl
It might be surprising, but it's also possible to print very high quality maps on self adhesive vinyl.
These are "peel and stick" pieces of vinyl that you can put on glass, your wall, your car... anything really.
Old maps on self-adhesive vinyl is an excellent idea if you are decorating an office or retail space.
Aluminium
For the ultimate non-framed option, consider aluminium board! Known under the trademarks Dibond or AluPanel, printing on aluminium is perfect for outdoor applications or for really large maps that are beyond the limits of conventional framing.
The finish on aluminium is surprisingly good, and high resolution as well. Usually I would use a matte finish, but glossy is an option as well.
The pricing is a bit higher for aluminium printing, but not exorbitantly so.
The image at the top of this page is an example of what an old map printed on aluminium looks like.
Scarves
Believe it or not, I have printed a few old maps onto scarves! I can print on muslin, silk, polyester - they all make for lovely scarves and shawls at quite different price points.
If you really want to "wear" your local area, then an old map on a scarf is a lovely way to do that.
Other options
These are just a few of the materials that I can print old maps on.
Generally, it is possible nowadays to get very high quality results on almost any material. PVC banners, fabric, even flags!
Oh, and I already sell old map wallpaper!
Get in touch if you've got something in mind or want to discuss the possibilities.