Archival Solution of the Week: Permalife Acid-Free Paper
Now, why on earth would anybody ever need to use acid-free Permalife 20lb Bond Paper???
From left to right: archival Drop-Front Boxes with acid-free mats / 4 x 6 Archive 900 Kit for photo prints & negatives / acid-free Artifact Box
(Please click on each image for more information.)
Acid-free boxes and mat boards (see pix, above) seem to make perfect sense, as conscientious artists, photographers, genealogists & collectors always want to protect their artwork and collections from contamination from acid migration (please see our fully-illustrated blog on Archival Definitions: Acid-Free / Buffered / Unbuffered / Acid Migration).
In a similar vein, archival tissues also make sense, as these thin semi-translucent sheets are perfect for protecting prints and artworks when stored in acid-free mats (above left) or for interleaving between loose prints before they’re stored in archival boxes (above right).
Well, there are in fact a zillion reasons for choosing Permalife 20lb Bond Paper for any number of applications.
But first, just what IS Permalife Paper???
Permalife Paper: Just what IS it?
The Technical Specs: this high-quality 20 lb. (75 gsm) paper is made of a rich blend of 25% cotton stock and 75% pure cellulose fiber. It is acid- and lignin-free, formulated with a safe pH of 7.5-8.0, and is buffered with a 3% calcium carbonate alkaline reserve to protect it from acid migration (if you haven’t done so already, please click here for a definition of acid-free / buffered / acid migration).
Translation: composed of 25% pure cotton, Permalife Paper has a wonderful internal strength and is quite durable, with excellent surface & folding characteristics. Its acid-free/buffered formulation means that it can be used for most applications where an archival tissue is too thin and acid-free card stock is too thick.
Permalife Paper: Applications
Applications include the following (amongst any others you can dream up for this flexible archival resource!):
• Copying and Printing: use it instead of “regular paper” in your copier or printer to ensure long-term survival
of copies and printed scans of your one-of-a-kind documents or genealogical records
• Interleaving: when, as mentioned, archival tissue is too thin for your purposes
• Hand Bookmaking: to add decades–if not centuries!–to the survival of your handmade books (see pix below)
• Enclosures: when you need a custom-sized or custom-shaped envelope or folder to perfectly meet your needs
• Making Large or Custom-Sized Photo Corners: any size is possible with a pair of scissors & only two folds
• Artwork: any number of different art projects would benefit from the use of this high-quality acid-free paper
• Building Flying Submarines: OK, maybe not this one, folks
Permalife Paper: Sizes and Quantities / Custom Sizes
Archival Methods offers Permalife 20lb Bond Paper in the following convenient standard sizes and quantities, and we would be happy to custom-cut your order (for orders of 100 or more sheets) to match your specific needs – contact us for details!
• 8-1/2 x 11″ (letter size) / package of 500 sheets
• A4 / 8.27 x 11.7″ (European standard) / package of 100 sheets
• 8-1/2 x 14″ (legal size) / package of 100 sheets
• 11 x 17″ / package of 100 sheets
• 32 x 40″ / package of 100 sheets
When it comes to finding just the right acid-free paper, think of Permalife. There is no better archival 20lb Bond paper anywhere.
Lastly, if you would like to compare the different archival tissues and papers available from Archival Methods, order our unique Archival Paper Sample Kit. This handy set includes 5 x 7″ samples of each of the 6 papers and tissues we offer, and all for only $2 (plus shipping).
(Please Note: gsm = paper weight measured in grams per square meter.)
Archival Paper Sample Kit:
• Archival Tissue 25 gsm (please click here for more information)
• Archival Thin Paper 45 gsm (please click here for more information)
• Translucent Interleaving 63 gsm (please click here for more information)
• Permalife 20lb Bond Paper 75 gsm (please click here for more information)
• Archival Paper 120 gsm (please click here for more information)
• Acid-Free Card Stock 148 gsm (please click here for more information)
Contact Us
If you have any questions, or would you like more information on any of our museum-quality archival storage and presentation materials, please contact us here at Archival Methods. We’re always there to help with any archiving, storage, or presentation questions you may have.
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