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If you don't mind them being unfoldable for future moves, you could have them mounted to a press-board-type background, like some of the posters you find at hobby stores -- many framing companies can do this, and it's usualyl cheaper than matting/framing.

schools and agencies used to use the wooden dowel at each end approach; you can attach a hangar to the top, then when you move you can just roll it up. IT looks nice and way cheaper than glass.

You can get big sheets of foam core board that have adhesive on one side. You peel off the protective paper and stick your map or art on it. It is , however, much more complicated than it sounds. It sticks immediately, so you can't move it once it makes contact. It is rather inexpensive, so if you want to try I have some suggestions.
1)get two pieces of foam board so that you can practice with something that you don't care much about.
2)have someone help you
3)if your map is not completely flat, lightly iron any creases or curly edges.

depending on the map, it could look tres cool if you mounted it to an old schoolhouse chalkboard and hung *that* up.

I just assumed that the people from the house tour had just hung the map directly on the wall and made their own frame from molding from Home Depot. I've used scrap molding several times before to make my own custom-sized frames, and its super easy: Just a few miter cuts, glue, a few screws, and you're set.

Framing stores will make you pay through the nose for pretty much everything.

Plexiglass, some chair rail, cardboard/something light for the backing, etc.

I use maps and nautical charts in my mixed media art work. You could apply the same techniques (if you don't mind having it permanently affixed) I use. You'll need a stretched canvas as large as your map (or trim the map down to fit). Use "heavy gel medium" as an archival glue applied to the back and carefully apply to your canvas. You may get ripples and bubbles since you're covering such a large area. So, you could apply the gel medium only to the border and that would stick it to the canvas. Then you hang the canvas and it's a lot lighter than framing and gives you a clean look. I would suggest playing around with a map and smaller canvas you don't care about to get just the right amount of adhesion and practice with the technique first.
Katy
http://www.katyallgeyer.com

I take two pieces of trim and screwing from the back clamp them around the top and bottom of the art. If you do it carefully, you will do no damage to the map and the strips will be readily removable. You can then 1) screw the top strip into the wall (and let it hang) 2) screw the top and bottom strips into the wall with some tension 3) attach wire or twine or rope (depending on your preferred look) to the top trim and hang it from that.

Trim is easily paintable and comes in so many shapes, sizes, and prices that you can easily customize the look. The final result can look like a scroll, which I like, or with nearly invisible top and bottom borders.

Good luck.

Go to your framing store and ask them to shrink-wrap it. They'll mount it on a lightweight backing, and it will have a thin layer of clear plastic all around it to protect the paper.

If you hang paper without protecting it, it will yellow, get wavy in humidity, and stain easily (from cooking fumes, etc).

We have used the Ikea rails for their sliding fabric panels (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30079370) to hang a large poster in our living room. For such a large map you'd need several rails on the top and bottom, but the top pieces have holes you can run wire through instead of attaching them to the Ikea rails. It's an inexpensive way to get the schoolhouse look without dealing with a dowel.

How about getting a large cork board and pinning it on. That way you can also stick pins into places you have been to.

Or loop around some ribbon (sort of like a grid) and then you can also use it to hold things (notes, cards, to do lists). Sort of an over-sized version of one of these with a map for a background: http://www.damnilikethat.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/victorian-message-board.jpg

http://www.modernests.com
hatching new ideas for warm, attainable modern home every day.

Okay. I used to work at Hobby Lobby (It's like Michaels) In the frame shop. And big maps were a frequent problem with our customers. Heres some tips/ ideas:

- get it "drymounted". This is a process that uses heat and permanently attaches it onto foam core. The largest size frame shops can typically do is 40 inches by 60 inches. Otherwise, your map will have to be cut into pieces. We usually charged about 20-35 dollars for this depending on the size (it goes by the number of inches.) So alot of times people people trying to save a buck would just have it drymounted and then hung on their wall.

- If you do get it drymounted be careful! Its heat sensitive and honestly getting it done in August isn't something I would reccomend. Wait until September or October, and store in a cool, dry place. No saunas! =)

- If you want to add a frame, go for a metal sectional without glass first. It will be the cheapest as far as custom framing goes. Glass is usually way to heavy unless you want to invest some serious dough in a heavy duty frame. Acryllic or plexi can sometimes work, but in frame shops those products cost more than glass.

- If you find a large frame that you love, Get your map cut to size, focusing on the parts that you love! add glass, etc.


Good luck! Contact me if you have any questions about the stuff I mentioned!

I've seen slide-on poster hangers that are essentially dowels at the top and bottom that clamp on to the map. The bottom helps give weight so that it hangs more flatly.

it seems easiest to mount the map by yourself using spray adhesive to several pieces of foam-core board. Put that on the wall and then just use molding from Home Depot to frame it out. This way, you can probably get the whole thing done for less than $30 depending on how much the molding costs. Plus, you can paint the molding any color you like!

This blogger shows step by step instructions for how she
"framed" a wall-sized map: http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2009/04/playroom-turned-game-roomlounge.html

I had the same problem with a vintage map of Los Angeles that I just hung in my apartment. My solution was to go to Aaron Brothers (during their one cent sale) and buy a bunch of frames. I then cut up the map and put it into the frames and hung them all next to each other.
Check it out here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/panamadesign/3771196248/sizes/l/

Hang it however you want, without a frame, then tack up thin decorative molding (painted or stained or decorated however you like) all around to simulate one.

I had a large advertisement that I hung in my last apartment, and although I didn't frame it, I simply put a few nails in the wall and hung it by the corners with large binder clips. I never had any problems with it falling off, and it had a cool effect!