What is the propper way to get a blueprints of a new house framed and matted?

Question

I read it's the trendy and fashionable thing to do is to have the blueprints of a recently built home framed and matted to hang as a picture. My question is what blueprint should you display. My parentes are building a new house and there are a ton of blueprints. I've seen it before in new homes. I wanted to give it to them as an xmas present but unsure what Blueprints to choose.

Answer 1

If they are true blue prints you are going to be in for a big surprise in a couple of years. Real blue prints are not made for long life. They tend to fade and yellow if exposed to light.

If you want to give them something a bit more permanent, have copies made on a Xerox type machine using bond paper. These type of copies won't last for ever but will last longer than blue prints by a good bit.

You might consider reducing the drawing to a smaller size. Most of the ones for our current house are 11" x 17" or 8 1/2" x 11"

Regular copy paper is an acid based paper and will last for a while but in time start to yellow. Bond or rag paper will last a good bit longer.

As to which prints to use. I would use the plan drawing, a front elevation and one cross section if any are in the set.

Answer 2

Take it to Michael's or one of those craft stores. They all do framing and matting. It won't be cheap. Be prepared to spend maybe $100-$200. I would display those that show the "main" floor plans. One for the first floor and then if there is a second floor, one for that.

Answer 3

Do your matting in lt tan and the frameing in dk brown, it all goes with the bluelines of the BP