Caring for your new map
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Greetings you map-loving ocean enthusiast! I'm excited for you to have a piece of modern, ocean-focused cartography in your life.
With a little care and intention your map(s) will provide years of loyal service.
Your map will arrive rolled in a classic cardboard poster tube or a fun triangular carboard prism. There will be a layer of paper rolled up with it to keep it from getting scratched in transit.
The paper that the map is printed on has a "memory" and will want to stay rolled up, but with a little patience and care you can convince it to lie flat.
How to flatten a rolled map:
- Clean is key. Make sure your hands are clean and any surfaces you put the map on are clean and dry.
- Put the map white-side down on a hard, flat surface
- Put the tissue paper over the printed side and gently put some things on the corners and edges. Pillows or folded clothes work good. It doesn't need to be too heavy, we are just letting the paper acquire a new "memory", one where it remembers that it's favorite shape is flat.
- Wait 24ish hours and the map will be happy to stay flat
- Note: I don't recomend rolling your map in the opposite direction to flatten it out. I know, it's fast, but this method can cause creases in the paper that will never come out.
Maps are sent rolled to cut down on production and shipping costs. There are many options for hanging your map. Below are some ideas, but in the end, it really comes down to personal preference, budget, and what you have lying around.
How to hang a map:
- Take it to a local framer: This is the most expensive option, but it's a good one if you really want to protect your print or to make it match the other art on your walls.
- Make a poster hanger: get thin wood and sandwich the top and bottom edges of the map. A little string on the top becomes the hanger and the bottom is the weight to keep it flat against the wall.
- Use that wall sticky stuff: Might be blue-tack or whatever, works pretty good. Doesn't damage the map or the wall.
- Use painters tape rolled back on itself: It's a bit of a janky option, but it works and doesn't damage the wall or the map if you're careful. It does make the map sit a bit off the wall, which can look a bit unprofessional. Use caution when removing the tape from the print.
- Use double-sided tape: there's lots of different brands of tape, but it is a more secure option. Depending on the tape you use it might make it hard to safely get the map off the wall and it might leave residue on your wall.
- Thumb tacks: A classic option, but one that damages the map and your wall. Despite the damage, sometimes it's the right thing to do. I think it mostly belongs on maps hung in gear rooms or workshops where that "rugged aesthetic" looks like it belongs.
The maps are printed on a coated lustre paper (aka semi-gloss or pearl). This coating gives them a slight reflective sheen in some light, and provides some protection from moisture, dirt, and grease.
How to help your map stay pristine:
- Clean hands. Clean hands. Clean hands.
- Use a pointer instead of your finger. Anything works: a pencil, the handle of a wooden spoon, a ziptie, whatever you have that's lying around.
- Keep it dry and out of high-humidity environments. Bathrooms are probably a no-go, and boat leaks may do irreperable damage to your print.
If you do get gunk on your map (maybe you were telling a story after working on your engine, or maybe your little nephew with sticky hands got to it) don't worry, there is hope to get at least some of it off the map. The coated material can be wiped with a barely-damp, soft cloth.
Ways to use your map:
At the end of the day, these maps are meant to be used. Write on them, put sticky notes on them, tell so many stories that they get worn out. That just means your using them how they are meant to be used: with enthusiasm! You can always just order another one :)
Send me a picture of your map:
I always like to see people's maps hung on the wall so send me a picture when you find it's spot: mapwizard@cdedwards.com