Acrylic Vs Glass Frame

The only disadvantage of glass is that it s heavy for shipping and can be a hazard if broken.

Acrylic vs glass frame.

Acrylic options acrylic is an alternative to glass that is lighter and harder to break though it is softer and more easily scratched excluding anti reflection acrylic. Acrylic is also lighter than glass which reduces the shipping cost. This state of the art acrylic product is optically coated creating a nearly invisible surface providing the highest level of reduced reflection available in an acrylic product. Artists must consider the visibility of the picture behind the glazing.

80 light with standard glass and 90 with acrylic. It also is more durable which makes it ideal for frames ordered online. At frame destination we sell both glass and acrylic but we limit the size of the glass we ship to 24 28 inches to help reduce the chance of shipping damage. Acrylic is more affordable and lighter than glass.

Regular framing grade acrylic has better uv blocking properties than picture glass about 60 better and optional uv acrylic will block up to 97 of the harmful wavelengths of light that can cause your precious memories to fade in time. If it does break it tends to be into large pieces with blunted edges. While glass will shatter acrylic will usually just crack. Acrylic reflects less light than glass meaning more will go through and illuminate your artwork.

Acrylic lets in about an extra 10 of light over standard glass. Generally glass allows in about 80 of light while acrylic lets in 90 92 thereby affording a better view of the art. For that reason picture frames with acrylic glazing will provide clearer visibility. Acrylic or plexiglass is used primarily in posters and large picture frames bigger than 11x14.

Acrylic glass can handle a stronger impact than real glass. Acrylic is used in large format frames because it s more resistant to breaking than glass and costs less to ship. Glass is heavier and more fragile but some people prefer it for the aesthetic or because it s less susceptible to scratching. Most acrylic glazing is about 1 10 thick while extra clear and regular glass are about 1 16 thick.