Looking for archival Binder Pages to go with our line of archival Binders and Binder Boxes? This article looks at the different options that we offer to help you make a more informed decision.
Here is a list of the different page options that we offer. You can click on one to skip directly to that section or continue scrolling to see them all.
1. Print and Slide Pages also known as Pocket Pages (Polypropylene)
- Print Pages
- Slide Pages
- Card Stock Inserts
- Caption Pocket 4 x 6 Photo Page
- Pocket Pages with Inserts
2. 3-Ring Page Protectors (Polyester)
3. Archival 3-Hole Mounting Pages (Archival Paper Only)
- Archival 3-Hole Mounting Pages – Card Stock
- 3-Hole Interleaving Pages – Archival Thin Paper
4. Archival Page Lifters (Archival BoxBoard)
5. Album Mount Hinges (Discontinued Item)
6. FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Archival Print and Slide Pocket Pages
Print and Slide Pages are also referred to as Pocket Pages because, like a pocket, they are open at the top and sealed on the other three sides. You can store photos and other flat documents and keepsakes in these pages without needing any other accessories or adhesives.
They come in a wide range of sizes and all feature top-loading pockets. Pocket sizes range from 2 x 2″ (designed to store 35mm slides, but usable for tiny photos, too) to 9-3/8 x 11.” We also offer 8-1/2 x 14″ pocket pages for our Legal Binder and Slipcase, and 11 x 17″ horizontal pocket pages for our 11 x 17 Binder and Slipcase.
A helpful feature that we’ve been adding to the website is a red “i” in a circle next to certain items. Use your mouse to hover over the icon and a pop-up info window will appear.
Specifications:
- made of archivally-safe polypropylene
- heavier than many others so they will not tear, wrinkle, or distort
- pages are top loading, so photos will not slide out the side
- 9-3/8 x 11″ Page (52-911) will accommodate magazines 8-1/2 x 11″ with a thickness of 3/8″
Pocket sizes and number of pockets per page:
- 2 x 2 – 35mm Slides – 20 pockets
- 2-½ x 3-½ – 9 pockets
- 3-½ x 5 – 4 pockets
- 4 x 6 – 3 pockets
- 4 x 6 – 2 photo pockets + 1 center pocket for caption label (includes acid-free inserts)
- 5 x 7 – 2 pockets
- 8 x 10 – 1 pocket
- 8-½ x 11 – 1 pocket
- 8-½ x 11 with Index Tabs – 1 pocket
- 8-¼ x 11-¾ (A4) – 1 pocket
- 8-½ x 14 – 1 pocket
- 9-3/8 x 11 – 1 pocket
- 11 x 17 – 1 horizontal pocket
Slide Pages
Slide Pages (52-035) are designed to hold 35mm mounted slides or transparencies. Each page will hold 20 slides. One advantage to this method is that you can put the page on a light box (or hold it up to a bright light) and see your images.
Slide pages storing slides end up being thicker than print pages so fewer of them fit into our binders. The O-Ring Binders and 1-1/2″ D-Ring Binders will hold about twenty 35mm Slide Pages (total of 400 slides). The 2-1/2″ D-Ring Binders will hold about thirty-five 35mm Slide Pages (total of 700 slides).
These small 2 x 2 inch pockets can also be used to store small photos (such as photo booth images) or stamps, especially if you add Card Stock Inserts to them.
Another option for storing your slides is one of our Slide Storage Kits. The smaller kit holds 1200 slides and the larger version holds 2400 slides.
Card Stock Inserts
A popular add-on for the Print Pages are acid-free Archival Card Stock Inserts which come in white, black, and gray. White is the heaviest weight paper (14 pt), gray is slightly thinner (12 pt), and black is the thinnest (9 pt).
Reasons to add Card Stock Inserts to your Print Pages:
- Provides additional support
- Acts as a barrier between photos or items mounted back-to-back
- Can be used to record information or add captions in pencil or archival ink
- Looks attractive, especially when items are smaller than the pocket size
One downside to adding Card Stock Inserts is that they take up space so fewer pages will fit into your binder.
Caption Pocket 4 x 6 Photo Page
Caption Pocket 4 x 6 Photo Page (56-246) is a variation that comes with White Card Stock Inserts and a middle insert for adding captions to your photos. This page has two horizontal 4 x 6” pockets and a slightly smaller pocket in the center for adding descriptive text. It is a narrower page and, along with the 5 x 7 Two Pocket Page (52-017), fits into our Collector Grade Narrow Binders.
Pocket Pages with Inserts
Pocket Pages with Inserts are simply two of our larger Print Pages sold as a package with Card Stock Inserts. You can slide a full-page image into the pocket, no corners or adhesive necessary, or you can use archival Mounting Corners, Gudy Dots, or Glue Dots to attach smaller photos and keepsakes to the page like a scrapbook before sliding it into the pocket.
Both Pocket 4 x 6 Photo Pages and Pocket Pages with Inserts come with the archival Card Stock Inserts. They are packaged together but the customer needs to insert them.
3-Ring Page Protectors
3-Ring Page Protectors (33-101, 33-102) are optically clear polyester sleeves that protect collections from scratches, oils, and fingerprints during handling. They also provide a barrier from dust and other pollutants in a storage environment.
These pages are similar to Side Loading Sleeves, but with binder holes punched through the flap. Pages are open at the top and bottom so you will usually need to attach items to the page with some type of adhesive. We recommend using archival Mounting Corners, Gudy Dots, or Glue Dots to secure items to the pages. Certain items might stay in place without using an adhesive, but you will need to test it.
Specifications:
- Polyester is the clearest, most chemically inert of the archival plastics
- 3 mil. polyester, one-piece construction with a flap edge on the 3-ring hole side
- 70 lb. buffered, acid-free paper sheet lets you file documents back-to-back
- Pages ship with paper inserts already inserted
- Paper insert is removable, if desired
- Pages are open at the top and bottom so you may need to attach items to the pages
- Sold in packages of 25
- Two sizes: 9 x 11” H (33-101) and 10 x 11” H (33-102)
- Oval-shaped 3-ring binder holes take up 3/4″ of the width of the page
- 33-101 usable space is 8-1/4 x 11 and 33-102 usable space is 9-1/4 x 11
Archival 3-Hole Mounting Pages
Archival 3-Hole Mounting Pages feature our acid-free, buffered Card Stock with 3-hole punches to insert into our Archival Binders. This plastic-free option lets you create archival photo albums and scrapbooks that look similar to vintage ones.
Use Mounting Corners (polypropylene or archival paper), Gudy Dots, or Glue Dots to attach photos and memorabilia to these Card Stock Pages to create custom photo albums.
Narrow Size: 8 W x 11″ H pages will accommodate photos and documents up to 7” wide x 11” high without overlapping the punched holes. Designed to fit into our Narrow Binders.
Letter Size: 10 W x 11″ H pages will accommodate photos and documents up to 9” wide x 11” high without overlapping the punched holes.
Legal Size: 9-1/2 W x 14″H pages will accommodate photos and documents up to 8-1/2” wide x 14” high without overlapping the punched holes. Designed to fit into our Legal Binders.
3-Hole Interleaving Pages: 3-hole punched Archival Thin Paper is now available if you’d like to have interleaving between your mounting pages. This adds further protection by adding a barrier between the photos or memorabilia on each page.
Archival Page Lifters
Page Lifters, sold in packages of two, allow you to flip binder contents from side to side without stressing punched holes and risking tears. They act as bookends at the front and back of your binder contents.
Page Lifters are made of the same ArchivalGrade Boxboard as our Metal Edge Boxes. The colors are Tan/White, Gray/White, and solid Black.
Our Standard Archival Page Lifters, 9-5/8 W x 11-1/8” H, fit in all our binders except the Narrow Binders, Legal Binders, and the 11 x 17 Binder.
We now offer page lifters to fit the 11 x 17,” Narrow, and Legal Binders. They are made from the same board as the Standard Lifters but the holes are round rather than oval and the corners are square rather than rounded.
Album Mount Hinges (Discontinued)
Use Album Mount Hinges (78-011) to display artwork or documents in three-ring binders without the need for sheet protectors or hole punching. The 11-inch hinge is punched with five holes for use in standard three-ring binders.
Each hinge has two strips of adhesive and will mount two prints back-to-back. Simply remove the release liner from the tape, position your artwork, document, or album page along the black flexible hinge, then press along the tape for good bond strength.
FAQs
Is plastic archival and safe for long-term storage?
Certain plastics pass the Photographic Activity Test (PAT) and are approved as archival storage materials for photographs. Polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene are approved plastics as long as they do not have additives or coatings. All of the plastic binder pages we sell pass the PAT. For a more in-depth look at using plastic for storing photos visit the NEDCC to read their article: Storage Enclosures for Photographic Materials.
Are these pages acid-free?
All our binders, board, boxes, papers, and any paper used in our binder pages are acid-free and archival. The term acid-free is not generally used to describe plastic enclosures. Acids come from the wood and cotton used to make paper. Inert and stable are better terms to describe the archival aspects of some plastics.
How many pages will fit into a binder?
A general guideline is that the 1-1/2″ binder rings hold about 55 Pocket Pages with contents and the 2-1/2″ ring holds about 90.
But it depends on several factors. Which binder you order (1-1/2″ O-Ring, 1-1/2″ D-Ring, or the 2-1/2″ D-Ring). The thickness of the items you place inside the pockets, whether or not you use Card Stock Inserts and if you do, which color insert are you using? The black is the thinnest and white is the thickest. Paper and photos may seem thin individually but when you stack them they add up.
How many pages do I need to store X amount of photos?
We try to give you the tools you need to help you figure this out. The red info button next to a product listing on the Pocket Pages tells you how many pockets per page, how many photos fit back-to-back on a page, how many pages are in a package, and how many photos an entire package will hold.
What Next?
Once you decide which binder pages will work best for your project, read our blog post about labeling your photos! Then visit archivalmethods.com to place your order.
Contact Us
We hope you’ve found this blog post helpful. Please call or email us if you have questions or comments. We frequently learn and improve through interacting with our customers! Don’t forget, if you are in the Rochester, NY area you can pick free, easy pick-up when checking out to save on shipping.
