Frequently Asked Questions

We get this question a lot. Unfortunately, the answer is “no.”  Our maps are hand-trimmed to ensure a perfect fit in an individually made frame. Please visit our Framing a 3D Summit Map page for more information about our process, as well as tips for DYI framing.

Each Summit map is packaged in a clear poly sleeve to protect the surface from abrasion and damage during shipping and handling. Then the map is placed in a custom-made flat cardboard box with cushioning material to keep the map secure during shipment (typically via FedEx or UPS).

Summit takes great care to package each map for safe shipment to you. However, accidents can happen. If a box arrives damaged, please contact us immediately and follow the instructions on the Shipping and Returns page of this website. We’ll work with you to get a replacement map to you ASAP.

Summit 3D maps are normally mounted to a wall for display. This can be anything from tacking it to a bulletin board to mounting it in an elegant frame. Some customers even choose to display their maps horizontally -- sometime under glass, as in a glass-topped coffee table.  Please download our How to Frame a Summit Map PDF for DYI framing tips.

With its peaks and valleys, your raised-relief map might collect dust over time. You can gently clean it with a soft brush, clean cloth, or paper towel. You may also use a slightly water-dampened soft cloth or paper towel. Do not use excessive water, cleaning solutions, or detergents as these may attack the ink and damage your map.

As with any printed poster or photo, the map can be scratched or abraded if mishandled. If the map is scratched, we suggest finding a felt-tipped permanent marker pen in a similar color and simply marking over the scratch, dabbing carefully in small dots. This usually works very well to effectively hide the scratch.

Numerous earth-observing satellites now orbit our planet and generate a tremendous amount of imagery. This imagery ranges from sub-meter resolution to 100-meter or greater. High-resolution imagery normally refers to those images with individual pixels of 15 meters or less across. Summit picks satellite imagery for its maps based on the specific scale and project requirements. 15-meter imagery is commonly used, but higher or lower resolution is sometimes used based on the map scale.

Unframed maps typically ship within 3-4 business days, while framed ones take about 7 days. (All framed Summit maps are framed to order.)  If there's a snag like an item being temporarily out of stock, we'll email you about the delay.

All of our maps are manufactured, framed, and shipped from our facility in Maryland, so transit time via UPS Ground or FedEx Ground is normally 1-2 days for East Coast locations, 3-4 days for Colorado and the mountain west, and 5-7 days for the West Coast.

The overall cost of a custom 3D map is determined by three factors: size, quantity, and the amount of graphics work required.  It's fair to say, however, that a custom 3D map is more costly than is practical if you need just one or two copies. The majority of our custom map projects are created for organizations that are selling or distributing maps to a wide audience, so the initial expense is spread across a large number of maps.

For example, a 30”x 20” custom raised-relief map normally costs about $6,000 for the upfront design, data, and tooling, with additional investment required if there’s a lot of graphics development work involved.  Once the initial map is created, we can produce copies of that 30”x 20” map for a cost of about $45, even less in higher quantities.