Acrylic Picture Framing Information
Acrylic Choices for Picture Frames
Acrylic Cleaning and Static Removal
Acrylic Paper Mask Removal
Glass vs. Acrylic (Plexiglas, Acrylite)
Acrylic Choices for Picture Frames
Standard acrylic has no coatings, no matte finish, and no tint. It is very translucent, and optically pure.
More optically pure than glass except for very expensive low iron glass (sometimes called water white).
Regular glass has a green tint. Lay a piece of glass on white printer paper and you can see what I mean.
At the bottom of the “Product Gallery” on our web site (http://www.framedestination.com), is a photo of
glass and standard acrylic on Epson archival matte paper. If your print is standard photographic print process or
archival inkjet, if you do not need it to last past 10 years, or if you are not displaying it in direct sunlight,
then standard acrylic is probably fine. If the print is a standard inkjet print and it’s not being sold,
then standard acrylic is fine because it can be reprinted.
UV filter acrylic will block 98% of the UV radiation. This helps reduce fading on all types of photos in frames.
It also has a slight yellow tint which can create a slight warming effect. When I say slight tint, I mean that it
probably has half the tint of glass. If you are not bothered by the green tint on the picture frames in your house,
you will not notice the yellow tint in UV filter acrylic. If displaying your photo frame in a brightly lit room,
or if you need it to last past 10 years, then consider this type of acrylic. (10 years is a conservative number)
Standard photographs can last past 10 years with very little fading depending on the type of light they are displayed in.
It also depends on how much fading you can tolerate. Even with UV filter acrylic it will still fade unless kept in the dark.
Our non-glare acrylic has a matte finish on one side to reduce glare from light. This is a very high quality product
and causes a minute loss in sharpness even with a thick 8-ply mat. Some non-glare acrylic or Plexiglas products will
cause a noticeable loss of sharpness even if it is against the print. This version of non-glare does not have any
UV-filtering making it optically pure (no tint). Non-glare will not completely eliminate the glare of light but will reduce
it considerably and make the picture frame much more presentable in poor lighting conditions. The drawbacks are higher cost,
and a slight loss of sharpness. With 4-ply mat you will need a loop to detect the loss of sharpness. The best way to display
the image is with standard or UV acrylic and proper lighting so no glare is created.
Our UV/Non-glare acrylic is a combination of UV-filter and matte finish to reduce glare.
Glazing is the generic term for glass, acrylic, or Plexiglas used to cover and protect the image.
Glass is an option that is most commonly used by customers who require the stiffness or scratch resistance of glass.
Acrylic Cleaning and Static Removal
We sell acrylic picture frames by the thousands so this was a serious problem for our business and we did a lot of research. We tested several cleaner polishes for static removal and ease of use. The product we thought was best for cleaning picture frame acrylic was Brillianize. It is a one-step cleaner polish. We tested another product that was nearly as good and probably had a more durable polish but it was two steps, clean then polish. If it new acrylic then two steps are not required. The two-step product did not appear to leave the acrylic as clear as Brillianize. Brillianize appeared to actually increase the sharpness of an image under the acrylic by a minor amount. We suspect possibly because it may help remove some residue left from the protective paper mask. This product also significantly reduces the amount of static on the acrylic. Another way you can reduce the static charge is by taking a damp cloth and wipe the acrylic down while it still has the paper mask on it. I do this some times if I am in a hurry and want to get the frame assembled quickly but do not want all the dust in the room to be pulled onto the acrylic.
You don’t need anything real special to clean acrylic, just a soft cloth. Do not use paper towels. Paper towels are the equivalent of wadded and ground up twigs. Pretty much any of the new micro fiber cloths work well. After considerable research, we actually found the equivalent of a micro fiber chamois which is our favorite. It is manufactured (or resold) by Craftics and they call it “Microfiber Smooth Towel”. It is just a little quicker at removing that last cleaning streak off of smooth surfaces such as glass
Acrylic Paper Mask Removal
Our picture frames are shipped with a paper mask over the acrylic to protect it from scratches.
This mask needs to be removed when you are ready to hang your photo frame. Here is an easy way to do this.
Get a cardboard tube such as those used for mailing posters or large photographs. Center the tube over one
corner of the acrylic sheet. Peel the corner of the paper up and press it against the tube. Now just use the
tube to roll the paper mask off the acrylic sheet. When the paper is removed you can use a cleaner polish such
as Brillianize to remove the static charge, which will help keep the acrylic glazing from attracting dust.
An excellent and very safe cloth to use is the Craftics microfiber chamois.
Glass vs. Acrylic (Plexiglas, Acrylite)
Neither material is perfect. Both have advantages and disadvantages for picture framing.
When deciding which to use for a framing application you will need to review the following
list of pro's and con's and consider the following issues:
• Where will the picture frame be displayed
• How large will the frame be
• How much will it be moved
• Who will clean it
• Is the artwork replaceable
• Will the picture frame be shipped
Acrylic Pro's
Very lightweight – Easy to transport and often used on large picture frames since the weight of glass can become an issue for the moulding, hanging hardware, and wall.
Shatter resistant – Ideal for shipping, especially larger picture frames. Very safe for picture frames in high activity areas such as children's rooms or recreational areas. Many galleries insist on Acrylic for liability reasons. Many museums use Acrylic because broken glass can permanently destroy rare artwork.
Optically pure – Acrylic is more optically pure than glass unless you get the more expensive reduced iron glass such as Tru Vue Museum glass. Regular glass, especially less expensive non-framing grade glass, has a green tint. UV filter Acrylic and UV filter glass both have a yellow tint (including the Museum glass). The yellow tint has a warming effect and is due to the UV filter. In the case of Acrylic it is built into the material. In the case of glass, it is coating that may deteriorate and lose effectiveness depending on the quality of the brand.
Acrylic Con's
Expensive – There are many different quality levels of glass and acrylic. In general standard Acrylic typically cost considerably more than standard glass. Glass with reduced iron, UV-filtration and anti-reflective technology will cost more and perform better optically than Acrylic with UV-filtration and non-glare technology. Acrylic with UV-filtration, anti-reflection, and abrasion resistance will cost even more than that glass.
Lack of scratch resistance – Except for more expensive abrasion resistant versions of acrylic, it is more sensitive to scratching and requires special care. Only soft cloths should be used to clean it. Paper towels are essentially ground up wood pulp and can damage acrylic. Microfiber cleaning cloths work well. This can be a disadvantage if you are reselling framed artwork since you will need to remind your customer to use be careful when cleaning it.
Susceptible to bowing – Acrylic is not as stiff as glass and larger sheets can bend or bow depending on the thickness. Thicker acrylic is more expensive than thinner acrylic. In general it is not an issue unless the piece is very large.
Static Charge – Acrylic is more susceptible to higher levels of static charge than glass. For this reason it should generally not be used to frame chalk pastels. The static charge can be a nuisance during frame assembly since it will attract dust into the frame. Products such as Brillianize and other static removal tools are very effective at removing this nuisance.
Protective paper/film hassle – Due to Acrylic's lack of scratch resistance, it is sold with a protective film or paper coating. This must be removed during the final frame assembly. The film is easy to remove but provides little protection resulting in increased scratching during processing and handing. Paper provides very good protection but is much more difficult to remove. Read here for tip that makes it easier.
Glass Pro's
Less Expensive – There are many different quality levels of glass and acrylic, but overall glass is typically much less expensive than acrylic.
Scratch Resistance – Glass is very scratch resistant so it requires no special care. If you are reselling framed artwork, you do not have to educate your customer about proper care.
Less Static Charge – Glass will generally not build up static charges like acrylic which can attract dust into the framing package and slow the process down.
Does not bow – Glass is very stiff and will not bow like acrylic can.
No protective film – Glass does not require a special protective coating. Final frame assembly only requires cleaning of the glass.
Glass Con's
Heavy – Glass weighs considerably more than acrylic. This will increase shipping costs, may require stronger and larger frame moulding or braces, and may require heavier duty picture frame hanging hardware.
Easily broken – Glass requires special care during transport and is very easily damaged in shipping. In general is better to buy glass locally for this reason along with the added weight.
Not Optically Pure – The iron content of glass creates a green tint which reduces the light level and creates a green tint. Some glass is available with reduced iron content and is much more optically pure. This type of glass will often have a UV-filter causing it to have a slight yellow cast and will cost be much more expensive than most types of acrylic.
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